Audrey
Not all of us have the luxury of a large home with floor to ceiling windows, and as such, getting enough natural light can be tricky. In this article, we’re sharing our tips on how to maximize natural light in a home.
Embracing natural light can have a transformative effect on our living spaces, creating an atmosphere that feels open, airy, and refreshing. However, not all homes are blessed with an abundance of sunlight. And in today’s world where many of us are now working from home, access to natural light is more important than ever before.
So, let’s explore how you can enhance the light in your living spaces and make the most of what nature has to offer, all without the need to involve right to light solicitors.
Why is Natural Light Important?
Having as much natural light as possible in your home holds a number of benefits, including:
- Health & wellbeing – Exposure to natural light improves our health in many ways including helping our bodies to produce Vitamin D and improving our sleep patterns.
- Finance – The more natural light that our homes have, the less often we need to put on lights, thereby helping to reduce our energy bills.
- Selling – If you’re planning to show your house, optimising the natural light can make it more appealing to potential buyers and thereby increase the value of your home.
What is Right to Light?
By law, homeowners and landlords have the right to receive a certain amount of natural light to their property. Right to light means that other people are not allowed to substantially interfere with the light to another property. This includes building a shed or outhouse which is unreasonably tall or by planting trees which may block light to a neighbouring property.
How to Maximize Natural Light in a Home
In this section, we’re sharing tips on packing your home with as much natural light as possible.
Keep it Clean
While it may seem like common sense, ensuring your windows are clean can help make a significant difference in maximising natural light. Dust and grime can obstruct sunlight from coming through the glass. If you can’t afford the services of a window cleaner, invest in a telescopic mop to help you to keep your glass sparkling and clean. For best results, a mixture of warm water and distilled white vinegar works wonders.
Invest in a Curtain Tie
Investing in a set of curtain tie backs can help to allow as much light into your room as possible as well as framing your windows. These can usually be picked up fairly cheaply and, in many cases, no drill versions are available, so you don’t even need to start making holes in your walls.
Invest in a Mirror
Small rooms with small windows can often look particularly dark and gloomy and, in this instance, it may be time to invest in a signature mirror or two. Large mirrors can help to harness what little light is available and then bounce it around the room to give the impression of not just light but also size. Try making a feature of your mirrors by seeking out unusual or antique ones to make your room stand out from the crowd.
Clear the Clutter
Having an abundance of furniture in your room, particularly dark pieces, can block light and create a gloomy atmosphere, as well as making it appear untidy. Try to minimise the number of items in your room and, where possible, choose furniture with reflective surfaces which will lighten and brighten for an effective fix.
Open Up Your Space
While this one will require an investment, it can often be one which adds value to your home. Opening up your space by removing a wall between a kitchen and a dining room is a great way of doubling up on windows and invites twice the amount of natural light into a space.
Furthermore, having a single, spacious, and well-lit kitchen or dining area generally holds more allure for potential buyers compared to having two smaller, dimly lit spaces.
Redecorate
Pale colours are favoured by natural light, so making sure that your walls and your window frames are painted in a lighter shades can promote light reflection rather than absorption. This simple adjustment allows the light to permeate the room, creating a brighter setting.
Invest in a Skylight
If you have the budget and the space, adding a skylight to the ceiling of your room is a great way of maximising natural light. When choosing this option, always shop around for a reputable installer to make sure that the job is done properly. You may also want to consider investing in a skylight blind if the room receives strong sunlight at certain times of day.
Making your Home Bright and Breezy
While natural itself light is free, finding ways to access it isn’t always cheap. When considering home renovations such as a skylight or opening up two rooms, it is crucial to conduct thorough research to find a reputable tradesperson and to ensure that the solution will be effective.
However, if your budget can’t stretch to renovation, there are also plenty of cost-effective ways to maximize natural light including, a fresh lick of paint and minimizing the number of items in your room.
