We all love a good dose of light in a room at times and there are plenty of ways to achieve it, regardless of your home. Natural day light works wonders, making rooms feel open, more spacious and even feeling like nicer places to be, but it's not always as easy as opening the curtains each morning to bring in that much needed gentle light that we all crave.
Natural Light
When it comes to your windows, it's pretty obvious that the more 'open' they are, the more light will come in. I don't mean literally open, but more in terms of not cluttering up the glass area with curtains, nets or accessories. By leaving window spaces clearer, more light will enter the room and just make everything feel lighter, brighter and fresher. Curtains and blinds are a total minefield and it really comes down to what sort of window you have, what the view is like, if you're over looked and how much you actually have to play with. There isn't one simple solution, but generally if we try and keep curtains light, clutter to a minimum and give our windows room to breathe we will really see a big difference. You could even think about replacing them for ones with softer lighter or more modern frames, or even making them bigger by replacing them completely.
Artificial lighting
When natural light is not on your side, we need to rely on artificial lighting to fill that space and make things brighter. The problem with artificial lighting is that it's so easy to get it wrong. With a million bulbs to choose from, with different kinds of light output, strengths and shapes, it's hard to know what to choose. You can buy LED bulbs that offer a bright, often overly bright day light feel and in contrast a vintage style bulb will offer a dimmed glow for a more relaxing area. We can have dimmer switches, spot lights, desk lamps, candles, the possibilities are endless and again, it totally depends on your requirements and your home/room. It's well worth doing a little research before you go bulb shopping so you know what all the codes mean and what will be best for you.
Decor & Accessories
For optimum day light, ditch the curtains completely opting for light airy blinds instead. If curtains are a must for you, choose some that 'open the window', in a light shade or made from a sheer light friendly fabric. Add colour with accessories to avoid losing light with colourful large fabrics and furniture. Reflect light and space back into the room with mirrors and keep rooms bright with lighter wall colours, especially if you're lacking on space and/or natural light sources.
