Homes can be dark. This could either be due to the design, it could be because a new building was erected after yours that cut out your light, or it could simply be that you live in an area of the country that sees more cloud-cover than it does sunshine. Regardless of why your home is dark, there are several tips and tricks that you can use to brighten your home:
Add Windows
The best way to brighten your home is, hands down, by increasing the light you get through the windows. You can have floor-to-ceiling windows that will help brighten your own substantially, though you will need to invest in double or even triple-pane windows to keep your home insulated.
This option is great for the rooms with exterior walls, but what about the options that are too far away for even a full wall of windows to help with? If you have an extension, then consider adding roof windows. There are even flat roof windows, so you don’t have to worry if your extension doesn’t have a pitched roof. There is always a way to add a ceiling window to brighten the darkest parts of your top floor and your extensions.
Use Mirrors to Bounce Light Inwards
Not every dark space in your home can be brightened with a window. For these spaces, use mirrors and other reflective surfaces. The amount of light that they bounce into your home will depend entirely on where they have placed and the type of light that they are bouncing. If you place mirrors where you get sunlight, the sunlight will bounce inwards and brighten your home substantially. If you only get white light, then you will enjoy a brighter ambiance than actual light.
Either way, these mirrors will increase your home’s light and help your space look larger and more spacious.
Tip: Use fractured mirrors to bounce light in multiple directions. Many modern interior design stylists even use disco balls to bounce light all the way through the room, which makes for a beautiful light texture.
Use Different Ambient Light
At the end of the day, the best way to bring light to a dark room is to use lights. However, the lights you use need to add to the ambiance of the space, especially if they need to be on during the day to add light to a needed spot (for example, if you live in a flat and have no windows near your kitchen.
You should have two options when it comes to lighting your space with artificial light. The first is overhead light. This light should be bright and with a soft white light that can mimic daylight. The second type of light is ambient light. Floor lamps, side table lamps, and art lighting are all great ways to add lighting that adds interest and design to your home.
Brightening a dark space can feel like a fight, but you should have greater control in how you feel in that dark space when you use these three options.
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