Best Ways to Increase Natural Light in Your Home

Like trees and flowers, homes also need sunlight to thrive. In fact, studies have shown that natural light can positively influence your mood and even boost your energy levels. Of course, some homes are naturally brighter than others just because of their sizes or layouts. However, if yours is a little dark for its size, you may be able to increase the amount of natural light it receives. Here are some tips for doing just that:

1. Get rid of unnecessary furniture and decorations

When you’re thinking about where to place your furniture and decorative pieces, keep in mind that they should be arranged in a functional way, not just pretty. If you have a lot of dark or heavy-looking furniture, for example, try moving them out of the room. Doing so will open up more space for light to come in from windows, making the room seem brighter.

Lighting fixtures, too, maybe blocking your home’s natural light sources. For instance, if you have a chandelier with reflective crystal pieces hanging over a table, make sure it isn’t obstructing the windows and skylights above it. This is especially important in dining and living rooms, where chandeliers and dining room lighting are usually hung.

2. Relocate mirrors and reflective surfaces

Another thing to consider when arranging your furniture is your home’s many reflective surfaces, such as windows and glass-paned doors. If these pieces of furniture or architecture happen to be blocking light sources, they may be making the room seem gloomier than it actually is. So, you might want to move them around or reposition your sofas and chairs in front of them. This way, they’ll reflect natural light better, which will brighten the room overall.

3. Bring in more houseplants

If you’re looking for an inexpensive way to make your home look more spacious, consider introducing a few houseplants to some of the rooms that feel too small for their furniture pieces and wall hangings. Adding plants can make a room seem larger by creating an optical illusion: while plants take up space vertically, they’re not as wide, so it looks like there’s more space than there is. Just remember to put them in areas where they won’t block the natural light from windows and skylights.

4. Paint it white or pastel

One of the best ways to make a room look brighter is by painting its walls a lighter color, preferably a shade of white, cream, or pale beige. Darker colors tend to absorb light, making a room feel smaller and more confined. In contrast, lighter colors reflect natural sunlight better, bouncing it around the space and bringing out its hidden brightness.

5. Add mirrors to windows

Another tip that can help you transform dark rooms into bright spaces is to add reflective surfaces like mirrors on windows and skylights. Mirrors have a way of reflecting light around a room, which makes the area more evenly lit. They come in different sizes so that you can choose one based on the size and shape of a window or skylight.

6. Employ smart lighting solutions

Finally, it’s important to use lighting fixtures that allow you to control how bright your rooms are. For instance, if most of the natural light in a room is coming from one side, you can install lights with adjustable heads on that side so you can control their brightness according to how much natural light there is. Also, intelligent lighting fixtures like LED bulbs and dimmers give off less heat than traditional bulbs and lamps and let you set the mood by adjusting how bright they are. This is a great feature to have if you’re thinking about creating a romantic moment or getting some work done.

Reach out to our team today to learn more about how we can help open up your space and let in more light!