There are many reasons why your home may appear to be dark. You may have a large home with a dark interior left behind by previous owners or you may live in a tiny studio apartment with just one window. If you are looking for a way to bring more natural light into your home or simply want to lighten up rooms throughout the house, there are options without emptying your wallet.
Light, Bright Paint
White reflects light as it hits the surface and this can give the illusion of light in a room. However, to make a room look brighter, you don’t have to go with stark white. You can choose many different light colors that will saturate the room with light but give the room your own distinctive look.
Create Contrast
A room with white walls, white cabinets, white upholstery and white accents may be very bright, but it can look boring. If you choose to paint your walls white, add contrasting bright colors for throw pillows, furnishings, cookware and other decorative items. In your kitchen, add a creative mosaic backsplash. In your living room, add some dark furniture and picture frames to offset the stark white of the walls.
Use Reflection
Mirrors are an excellent addition to a room that may get a little natural light. Mirrors will not brighten a room on their own, although they can make a small room look larger. If you have a room that gets a little natural light, strategically placing a mirror where it will catch incoming light will reflect that light around the room. Large mirrors may not work in a dim hallway or bathroom, however, as the mirror will simply duplicate the dimness. Instead, replace large bathroom or hallway mirrors with small, decorative framed mirrors to catch small patches of light.
New Windows
If your home is so dark that you must keep lights on in rooms during the day, you may want to invest in new windows. Although this may be expensive, using artificial light during the day can affect your mental well-being and will take a toll on your energy bills. Therefore, the cost of new windows could be offset by the savings on your electric costs. Consider a skylight or light tubes to bring in more light if adding a window is not possible.
Indirect Light
Harsh overhead lights can create glare which will actually reduce the quality of light in the room. Try to create the diffused light of an early morning. Put lights near walls or place LED strips under shelves or cabinets so the walls are coated in a layer of diffused glowing light. Place brighter task lighting over workspaces, like your kitchen counters or desk but keep the rest of the room bathed in diffused light.
Window Treatments
Wooden shutters, room darkening shades and heavy drapes may block natural light from the room. This may be great in a bedroom when you want to sleep in on a Saturday but not in the family room or kitchen. Switch to sheer or semi-sheer window coverings that give you the privacy you want during the day but let in plenty of natural light. If you want to keep the room darkening option, simply switch to drapes or curtains with tie-backs that you can open during the light of the day to bring in some natural brightness.
Trim the Trees
Trees help keep your energy costs down but they can also block the light from your home. Keep tree limbs near windows trimmed back as much as possible. Cut back bushes that may have grown up above the window ledges. If you can, replace bushes near your home with plants with variegated or silver leaves. These will reflect sunlight into your home rather than block it from coming in.
If you are considering a home remodel, contact us at Flemington Granite to learn what options are available. You can reach us by phone or by filling out the easy form online.
