10 Ideas to Use Natural Lighting at Home

During the winter, especially, we need as much sunlight, i.e. natural light, in our life as possible. The cold chases us indoors, and it can become downright depressing after a while. Thus, the more sunshine we can muster in the living room, the kitchen, the bedroom, and anywhere else the better off we might feel.

The other thing that happens in the winter is that utility bills tend to spike upward as the cost of heating comes into play. For this reason, cutting down on how much we use electricity to brighten the house is especially ideal during the winter, not to mention any other time. Even better, letting sunshine into the house helps to passively warm it up during the day.

Now that we’ve established all that, let’s talk about how we might use natural lighting at home, even in darker rooms.

1. Mirrors

Hanging up some nice decorative mirrors (check in thrift stores) can help to relay light coming in through windows to other areas of the room. They work really well when hung on the wall opposite the windows as they’ll reflect back into the corners where the sun doesn’t shine.

2. Light Colors

Choosing light colors is a great idea, particularly in rooms without as much natural light coming in. Furnishing, linen, lampshades, trim work, wallpaper, and even lighter-colored paints can help to accentuate the natural light rather than absorb it.

3. No Blinds

Particularly on windows with little direct sunlight, it’s a good move to skip out on blinds. Once blinds are installed, we rarely raise them, opting instead to rotate the blinds open. Well, that still blocks a good percentage of the light that could be coming in. Go for curtains instead.

4. White Curtains

Sheer white curtains can be a good option for windows that require privacy but need to be optimized for light. The white curtain will glow like a huge light bulb during the day. In fact, it can even be extended a few inches beyond the edges of the windows to make them seem larger.

5. Focus on the Light

Make windows the focal point in rooms so that the light coming in is appreciated more. Orient chairs, sofas, and other furniture to utilize the light from windows rather than block it. Too often we design our spaces to block light with things like blinds and curtains.

6. Reflective Surfaces

Like mirrors, reflective surfaces—a polished wood tabletop, a steel picture frame, hardwood floors, etc.—can help to bounce light around a space rather than absorb it. Metal items, polished wood, and glass are very good decorations for assisting with this.

7. Minimalism

For spaces where less light comes in or the light seems to be lost, it might help to begin reducing the amount of stuff in the space. Minimalizing the furniture and clutter will allow the light to move more freely through the area and lessen the shadows.

8. High Gloss Paint

When painting a room with natural lighting in mind, it’s good to use paint with gloss. High gloss and semi-gloss paints will reflect much more light than satin or flat finishes. This can also be useful when painting furnishings, shelves, and other items.

9. Door with Window

For rooms in the house that either don’t have a window or have little natural light coming into them, a funky way to add some more natural light is to change the solid interior door with one that has windows. Even though it’s not direct sunlight from outside, the window will utilize light from elsewhere in the house.

10. Fake Windows

Technically, fake windows can’t provide real natural light, but they can provide the illusion of natural light coming in. Sometimes that’s enough to lift our spirits, and if the scene behind the false window is bright and beautiful, that doesn’t hurt, either.

Obviously, having plenty of windows is wonderful when we are after natural light, but we can also make the most of what natural light we have by using some of these ideas. From there, we can move towards less and less reliance on the power company for the basic stuff we need.

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