It’s no secret that good, old fashioned sunlight is a major mood booster. In fact, when those winter months roll around it’s more important than ever to soak up as much sun as you can. There are plenty of health benefits of getting natural sunlight and we’ve got all the tips and tricks on how to make that a little bit easier– maximize the natural light in your home today!
Add more mirrors
Mirrors are timeless and versatile design tools that not only make a room feel bigger, but act as bringers of light. Position any mirror, especially a large one, across from a natural light source and you’ve officially doubled the amount of daylight shining in your home. And it doesn’t have to be across from a window to get the job done, a mirror in any place is going to reflect the available light and open up your space.
Install more windows
Okay, we know what you’re thinking– this is an obvious one, right? Well, yeah! But you can’t ignore the benefits adding more windows would do. Not just in terms of natural light either, but the overall design of your home would be greatly improved as well. And if you think you might sell soon, there’s even a pretty good return on investment for new windows. In fact, according to ISoldMyHouse.com there is an 85% return on investment for vinyl replacement windows.
Wash your windows
Now, this one is not so obvious. You’d be surprised at the effect cleaning your windows can have on bringing additional light into the room. Especially when you give some extra love and care to the exterior portion of the glass. The exterior of your windows can get a hard water buildup from years spent in the elements. This will make your windows look foggy and greatly diminish the amount of natural light that shines into your home.
Add a skylight
Installing a skylight or dead-lite in your home is an absolutely beautiful and extremely effective way of increasing your natural light sources. Even if your walls are already full up with windows, I’m sure your ceiling could use a few of its own. Skylights can be especially good for a small private space like a bathroom– get all the sunlight without any one peeking in!
Choose a lighter color palette
Color is a wonderful way to play with the design of a space, but it’s not just artistic– it’s scientific. The color a person sees is actually the wavelength of light being reflected. According to sciencing.com, “when the color white is being reflected, that means all wavelengths are being reflected.” It simply means that a lighter color palette will reflect more light, while a darker color palette will absorb more light. Choosing the former will mean more natural light being reflected around your home.
Install a door with a window
Installing an exterior door that includes a window is one way of allowing more light in your space. Depending on your preferences, you can choose from full length or partial length privacy glass. And if your space allows, you might even want to opt for adding a side-lite at either side of your door. These are perfect for pets and kids alike to peek out of.
Reflective decor & materials
As we already learned, lighter colors reflect more light. But have you ever considered incorporating more reflective textures? You don’t just have to hang up mirror after mirror. You could try adding a shiny glass tile to your kitchen backsplash or bathroom. If it’s time to upgrade your appliances, opt for stainless steel. Even just having a glass table instead of a solid wood one will have the natural light just bouncing around your home.
Add transoms
A transom is a small horizontal window above a door, another window– or if you have ample ceiling height, between a door and a window. Transoms are excellent bringers of light, and they use up space that would have likely been wasted otherwise. The word transom is an architectural term referring to the weight bearing beam above a door or window. These charming windows are small but might. They bring in plenty of natural light without sacrificing any of your privacy.
Use sheer window treatments
It’s safe to say that window treatments of any kind are usually necessary if you’d like to maintain a sense of privacy. If you’re out in the middle of nowhere, then you’re one of the lucky ones who can open their windows and blinds up without feeling like the whole neighborhood is watching you. If you’re not one of them, this is for you– use sheer window treatments. A set of sheer curtains will help you maintain your private oasis, while simultaneously letting in and reflecting plenty of natural light.
Sliding Glass Doors
Sliding glass doors are the ultimate light maximizers. They are stunningly large windows and conveniently functional doors all rolled into one. The benefits of installing a sliding glass door in your home go way past just letting in more light. You can let in more of a breeze, and even create a cozy indoor outdoor space which works great in living and dining rooms alike.
We know how important it is to get your natural sun exposure in, so we hope this list helped you on that quest! Follow the Castle blog and on Instagram @CastleWindows for more tips like these while they’re hot off the presses!
