How to Get More Natural Light in Your Home

When you have a home that is dark, it can really bring down your mood and make it hard to stay awake during the day. Unless you're trying to nap, having a dark interior is rarely the top choice. Here are some ways to brighten up your home by encouraging more natural light.

Move Furniture Away From the Walls

This is a common mistake done by people who don't realize what an impact it has on the natural light in their home. If your furniture is sitting in front of windows or close to sliding glass doors, it is time to rearrange it. This is blocking natural light, as well as reflective light you get from the windows or doors. Try to rearrange your bedroom or living room to where all windows are completely open with no furniture blocking the window. You may have a room that is small so there isn't much room, but in this case, at least move the furniture a few inches from the wall to get a little more light from those windows.

Choose the Right Window Treatments

Window treatments are more than just for privacy or décor; they can also make a room much darker or lighter. If you want more natural light, get rid of the dark and heavy curtains and opt for light sheers instead. For more privacy when you also want curtains, have blinds installed behind the curtains. That way, you can open up the blinds during the day, while still having the look of your sheer curtains. Otherwise, installing window treatments like shades or shutters are a great way to have full control over how much sunlight you get during the day simply by keeping them open.

Add a Skylight

An excellent way to get more natural sunlight in a home is to add a skylight. Skylights are never covered by window treatments, so they provide an excellent amount of light in your home. They are best when installed over a common area of the home, such as a living room or family room. This can reduce your monthly energy costs since you don't need to turn as many lights on inside. You can also get a tubular skylight installed in a bathroom or other small area that tends to be darker during the day.

Make sure you keep your window treatments open during the day to let in plenty of natural light. This not only reduces the need for lamps but allows you to get natural heating in your home.

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