While we make the slow transition into Spring, you may be itching for more natural light in your home to make these last few Winter weeks pass by faster. Keep reading to find helpful tips that will resolve your natural light problem!
Image courtesy of Thomas Barwick/Getty Images
Liven up your space with artwork
A very simple and beautiful way to make your home feel brighter is to incorporate bright pieces of artwork in your darkest spaces. Personally, I have been thinking about doing this in my home office. While during the Summer months this room receives a ton of natural light, during the Winter and Spring months I find it quite difficult to work in this room all day long. I’m leaning towards installing a bright gallery wall to resolve this issue, this could be a great resolution for you as well!
Add mirrors
As rising designer Kiva Brent explains in Architectural Digest, “reflecting light can help a space appear larger, and mirrors can maximize the little light you may have in a room.” Brent also suggests a combination of floor mirrors, wall mirrors, and even mirrored tabletops or furnishings to allow light to be able to bounce around.
Opt for white paint
If you’re thinking of painting, or are currently in your renovation process, choosing white paint is a great way to make your space feel brighter and larger. If you don’t love the look of white walls, a great option which I chose with my renovation was to go with a very light paint colour on the walls (not white), and very white ceilings. As The Spruce explains, “most ceilings are white for a reason: White reflects light. And since ceilings often go unnoticed when surveying a room’s decor, there’s no design penalty for going with white. Flat white is preferred over glossier sheens because a matte finish reduces glare, and ceilings don’t need the washability of glossier paint because they don’t get touched regularly, like walls and trim do.” Going with lighter walls and very white ceilings has made a huge difference for me especially during the gloomy rainy and cloudy weather spurts we see in Vancouver where there really isn’t a ton of natural light available!
Invest in light fixtures
If you can’t tap into any natural light, make the most of your fixtures. As Kiva Brent further explains in Architectural Digest, “end tables and floor lamps can add light into dark corners, and lighting suspended from the ceiling can transform a room. You can even add lighting to shelves, cabinets, and closets to create dimension and make a space appear larger as well.” From personal experience I can say that lighting within shelving / cabinets, specifically in your kitchen, makes a huge difference!
Ready to give these tips a try over the weekend to help brighten up your spaces? Leave a comment below and let me know which recommendation you will be applying to your home!
P.S. Don’t forget, we “Spring Forward” this Sunday.