MEET MARIA
If you are like most homeowners, you prefer natural light to artificial light. Despite advances in technology that allow light bulbs to mimic the sunshine, they still fall short. Natural light is both aesthetically pleasing and gives your home the appearance of having more space than it does. Here are four ways to let the light into your home.
Blinds
Today’s blinds use opacity to let light in while keeping nosy neighbors from peering in. These blinds come in a variety of styles, such as solar shades, sheer shades, and day-night cellular shades. Solar shades and sheer shades rely on their opaqueness, while the cellular shades can be adjusted depending on the time of day. These blinds can quickly go from blackout to letting in light. You can find custom blinds to suit your specific needs.
Paint
While the trend for colored walls is becoming more popular, there is no question that white paint has the greatest reflectivity of any color. If you do paint your walls a color other than white, try to choose a lighter color as darker paints are less reflective. Additionally, there are other surfaces you can paint white to reflect natural light into your home even if you have colored walls. A ceiling should be painted white, no matter your wall color. You can also paint the eaves of your home white, as this will help the light bounce back in through windows. Also be aware of your paint’s finish; satin finishes are more reflective than matte finishes.
Windows
Light can’t get in if you don’t have plenty of windows to let it in. If the windows you have are small or poorly placed for letting in natural light, you can add new windows or a skylight. If this is beyond your reach financially, there are other things you can do to increase the efficiency of your existing windows. Give all your windows a deep clean, both inside and out. Also, trim bushes and trees outside your windows that might be blocking light from entering. Similarly, you want to make sure your furniture is not blocking windows.
Mirrors
While windows let in the light, mirrors inside your home can help reflect it. A good strategy is to position a mirror directly across from a window. You can also use the mirrored reflection of glass panels in furniture to add even more light.
While this is hardly an exhaustive list, these are four easy ways to increase the natural light in your home. Natural light is attractive to the eye, great for your physical and emotional health, and might even increase your chances when trying to sell your home. So get rid of the dank look and let the light in.
Addy Reeds is a freelance writer from Eugene, Oregon. She discovered her passion for journalism while attending the University of Oregon. Follow her on Twitter and Facebook: @addyreeds1; https://www.facebook.com/addy.reeds
