7 of the Best Ways to Add Natural Lighting to Your Home

Feeling the need to add natural light to your home? Maybe things are looking drab around the house, and you feel like you need a bright change, or you want to take advantage of the fleeting rays as the sun sets increasingly early in the winter months. Whatever the reason, if you want to bring more natural light into your home but aren’t sure where to start, we’re here to help. Luckily, your options are numerous. You can keep the liveliness of summer going well into the cold months by letting the sun’s rays brighten your space, as cold weather doesn’t have to turn your house into an arctic abode.

Here are seven ways to add natural lighting to your home:

1. Install Larger Windows

This step likely goes without saying, but one of the first ways to increase natural lighting if your budget allows is to increase the size of your windows to let more light in. You don’t need floor-to-ceiling windows — though they do look nice — because even a minor upgrade can go a long way.

Keep your window coverings out of the way if you decide to expand your windows. You don’t want to cancel out your hard work by pulling the curtains together or keeping the blinds down. Let the light shine in.

2. Turn to Glass

Glass is a surprisingly reflective surface despite its transparency, which will quickly turn your home into a disco ball of bright light. Try this look in your bathroom or kitchen with glass tiling or a backsplash. Glass comes in numerous colors, which allows you to experiment with cold or warm tones. Add blue-green glass for cool, calm lighting, or go with orange for a warm feeling. Glass decor can make a room brighter if you’re not ready to change the tiling. Try vases, clocks, wall mirrors and sculptures.

3. Trim the Greenery

Lovely landscaping adds personality to a home, but it can also stifle the light coming into your place. Overgrown trees and bushes can creep into your windows or grow tall and block the sun’s rays. Trim them back regularly to preserve your lighting. Natural light does a lot more than brighten your home. It also improves your overall health by causing your body to produce vitamin D, which prevents illness and disease. It makes any room attractive, and it boosts your health — does it get much better than this?

4. Lighten Up the Flooring

Depending on their color, wooden and stone floors reflect tremendous amounts of light. Go for a polished finish for maximum reflection, and try to avoid super dark colors for your flooring. Dark hues will absorb more light than they reflect, negating the effect of your hardwood or stone. If you have dark hardwood, liven things up with an area rug. Light colors are preferable, but you might opt for a patterned runner if you don’t want dirt to be too visible.

5. Paint It White

White is excellent for reflecting light across a room. If you go with this tip, paint the walls an off-white color instead of stark white to provide a warmer feeling. Achieve that natural brightness without turning your home into a stuffy physician’s office. Include the exterior of your home by painting your eaves white. Doing this will bring even more light in, and it won’t disrupt your home’s outside appearance. The underside of your eaves is best viewed inside the house, leaving your exterior color scheme mostly undisturbed. Choose a gloss or satin paint instead of matte.

6. Use Shiny Surfaces

As you can figure by now, shiny surfaces like mirrors and countertops bounce light around a room and can make it appear spacious. This quality also applies to your cabinets and appliances — so if you love the matte look, it might be time for a change. Go for those stainless steel appliances and glossy countertops and give the cabinets a fresh coat of paint. You might change your entire design scheme to coordinate with your lighting. Don’t be afraid to dive into a new look — it’ll give your home a renewed feeling.

7. Look Upward

Install a skylight for peak sunlight. This lighting source directly faces the sun, giving you more rays for a longer period compared to vertical windows. They’re also convenient to install if you don’t have space for larger windows. If there’s no room on the sides, go up.

These additions add natural light and make a home look ultra-modern and sleek in addition to their light-bringing abilities. How many people do you know have a skylight? Be the first neighbor on the block with this contemporary style.

Shine a Light on Your Interior Design Skills

Illuminate your home in style with these tips on bringing in more natural light. Your home is your safe space — make it ultra-comfortable and bright with the sun’s rays. Additional sunlight will benefit your interior and your health. Be sure to SHARE these helpful home design tips with your friends on social media!

Kacey Bradley is the blogger behind The Drifter Collective, an eclectic lifestyle blog that expresses various forms of style through the influence of culture and the world around us. Along with writing for her blog, she has written for sites like U.S. News, Hotel Online, SevenRooms, Point 2 Home and more!

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