Want to make your home brighter? Whilst you can wire in extra lights, there may be ways of bringing more natural light into your home instead. Here are just a few ways to let the sunlight into your home.
Add a skylight
Providing there’s not a room above, adding a skylight in the roof could be a great way of illuminating a space naturally. Skylights can be placed on flat and pitched roofs. You may even want to invest in a roof lantern skylight, which can maximise the amount of light entering your home. Skylights may cost a large amount to install, but they could save you money in electric lighting in the long run. They also have their added perks such as allowing you to watch the stars at night.
Install glass doors
Glass exterior doors may also help to let in light in certain rooms. Hallways can often be gloomy places, but a front door with glass panels in could help to solve this (these panels can be frosted so that people can’t see in and reinforced to prevent burglary). Patio doors can also be a great feature at the back of a house leading into the garden.These could replace an entire wall allowing light to flood the room.
Remove window obstructions
Certain objects and inside your house could be blocking light from entering windows. When it comes to the inside of your home, think twice before placing wardrobes beside windows that could limit the amount of light in. Large indoor plants may also obstruct a window. As for the outside of your home, consider aspects like plants and high hedges. There may be some obstructions that you can’t help such as trees belonging to neighbours or other buildings.
Use reflective surfaces
Reflective surfaces can help to reflect sunlight and brighten up a room. A common trick is to put a mirror opposite a window – this reflects the light and gives the illusion of an extra window. Laminated wooden floors or polished ceramic tiles meanwhile can also help to brighten up a room more than traditional carpets. These may need to be cleaned and buffed up occasionally to keep their shine. Glossy paints and chrome steel fixtures may also be able to bring a sparkle to a room by helping to reflect some light.
Use bright colours
Bright colours can also help to reflect the sunlight more. When painting walls, think about bright colours like whites and creams. Also think about the colour of furniture. Dark woods can make a gloomy room feel darker, whilst light toned woods can add a brighter feel. Similarly, you may want to choose lighter coloured upholstery in a living room.
XOXO
Debbie
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