0
0
Staying in stuffy and gloomy rooms can spoil our mood after spending only a few minutes there.
If you aren’t lucky enough to have a home initially designed to make maximum use of daylight, you certainly know the feeling. Well, nothing we can’t fix with a few lamps, and light bulbs can’t be solved.
Unfortunately, it’s not that simple. Artificial lighting cannot replace the benefits that we get from natural light. It affects our physical and mental health and can save us significant money. That’s why it’s worth investing extra effort and making a few changes in your home to increase the amount of daylight and make it more eco-friendly at the same time.
We offer several creative ways to add natural light to your home and save money. We hope they will help you.
1. Add natural light to your home and save money
You will save money by reducing energy bills. Between 10 and 25% of electrical energy is used for lighting. The percentage varies according to how dark your home is. With current energy prices, you can easily conclude that this is quite a large sum on an annual basis. Additionally, the sunlight you let into your home will reduce heating costs. Create your greenhouse effect and save additional amounts of money.
Homes with plenty of natural light have a higher value and sell faster because they are energy efficient. Such houses have higher prices also because natural light creates the illusion of a larger space, making them more desirable for potential buyers. Every home improvement you make will pay off eventually. The benefits you get from natural light in your home don’t end there.
2. Additional benefits of natural light in your home
Reducing bills and increasing value isn’t the only benefit you’ll get. You will improve your lifestyle. Additional benefits include:
- Improving productivity
- Better sleep
- Reduced stress and anxiety
- More vitamin D and better immunity
- Better mood
So, what can we do to maximize the amount of light and enjoy all the benefits it provides?
3. Go for a light colour palette
Light colors reflect light and distribute it throughout the room, making it brighter and more open. The lighter the shade of the walls is, the more pronounced the reflection will be, and you will achieve the best results by painting the walls white.
If the white color is not to your taste and seems too cold, you can use lighter pastel tones or an off-white shade. You will achieve a similar effect by painting the ceiling white and using lighter-colored floors.
4. Use mirrors
Speaking of reflection, a great way to add an extra amount of natural light to a room is to use mirrors, but you’ll need to put them in the right place to get maximum effect.
Place them directly opposite windows, making rooms look brighter and more spacious. You can hang mirrors on the walls or install them on the wardrobe doors in your bedroom.
5. Rearrange the layout of your furniture
One of the simplest ways to increase the amount of light in a room is to rearrange the furniture. Make sure to block light sources or reflective surfaces as little as possible. If you must place a piece of furniture near a window, leave enough space for light to enter.
If you are buying new furniture, choose wisely. Choose light colors for fabrics or pieces with legs that let light in underneath.
6. Avoid clutter
Open space allows light to spread through the room, making it brighter. If your room is full of different objects and clutter, it can contribute to the general impression of a lack of brightness and congestion.
Find ways to keep clutter away and look for decluttering methods for keeping your home clean. Get rid of any extra pieces by donating them or moving them to other rooms. Constantly clean your home and remove any clutter.
7. Big picture windows
What you need are windows to add natural light to your home. That seems obvious kind of, but it is necessary to mention it. Windows of regular size are just fine if you remember not to block the sunlight with furniture and curtains.
However, adding big-picture windows to your home will be a better option. Not only will they be the central source of natural light, but they will make the interior and exterior of the house look much prettier. You needn’t put curtains on them. Their primary purpose is to bring light and liveliness into a room.
8. Blinds and curtains
It is not wise to completely remove all the curtains to gain more natural lighting. There are days in summer when the heat is just insufferable and, in that case, you will need blinds and curtains. What we suggest is not to buy thick and heavy drapes. You should instead go with more sheer ones.
That way, they will do their job of protecting you from the sun, but also won’t entirely stop the natural light. Try buying them in a lighter colour as well, white, for example, and you won’t have a problem. Curtains are not your only option, though. There are blinds as well. The good thing is that you can adjust them based on how much light you want in your room, so buying them is also a great option.
9. Install solar tubes or skylights
Consider installing solar tubes or skylights. These are very effective ways of bringing natural light into your home. Solar pipes are relatively cheap and easy to install. They are better insulated than skylights and can bring natural brightness to rooms without windows.
Skylights are more expensive and more complicated to install, so it is much better to hire professionals. Furthermore, new technologies make them very reliable and safe. They are excellently insulated and long-lasting. Some have sensors that automatically close them as soon as it starts raining.
Conclusion
There are many easy ways to add natural light to your home. Natural light not only looks better than artificial light but also saves you money.
[…] if you want to improve the quality of your sleep, you should add natural light to your home and air it frequently, and avoid screens for one hour before […]