Please note: This article may contain affiliate links. All recommendations and styling advice are provided as helpful suggestions only, please always research thoroughly before making any major changes to your home.
Photo credit: with permission from @creamandnavy via Instagram
Have you ever noticed the one thing those images on your ‘Dream Home’ Pinterest board have in common..? It’s natural light.
Natural light is a holy grail when it comes to interior design, and it’s precisely the kind of thing you should be looking for when you’re buying a house or designing your home. It’s good for you: it helps you to be more alert, attentive and focused, but also helps you to sleep better, be more productive and generally feel happier. So, what do you do when your home doesn’t have tons of natural light? What can be done about that dingy kitchen, dark living room or gloomy hallway? Here are five top tips for bringing in more natural light…
Buy mirrors
Mirrors are expensive, but they’re one of the best investments you can make. Position mirrors of all shapes and sizes directly opposite sources of light (such as windows) as they’ll bounce light around your room. Go large, and opt for reflective frames to maximise the most of the light you’re getting in. Shop the best asymmetrical mirrors here.
Paint the walls white
White interiors have been a huge trend for a while now, and they’ll be popular for a long while yet. Coloured walls absorb lights to varying degrees, so go for white if you want to see a dramatic improvement. Pick the perfect shade of white paint (yep, there’s such a thing as the ‘wrong’ shade of white for your home) and slather it on your walls and ceilings.
It’s particularly important to paint your ceiling white while you’re decorating as it will seemingly ‘lift’ the height of the room… it’s worth the crick in your neck.
Style with reflective materials
Carefully choosing materials of items within your home is another way to maximise natural light. Lighten up gloomy spaces with objects made from metals, glass and see-through plastic as these will let light pass through them, or better yet, reflect it back in the room.
Shiny, glittery picture frames not your thing? Don’t worry: brass accessories, copper pipe lighting, and the odd ‘loud’ feature like a sequinned cushion cover or quirky chandelier will do the job.
Throw out those heavy curtains
The right kind of drapery can make a home feel cosy, but a heavy pair of curtains will soak up all the natural light your room receives. Remove curtains if your room doesn’t really need them, or opt for a pair of blinds that can be rolled up during the day. Also, consider hanging lightweight white curtains to billow in a breeze: they’ll take the edge off an ultra bright room but will still let some light pass through, even on a grey day.
Knock a wall down
Finally, if you’ve enough money to spend or your house can cope with having walls removed, investigate whether or not you can knock down a wall. Removing a non-load-bearing interior wall will allow light to reach corners that were previously dull and depressing, and maybe even use the space a little more efficiently.
What do you think of these five top tips? Will any of them be useful in your home, and are there any other ways you bring natural light into your home.
p.s check out the light in this gorgeous contemporary extension. And here's a great example of how it can pay off to use colour (far from just magnolia) in your home.
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