The health benefits of natural light are numerous, yet many Americans get far less than they need. According to the Harvard School of Public Health, vitamin D deficiencies can make people more prone to certain types of cancers, osteoporosis, and more.

Frequent export to natural light can even help ward off seasonal depression. Aside from the health benefits, ample natural light just makes your home feel better. It makes your space feel lighter and cleaner and can help indoor plants grow strong.

With this in mind, read on for our simple guide on how to improve your home’s natural lighting today!

Bright Interior Paint

One of the first steps recommended to take in order to increase the appearance of natural light in your home is to paint your interiors with white or light-colored paint. The reason for this is because lighter-colored paint is able to reflect versus absorb light.

This means that natural light pouring in from a nearby window will bounce off of your walls and ceilings, allowing your room to appear brighter. You can also discover an objective measurement of how reflective a certain paint color is through its light reflective value (LRV) percentage.

Pure black has an LRV of zero percent while pure white has a reflective value of 100 percent.

Add Reflective Surfaces

After you paint your walls and ceilings, the next recommended step is to add reflective surfaces to the room. This will increase the amount of light bouncing around and reflecting across your room.

Designing your room for the natural light desired can be as simple as hanging mirrors across windows or bright lights. You can also utilize high-gloss paint in kitchens or small studies where you don’t have as much wall space to hang up mirrors or reflective art.

Glass tiles or high-gloss ceramic tiles are also a great way to add a reflective surface to any room in the house. In kitchens, a tiled backsplash across from a window can greatly increase the amount of natural light inside. Even better, glass or ceramic tiles can also act as an attractive accent wall.

Pay Attention to Your Furniture

It’s easy to become accustomed to the furniture of your home, especially if you haven’t changed the layout or added new furniture for years. Consider the placement of your furniture and see whether any armchairs, armoires, or desks are blocking the natural light coming through the window.

If you have a lot of dark furniture or rugs in your room, this could also be absorbing the natural light rather than reflecting it around the space. If this is the case, consider changing the upholstery to a lighter color or purchasing lighter-colored couches and rugs.

Trim Your Landscaping

You’ll also want to look outdoors for any source of plants or patio furniture or structures that could be blocking the sun. Hire a landscaper in order to keep tall grass, trees, and shrubs trimmed, especially during the summer.

During certain times of day, you may find that an umbrella, gazebo, or even a large outdoor patio chair could be blocking the sun from completely entering your home. Try changing the layout around or purchasing smaller furniture so that none of your windows are blocked.

Install Skylights and Larger Windows

Once you’re done with the relatively easy steps of repainting your walls and changing up your furniture, you’ll want to consider installing skylights and more windows. Skylights are a great option if you’re lacking the wall space for a full window.

Homes with large, open layouts also have the issue of dark spots in the center of the home. A few well-spaced skylights can help mitigate this issue.

Next, installing larger windows or more windows to the south of your home can help bring in ample natural light. Consider large picture windows if the ventilation is good and you want beautiful views of the landscape beyond.

Utilize Artificial Light

Last but not least, don’t be afraid to utilize artificial lights in order to improve the light within your home. A natural light lamp uses daylight-white, LED bulbs in order to mimic the color of the sun during the day. You may also want to consider table lamps and floor lamps with warm-colored bulbs in order to mimic the setting sun in the evening.

Next, you can also invest in light therapy lamps for your bedside in order to mimic the feeling of waking up with the rising sun. These lamps help simulate full-spectrum light. These lamps come in a variety of sleek and modern designs, along with several settings that allow you to customize when you want them to turn on and off.

Beyond your nightstand, you can also set up floor lamps and table lamps throughout the room. Consider using a variety of light sources instead of one bright overhead light in order to improve the ambiance of the space.

Improve the Natural Lighting of Your Home Today

You’ll find that by improving the natural lighting in your home, your overall quality of life will improve. Your home will feel more clean, airy, and inviting.

You’ll also be able to grow a variety of indoor plants. Even better, once it’s time to sell your home, you may be able to achieve a higher appraisal value.

Start by painting your walls and ceilings a light color in order to effectively bounce the light around the space. You can also add additional reflective surfaces such as tile, mirrors, and ceramic in order to boost the reflection.

Ready to start renovating your home for more natural light? Contact us today to get started!