Does your home seem dark even during the day? This will be due to a lack of natural light entering your home. Natural light offers a range of benefits, including improvements in mood, productivity, and health, as well as enhancing the look of your home by making it appear bigger and more inviting. To make the most of these benefits, consider making these six changes to your home to add natural light to your home.
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One of the easiest and cheapest ways to increase natural light in your home is to clean your windows. Over time, dirt and grime can build up on your windows, blocking out sunlight. You can easily remedy this by cleaning the inside and outside of your windows. All you need for this is a window cleaner and a microfiber cloth. Not only will this help to let more light in, but it will also give your home a fresh, clean look.
Another great way to increase natural light and make your home brighter is by using lighter paint on your walls, floors, and furniture. Lighter colors reflect more light, significantly brightening a room and making it appear bigger. For your walls, you should try white or a pale pastel shade, and you can also add some pastel-colored pillows, curtains, and rugs, which will tie the decor together.
Using mirrors is another clever way to reflect light around your home. The best method for increasing natural light is by hanging a large mirror on a wall opposite a window, which will increase light reflection and instantly brighten your home. You can add smaller mirrors throughout your home to help bounce light around.
One of the most effective ways of increasing natural light in your home is by installing new doors, such as bifolds, as the long glass panes will allow natural light to flood into your home. This will always help to create an indoor-outdoor flow in your home that will make your home look more open and inviting.
Remember, this can be expensive, as the average bifold door costs around £1950 to £7200 / $2500 to $9000. However, it is a worthwhile investment, as it can even increase your home's value.
Another great way to add more natural light to your home involves installing skylights. Skylights are roof windows that allow natural light to enter your home from above, which can help to make your space brighter. They're great for rooms that don't have any windows, such as bathrooms and loft bedrooms.
Skylight installation typically costs around £500 to £2000 / $600 to $2500 per window, which is pricey; however, it is an effective, permanent solution for anyone with reduced natural light.
If you have trees or bushes outside your home, they could block natural light, so it may be worth trimming or removing them. This will instantly let more light into your home. Before trimming any trees or brushes, you should check with a professional to ensure you complete the job safely and correctly. If you are unsure about trimming trees and don't know where to start, you can always hire professionals who charge anywhere from £200 to £1000 / $250 to $1250, depending on the size of the tree or bush.