When people are buying a home, it’s said that the number one thing that they look for is light. You may already know this based on looking for a home yourself, but when was the last time you considered how much light you had in your home? There are plenty of surveys that show that people consider light to be a must-have feature in the home, and there are those who wish they had more of it, too. It’s easy to feel unhappy when your home is dark and dank, and exposure to natural light – as you know – is linked to that better mood you’re feeling.
Natural light doesn’t just make the rooms brighter and lighter – it makes you lighter, too. Whether you choose Shuttercraft blinds to decorate the windows or not, you need to ensure that you have enough light coming in for that natural boost of endorphins. So, alongside adding more windows to the house, how can you bring more light into your home?
- Use light colours. Introducing lighter colours to your home is going to help you to brighten up the place naturally. The light will come in and bounce off the lighter walls, and you will be able to see how far the natural light reaches the rest of the room. Shades of white can make the space brighter, too, and it’ll reflect the room rather than absorb it. Don’t go with the brilliant white paint, though, as it can make the space feel cold and too clinical.
- Make the most of shiny surfaces. Glossy kitchens, shiny splashbacks and lots of metals will help to bounce the light around the room. The same is said for mirrors, too, and this will make the house feel more spacious as a result. You don’t have to choose white or cream glossy surfaces, either, not when grey and blue can also work so well to reflect that light.
- Choosing the right flooring. When you choose flooring that is ceramic, wooden or stone, you will choose flooring that is light-friendly. A polished finish can make a massive difference and if you prefer to have carpet in some of the rooms, choose light colours.
- Adding nature. Believe it or not, greenery can have an impact on the light on the inside of your home. Don’t forget that it can have a huge impact on the outside of the house, too, and if you have a garden, you need to cut it back away from the windows and skylights. A garden packed with bushes and trees is nice, but it’s easy to encroach on the windows and block out the light – and you need to avoid that. Make sure that a gardener is cutting it all back regularly.
- Call in the cleaners. For more light to come into your home, you need clean windows. Streaks and dirt can mute the light that flows through, and you can ensure that with a thorough cleaning, your windows are allowed in a lot of natural light. Take the time to get the best cleaners in, too, as you want to know that you have regular help that’s trustworthy and gets the job done.
- Use glass. If you have the money, glass staircases, balustrades and balconies will make a massive difference to the light in your house. The back wall can be turned into glass doors, too, that will help you to allow light to streak in and change the way that your home feels.
- Utilise mirrors. Anywhere there’s a window, oppose it with a mirror. The living room, the hallway, the bathroom and more can benefit from extra mirrors as the light bounces right off of it and into the corners of the room that it doesn’t usually reach.
- Adding artificial light. As nice as it is to have natural light flowing through the house, you can add more with artificial light. Lamps can get into corners where natural light cannot get in, and lamps, wall sconces and even chandeliers can help you to add that light into rooms that don’t have those windows. Shopping around for the right lighting is important, as it can change the way the entire space looks.
Lighting up your home is a must if you want to make the space brighter, lighter and looking more welcoming. You need a house that reflects what you want it to be and the more light you have, the better. It’ll come in handy one day when you want to sell up, too!
