For many homeowners, natural light is significantly better than artificial light because not only does it provide a mesmerizing view, but natural light can also affect your mood.
When it comes to the latter, there is something about natural light that can increase your serotonin level or your happy hormones. This article lists down some of the simple ways how you will be able to get more natural light in your home.
Focus on your Doors and Windows
One of the primary things that you can do to get more natural light in your home is to focus on your doors and windows. If you already have the budget for it, then consider replacing your doors. Keep in mind that sliding doors open up your home, allowing more light to come in. On the other hand, you can also go for glass doors which serve the same purpose.
When it comes to your windows, you can replace them with large glass ones to increase natural light. If you already have large glass windows, make sure to keep them clean to maximize the amount of light that can be filtered in. Dress your windows with light curtains that you can easily put up during the day to let the light in.
Go for Light Shades
Another simple way to get more natural light into your home is to paint your eaves or the overhangs created by your roof, white. Your eaves reflect natural light into your home and they will be able to do a better job with a fresh coat of white paint.
Rest assured that even if the exterior of your home is painted in a different hue, you can still paint your eaves white because they are angled towards your home, which means that the curbside appearance of your house will not be affected.
When it comes to your interiors, you should also go for lighter shades to get more natural light in. Keep in mind that the colour of your wall reflects the natural light into your room, which is why it is best to go for light shades, or simply white as this is the brightest.
In case you find white too bright though, you can go for whites with other colour tones such as an off-white shade. You should also consider painting your ceiling white. In the end, aside from getting more natural light into your home, you are also creating the illusion of a bigger space.
Consider the Use of Shiny Surfaces
You can also get more natural light into your home by using shiny surfaces. For instance, you can turn your walls into mirrors with high gloss paint. The higher the gloss level of the paint, the more reflective the surface becomes, allowing it to reflect light effortlessly. However, you don’t have to use glossy paint if this is not your preference. The key is just going up a notch such that if you love matte, then try using semi-gloss.
When it comes to your kitchen and bathroom, you can go for shiny surfaces that reflect light effortlessly to get more natural light, and in effect, make your room appear more spacious.
Glass or highly reflective tiles will be perfect for this job because they are the next best thing to installing mirrors. With the right angle of light, glass tiles can reflect almost a hundred per cent of the light that hits its surface. You can also go for highly glossy ceramic tiles that have a nearly equivalent effect.
Leverage Glass Blocks
When you have the budget for it, you can consider replacing some of your walls with glass blocks that can bring in a fair amount of natural light, particularly in the areas of your home where no light can enter.
Just keep in mind that a glass block cannot be a structural replacement, which means that you need to install headers over the block sections. This is the same thing that you need to do to any window or door unit installation.
Opt for the Right Flooring
The right flooring type can also enhance the natural light entering your home. In this case, your best bet is to choose wooden or ceramic floors with a polished finish. These tend to reflect much more light than a carpeted flooring does.
Nevertheless, if you still prefer to have a carpeted floor installed, make sure that you go for those that come in light and neutral colour. Aside from enhancing the natural light, neutral colours can also be much easier to design.
Install Skylights
If your ceiling space permits it, then install skylights which are considered as one of the most effective means to increase the natural light in your home.
Sometimes referred to as the windows of your roof, skylights can bring in more consistent light than most of your windows because they are less likely to be shadowed by outdoor objects since they are directly facing the sun. In this case, the sunlight that is reflected off the clouds will be able to come right into your home.
Greenery
The greenery outside your home can have a direct impact on the light levels inside, which is why you should regularly trim trees or climbing plants growing around your doors and windows.
In this way, not only will you have a clearer view of the outside, but the path of the natural light to enter will remain unobstructed. There is also the option for you to complement the natural light coming into your home with the appropriate artificial light.
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To get more natural light in your home, make sure that you focus on your windows and go for lighter shades. You can also consider the use of shiny surfaces or leverage glass blocks to replace your walls. There is also the option for you to opt for the right flooring or install skylights on your ceiling.
Considering the greenery outside your home or using the right artificial light can also complement the natural light entering your home. All these are geared towards ensuring that you maximize the natural light in your home.
