Now that spring is here and summer is right around the corner, it’s time to let the sunshine in. Unless your home is one of those unfortunate few that never seems to get any sunlight, no matter what you do.
Don’t give up hope! There are a few things you can do to increase sunlight in your home without having to resort to renovations. Scandinavian Home Staging has 10 top-notch tips for brining more natural light into your home. Read the full post on their site or the highlights below:
1. Trim bushes and trees.
First step is to make sure that natural light actually can access your house. You might not think about it, but the trees around your house, that gives you privacy may also block the sun from bursting into your rooms. Try to avoid trees on the southern side of your home. In the summer, the sun will be too high for them to provide shade. In the winter, the trees will block from solar warmth.
2. Windows
Clean the windows! Dirty windows can block a great deal of the daylight, so make sure to wash and clean all windows! Window curtains and window treatments can reduce the natural light from getting into your rooms, so make sure you remove the heavy or dark curtains. Add instead light colors and light weight fabrics – it will help bringing in natural light and will still give you privacy.
3. Skylights
If installing new windows are not a possibility, consider instead installing a skylight to bring in more natural light for your home. Installing skylights will bring in tremendous more natural light to a dark room. Skylights comes in a wide variety of types and prices and works well where your have the rooftop just above the room.
4. Solar Tubes
Sometimes you have rooms that don’t seem like they could ever be lit by natural sun, consider installing solar tubes. Solar tubes can bring natural light from the rooftop through twisty, reflective pipes down a few stories (as far as 30 feet!)
5. Mirrors
Mirrors are an easy and budget friendly way to increase the natural light in your home – and they can also make the rooms appear much bigger by reflecting the light. By installing a large mirror on a wall opposite a window, the mirror will reflect any incoming light (both natural- and artificial light) and double the amount of light in the room.
Placing mirrors directly opposite one another gives you infinite reflections, making the room feel both lighter and bigger. A short hallway can appear longer by placing a large mirror on the end wall. Mirrors are a lifesaver in every room!
If you have a difficult time visualizing how natural light will reflect through the mirror, simply shine a flashlight at the mirror and you will get a very good idea of how light will reflect.
6. Shiny and transparent
Not only mirrors can create the light reflecting effects. Add anything shiny, and the rooms will naturally appear lighter. Think acrylic materials, clear furniture, shiny tiles and everything glass, brass, gold or silver – from doorknobs to photo frames.
By using glass in your doors, you will open up for more natural light. Use frosted or tinted glass for privacy on front doors, and inside you can use clear glass, frosted glass or mirrored doors to separate areas, but still let in light. Adding glass tabletops or acrylic chairs will reduce the amount of light absorbed by furniture.
7. Colors
Color can either absorb or reflect light. Dark colors can absorb natural light and vice versa. Avoid deep, dark colors on walls furthest from the windows. Lighter colors can bounce light around and brighten up the space.
When you want to make a small space look larger and brighter, add light colored paint. Neutral colors like white, light grey or light tan/cream paint colors work really well. Just make sure there isn’t too much yellow in the cream paint color you choose. Yellow in a dark room can often feel dingy. Also, use a shinier, satin paint finish instead of flat — this will help reflect natural light.
Don’t forget to make your floors lighter. You can do this with paint, rugs or tiles. It will instantly give your room a lift. Dark wooden floors?? Consider painting or stenciling them.
8. Add soft lighting
A bright room feels more spacious, so make sure your room gets illuminated in both corners and awkward places but also when natural light is over for the day. Thinking about adding soft lighting in strategic areas helps of course to brighten up the room, but soft light also has a good impact on your mood. By installing dimmer switches you will get control over our light source – so don’t be afraid that you cannot get your cozy moments.
9. Accessories
Always add light -or neutral colored furniture, artwork, towels, bedlinen, cushions and rugs to balance out your look. Add wall art and art work to compliment your look. Use shiny hardware where ever it is possible. Remove things that are absorbing too much light. Dark curtains, dark furniture and dark floors will all absorb a lot of natural light. Add lots of mirrors.
10. Basements
The basement can be a chapter for it selves – and getting natural light downstairs can give a lot of people grey hair. But don’t worry – a dark basement can be lit up just like any other dark room, it just require some extra thought – and work. When remodeling your basement, start by making a plan to make sure you get that desirable natural light downstairs.
Blinds are an excellent way to control the lighting in your home. Blind Installation and Repair is ready make any repairs beyond the DIY variety, as well as provide support for installation and adjustments to your blinds. Contact the experts at Blind Installation and Repair. We’d be happy to help!