Home Style//Collaborative Post
Summer is the perfect time to make changes to our homes and also a great time to spot any areas that are neglecting to let in that beautiful much needed natural daylight. When looking for a new home, most of us will be naturally drawn to lighter brighter places as it makes the home feel larger, more inviting and lot more airy, but there's always room for improvement. Sunshine is simply good for the soul, it's free, plentiful and makes us happy, so it's no wonder many of us are trying to increase the light coming into our homes.
There are plenty of simple changes we can make to do just this. From simple decorating to major new additions, regardless of your situation and budget there's plenty of things to try. Here's five simple ways to improve the natural light coming into your home.
Reflect the light
A very cheap and easy way to increase the light in your home is with your decor and carefully bouncing it round the room with reflective surfaces. By simply lightening up rooms with paint and wallpapers, you can bounce that sunshine into the room as well as making the room feel bigger. By cleverly positioning mirrors in darker areas, you can open up your living space reflecting the natural sun light from windows back into your home. Before fixing mirrors, walk them up and down the area to see where they have the most impact and reflect the most light. You may want to look to your floors too as they can reflect a surprising amount and make a huge difference when replaced with a polished tile or simply a lighter carpet or wood.
Update your furniture
Opt for glossy light coloured surfaces in kitchens and bathrooms to reflect light there, with worktops like polished granite or concrete, tiles that will reflect and again, the right flooring to brighten up the area. Choose light wood or brightly coloured furniture and remember you can always up cycle your favourite furniture if it's dark, so it needn't be costly. Think about textures and fabrics when it comes to new furniture shopping, to allow the light to dance around the room at its best.
Add glass
Adding toughened glass to replace walls or banisters can make a huge difference to your home when it comes to letting in natural light. Even by just adding a slither of glass panelling to a light poor area, we can work wonders. Before reaching for the sledge hammer though, be sure to get the professionals in for the best advice and tips for the ultimate use of your space. Adding transparent glass instead of walls allows light to travel naturally through, without compromising on safety whilst making spaces feel more open and inviting.
Update windows and doors
If your budget allows, then opting for something like bi-fold doors or roof lights can allow the largest amount of natural light into your home as it virtually transforms an entire wall into glass to let the outside in. If you can't change your windows entirely, look at your window dressings and see if you can make any changes there. You may want to change to a fabric that allows a little more light through, whilst still giving some privacy, you may want to add blinds that can be hidden completely during daylight hours or even remove them completely for a sleek modern look. Even if thick curtains or shutters are a must, choose some that will bounce the light through back into the room, in a lighter colour to keep the space feeling as open and bright as possible.
Check outside
Sometimes one of the simplest and cheapest things we can do to let more of that lovely sunshine into our homes is to look outside first. In areas lacking light, have a good look out of the windows and doors to see if there's anything in particular that is blocking light coming in. You may need to trim back branches from trees or bushes, reposition some of your garden furniture or even add some garden mirrors, lighter furniture, or lighter paint to woodwork - just like the interior tips above. Also, make sure windows are cleaned regularly, leaving them clear from dirt and smears that could reduce the light coming in.
Natural light is a must for any home, but if you are struggling to make any changes, you can fake it 'til you make it with some faux 'day light' lighting in areas needing a little artificial help. What can you do to let more sunlight into your home this year?
