Winter is coming, and that means spending more time inside. Combat the winter blues by increasing the natural light in your home. In addition to greatly improving your mood, it can give the impression of a larger space. If you have rooms that don’t get much light, you know how sad and cramped they can feel. Here are some tips to increase the natural light in your home and create a lighter, brighter, happier space.
Mirrors and Reflective Surfaces
Image: Serena & Lily
Add mirrors and reflective surfaces to bounce more light around the room. When selecting furnishings and decor, think about the materials and the effect each one will have on the lighting. Hang a mirror in place of art or install a glass chandelier, glass coffee table, reflective tile, or polished floors.
Color Choices
Image: Brie Williams for Coastal Living
Black absorbs light, and white reflects light. Colors in between them absorb certain wavelengths and reflect the rest, creating different colors. Be sure to select paint colors by room, with this in mind. If you’re trying to increase natural light, opt for lighter colors and consider glossier finishes that are more reflective. If you do want to introduce darker shades into the room, do it with smaller accessories like throw pillows.
Furniture Placement and Selection
Image: West Elm
Big pieces of furniture like sofas can block a lot of light. Be careful not to place them in front of windows or the flow of light.
Using more streamlined furniture is a good way to avoid blocking the light as well. For example, if you have a heavy wooden coffee table, opt for one with thinner legs (and even a glass top) so light can flow through it better.
Window Treatments
Image: Pottery Barn
The window treatments that you select for a room have a significant effect on the lighting. People often think that it doesn’t matter if you keep them open all of the time anyway, but that’s not entirely true. Even when they’re open, heavy and dark fabrics at the top and sides can block a lot of light from reaching the rest of the room. In particularly dark rooms, it’s best to opt for light colored, lightweight fabrics.
Glass Doors
Image: Blackband Design
Doors cover areas that could be letting in a decent amount of light. If you’ve got a solid wooden door, consider swapping it out for one with a glass panel, and you’ll notice a difference right away. You can even do this with internal doors to improve the flow of light around the home.
More Windows
Image: Studio McGee
If you’ve got a space that has small or very few windows, installing more home windows may be your best bet. Some rooms are just poorly designed, and regardless of how you decorate them, you’ll never get enough light. If you’ve tried everything else and are still in the dark, consider installing another window or at least expanding the size of your existing windows.
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xx,
This is a collaborative post. All opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the affiliate posts that make this blog possible.
