3 Ways to Bring More Natural Light Inside
Summertime provides us with a great reminder of how refreshing the sun is in our lives. You get your daily dose of Vitamin D and enjoy the beautiful, bright skies. Not only is this healthy for us, but it helps brighten our mood. However, unless you live with magnificent floor-to-ceiling windows, you probably don’t get to enjoy this as much as you’d like to, here’s how increasing the amount of light into your space can be pulled off anywhere:
1. Add a Mirror
Brighten up your space by adding more shiny objects. The more light you can reflect back into the room, the brighter it will appear. Objects like chandeliers, reflective lighting, mirrored or silver photo frames, brass candlesticks, mirrors or acrylic clear furniture should become part of your decorating strategy.
Matching these decor items with light painted walls, and large windows will enhance every piece of available light. Whether you go with an antique, beveled, or sunburst mirror, you’re sure to see a big impact with this small addition.
Endless Inspiration for the Floor of Your Dreams
GET DESIGN BOOK2. Lighten up with Paint
Make the most of any natural light that does come in with the right colors on the walls. Design experts know that it’s challenging to pick good colors for rooms that get insufficient natural light. Dark, shadowy rooms, hallways, basements, rooms without windows, and rooms that face north all need not just light colors on the walls, they need the right colors that won’t be grayed out by shadowy light.
Ellen Divers of Divers Color says that it’s true that light colors reflect more light. However, in low-light cases, light colors can appear dingy and often don’t work as well to light up your space, because there’s not enough light coming into it to reflect. Divers notes that saturated colors work best in dimly lit rooms.
In addition to modifying your paint colors on your walls, you can also transform your room with a lighter finish on your wood floor. Even though dark wood floors are very popular, they can make small rooms, or those without a lot of natural light, feel smaller. Consider a natural finish on your flooring, or use a Whitewash style stain, such as you see here.
3. Light Flooring for Your Next Installation
Light wood floors, especially whitewash wood floors, have been around for centuries. Finishes like milk-paint may come to mind, as this was used on many of the original floors, walls, and ceilings as people use it to protect the wood, but also make rooms feel bright and larger.
The crisp, neutral hue, is equally accessible for that beachfront bungalow or that upscale New York Penthouse. You’ll find them more and more in the most upscale retail stores too, as luxury outfitters seek to create a relaxing, and comfortable environment, and one which adjusts to the changing colors and styles of the season.
See what light, wide plank flooring could look like in your space by requesting a free sample. 