The importance and benefits of natural light cannot be understated. Natural light lifts spirits, increases productivity, improves mental and physical well-being, and saves on energy in the home too! If your home felt especially dark this winter, here are a few ways to bring in more natural light into your space.
1. Add reflective surfaces into your home décor
Adding a mirror in the room not only visually enlarges the space, but it can also illuminate the room if it is hung across from a window, doubling the sunlight that enters the room. Mirrors, as well as mirrored surfaces, have the effect of brightening a dark room. Mirrored surfaces include furniture with a glass, chrome or mirror accents, silver photo frames, metallic finishes on light fixtures, cabinet handles and so on.
2. Light wall colours and finishes
While deep jewelled tones are in trend for paint colours, painting a room a dark colour will absorb light, resulting in a darker room. To make the room brighter, paint the walls a light hue that helps to reflect light.
Don’t forget the ceiling too. Painting the ceiling a few tones lighter than the walls will make the room feel larger and the ceiling higher.
Choosing light-coloured finishes will also improve the brightness in your space, hence the preference for “all-white” kitchens. Similarly, a glossy finish will further enhance reflective surfaces.
3. Changing your furniture palette
Changing the upholstery to something lighter, opting for a white pine finish to your bookcases, using glass tabletops are all ways to brighten the room with furnishings. Accent colours can be added to break up the light colours with the use of colourful accent pillows, throws, artwork, and other small decorative features.
4. Install larger windows
If you’re ready for a bigger home renovation project, consider enlarging the openings of windows and doors.
First Response Glass is a full-service glass company and can provide quotes for your new energy-efficient windows, and other glass and mirror projects in your home.
