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Everyone wants a bright and airy home, but sometimes natural light can be in short supply. Natural light is always better than artificial light for your health and the environment. It creates a full spectrum hue that even the best-LED bulbs can not replicate. Natural light makes you feel good and increases your vitamin D levels. It can also help you save on your energy bills. Unfortunately, many older homes were not built with natural light in mind, but there are some things you can do to increase the amount of natural light in your home. Here are 12 ways to increase natural light in your home:
Via Pexels
1. Use Higher Gloss Paints on Your Interior Walls
Glossy surfaces reflect more light than matte finishes, so using high-gloss paint on your walls can help brighten your home. This is an excellent option if you can’t or don’t want to make any structural changes to your home. Just be aware that glossy paints can easily show imperfections, so it’s essential to prep your walls well before painting.
If you’re not ready for such a drastic change, consider using semi-gloss or satin paint instead. These have a lower level of a shine than high-gloss paint but will still reflect more light than flat or eggshell finishes.
2. Use Light Colors In Your Home
Interior wall colors significantly impact how much light is reflected around a room. Light colors like white, cream, and pale blue reflect more light than darker colors like charcoal gray or navy blue. If you want to make a small space feel brighter and larger, painting the walls and ceiling in lighter shades is an excellent place to start.
You can also use light-colored fabrics to brighten up a room. Curtains, rugs, pillows, and other textiles in light colors will help reflect more light around the room.
If you have dark wood floors or furniture, consider using lighter-colored area rugs or adding some throw blankets in lighter shades to brighten things up.
3. Customize Your Windows
One of the best ways to let in more light is to have custom windows. This will ensure that your home gets as much light as possible without any glare or other problems that can occur. If you live in an area with little natural light, then customizing your windows is a great way to increase the amount of light that comes into your home. With custom windows installed, you will enjoy the benefits of increased natural light without having to worry about the negatives that go with it. You can also get custom windows in various colors to make your home stand out.
Search for custom windows near me to check out the various companies that offer this service. Many different companies provide custom windows, and you should be able to find one that meets your needs and budget.
4. Install a Skylight
If your home’s roof is suitable, installing a skylight is a great way to bring in more natural light. Skylights are available in various sizes and shapes to suit any space and can be installed by a professional or as a do-it-yourself project. To get the most out of your skylight, choose one that can be opened to ventilate your home and help regulate temperatures. You’ll also want to ensure it’s positioned in an area that trees or other buildings won’t obstruct. And if you live in an area with high summer temperatures, look for a “Low-E” skylight with a special coating that helps reflect heat away from your home. Installing a skylight can brighten up any room and make it feel more open and airy – plus, it’s a great way to bring the outdoors in!
5. Get Rid of Heavy Drapes and Blinds
Take down any dark and heavy drapes or blinds blocking natural light. If you need window treatments, opt for lighter colors and fabrics and make sure to hang them close to the ceiling to allow maximum light in. You might also want to consider motorized shades or blinds for hard-to-reach windows.
6. Strategically Place Mirrors
One way to reflect light and brighten a room is to place mirrors strategically. For example, you can hang a mirror on a wall opposite a window to reflect sunlight and brighten up the space.
You can also use mirrors to make a small space feel larger. Place a mirror on an adjacent wall to create the illusion of depth. For example, if you have a narrow hallway, hanging a mirror at the end of the hallway will make it appear more expansive.
7. Use Reflective Tiles
Another way to reflect light is to use reflective tiles. Reflective tiles are available in various materials, including glass, metal, and ceramic. They can be used on floors, walls, and ceilings.
For example, you could use reflective floor tiles in a dark hallway or room with little natural light. The light will bounce off the floor and make the space appear brighter. You could also use reflective wall tiles in a small bathroom to create the illusion of more space.
8. Install Floor to Ceiling Patio Sliding Doors
Floor-to-ceiling patio sliding doors are a great way to let in natural light. They provide an unobstructed view of the outdoors and allow natural light to flood the home.
In addition, floor-to-ceiling patio doors can make a small space feel larger. The uninterrupted view of the outdoors creates the illusion of more space.
If you have the option, choose floor-to-ceiling patio doors with low-E glass. Low-E glass is coated with a thin layer of metal that reflects heat and UV rays. This helps keep your home cool in the summer and reduces fading of furniture and carpets.
9. Flooring
The type of flooring you choose can also affect the amount of natural light in your home. For example, light-colored floors reflect more light than dark-colored floors.
For example, consider using a white wash stain to get a lighter color if you have a dark wood floor. A polished stone floor is an excellent option for reflectivity.
10. Change Solid Walls To Glass Where Structure Will Allow It
If you have a solid wall blocking sunlight from coming in, consider swapping it out for a glass wall. Of course, this will require the help of a professional, but it will make a drastic difference in the amount of light your home gets. You could also do this on a smaller scale by replacing solid doors with glass ones.
11. Roof Lanterns
A roof lantern is a type of dome with a glass ceiling and walls. They’re typically installed in the center of a room to let in natural light from all sides. Roof lanterns are an excellent way to add more natural light to your home and help make a small space feel bigger and brighter.
12. Use Glass Panes in Your Doors:
If your home has solid doors, you can replace them with glass panes to let in more natural light. You can also add a transom window above the door to let even more light in. If privacy concerns you, you can frost the glass or use stained glass instead.
Natural sunlight is excellent for your health and can help you save on energy costs, so it’s worth taking the time to find ways to let more of it into your home. There are several ways to add more natural light to your home. Following a few simple changes mentioned above can brighten up your space and make it feel larger and more inviting. Try some of the tips above to see what works best for you.
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