Ways to let light into your home

“Lots of natural light” is often used as a real selling point for properties. But why is it such an important feature? We take a closer look at the benefits of letting light into your home and how to achieve that bright and airy look.

Easy As Hack

Add some mirrors around your home - they’ll bounce sunlight around and make even small or north-facing rooms feel lighter and larger.

What are the benefits of natural light?

Letting natural light into your space can have a positive impact on more than just the appearance of your home. It can be important for your health and wellbeing. Here are just a few of the reasons to let the light in:

Get better sleep: Exposure to natural light, especially in the morning, helps regulate your body’s internal clock, keeping you alert during waking hours and helping you fall asleep easily at night.

Improve your mood: Natural light increases production of serotonin, the ‘happy hormone’ which promotes feelings of calmness and wellbeing. It can also decrease stress and keep your hormones balanced.

Boost productivity:  Natural light can increase alertness and cognitive performance, making it easier to focus. Perfect if you work from home. Working near a window also helps reduce eyestrain and headaches.

Save energy: The more natural light in your rooms, the less you’ll have to rely on lamps and lights, which could have a positive impact on your energy bills.

Reduce germs (yes really!): The UV rays in sunlight can prevent bacteria from replicating.

So, there are plenty of reasons to try and boost the natural light in your home, but depending on the layout it can be easier said than done. Here are few things to consider:

Plan your interior décor with light in mind

Think about window dressings

Sheer curtains or Roman blinds let some light in while also maintaining your privacy, while adjustable Venetian or wooden blinds can help you to direct light to where it’s most needed. Roller blinds are easy to fully roll to the top of the window, allowing for maximum glass exposure when open.

Paint using light colours

Dark colours absorb light, and light colours reflect it, so using pale colours, or white, is a great way to make a room feel much lighter than it is.

Add mirrors

Mirrors also reflect light, so a large mirror or several smaller ones can be an easy way to direct light to where you want it to be. Be creative with where you place them, it doesn’t always have to be where they’ll actually be used.

Rearrange your furniture

If you’ve got bulky furniture in front of your windows, eg a sofa, it can be blocking more light than you realise. Try rearranging some of your furniture and see what makes the most difference to the amount of light in the room.

Consider structural changes

Install larger windows and skylights

Replacing small windows with larger ones, particularly in south-facing rooms, will greatly increase the amount of light you’re getting. Adding a skylight or bay-style window can also help make your rooms lighter. If adding new windows, choose the style carefully. Slimmer frames allow for maximum glass and maximum light. And remember, whatever style of window you choose, regular cleaning both inside and outside will help you make the most of the light they can bring in. A surprising amount of dust can sit on the surface of your windows without it looking like they’re actually dirty.

Try glass doors – internal and external

Replacing a solid door with one that is majority glass, such as French doors or bifolds, can be an easy way to let more light into a room. And it’s not just external doors that can make use of glass. Internal doors can be used to ‘borrow’ light for darker rooms.

Whether you make small decorative tweaks or go for bigger renovations, bringing more light into your home can transform not just your space but how you feel in it.