Natural lighting is one of the constants when it comes to interior design. While colors, patterns, and techniques may change, a beautiful room will always require a little help from the sun to truly make it magical.
That’s all well and good if you live in a house with endless floor-to-ceiling windows and more natural light than you know what to do with, but let’s be realistic: most of us don’t live in houses like that. Some of us don’t even come close. If you have a dearth of natural light in your home, then what can you do to try and ensure you light up the interior — without spending a fortune on electricity bills every month?
#1 – Enlarge Windows
Some houses have huge windows that stretch from the floor to the ceiling… other houses do not. If you find yourself in the latter category, then one of the best ways of bringing in more natural light is to enlarge the windows themselves. Browse through ranges such as Renewal by Andersen to find something that can give you more natural light, and you’re halfway to getting this problem solved once and for all.
#2 – Use Mirrors
Mirrors are among the most useful tools for increasing the feel of natural light in a room. If you position mirrors strategically, you can help encourage light to spread through the room by reflecting the light that pours in through the windows naturally. There’s plenty of advice online that will teach you about the right ways to use mirrors effectively when decorating, so keep these in mind and you should be able to make the natural light you do receive go further.
#3 – Ceiling Spotlights
If you are struggling for light but don’t want the expense of having to turn indoor lighting on all the time, battery-powered ceiling spotlights are a great solution. The batteries tend to last for a long time and are inexpensive to replace, so using them allows you to light up a grey day without having to be concerned with expensive electricity bills. Sure, it’s not that convenient to have to switch them on individually, but just grab a broom handle to help and you’ll be done in 30 seconds. It’s a simple home improvement that can make a big difference.
#4 – Curtains Instead Of Blinds
Curtains are the standard for the majority of us. They look nice, they help provide some thermal protection, and a room just somehow looks more ‘complete’ when they’re in place. However, curtains do have a downside: even when they are pulled back, they affect the amount of natural light that shines into a room. It might not seem like much, but those few inches that curtains intrude over a window can make all the difference on a grey and gloomy day. Switching to blinds installed in the recess of a window will open the entire area up, while still offering the thermal and blackout properties that curtains do.
So while you may be fighting an uphill battle when it comes to allow natural lighting to pour into your home, by following the above, you should at least have some assistance along the way.
