Some tricks to lure daylight into your home are so easy, you’ll wonder why you never used them before
There’s no denying that big, unobstructed windows or swaths of white wall paint usually will make a room feel sunnier, but they aren’t the only things that do the job. In these rooms, the designers increased the light level with clever tricks, which you can copy.
Make the most of skylights. Natural light coming from above is brighter than that coming from conventional windows, so if there’s an opportunity to install a skylight or light tube in a room, don’t hesitate. Then maximize the light with surfaces (such as cabinet doors and countertops) in pale colors and a medium sheen.
Avoid high-gloss finishes in a top-lit room, as every smudge and fingerprint will show.
Use the right window treatment in the right color. You can boost your light level and make your room feel sunnier. First things first: Abandon thoughts of bulky curtains, unless you can pull them right past the window frame and over the wall. Ditch Roman shades too — they block valuable light from the top part of the window.
Shutters are a fabulous choice, but pick ones in a pale or warm color, so the daylight that filters through glows.
Paint the floor white. It’s no secret that a white ceiling makes a room seem higher, while white walls make it feel larger. Add a white floor to that equation to maximize the lightening, brightening effect.
On a budget? White-painted floorboards are an affordable option, plus the lines of the boards add pleasing texture and create a space-stretching visual effect.
If you choose a floor paint in a medium sheen, the floor will reflect lots of light and be relatively easy to keep clean.
Choose reflective materials. Similarly, choosing furniture and built-ins in mirrored glass or a high-gloss metal helps bounce lots of lovely light around (though, in already bright rooms, be aware of the aforementioned fingerprint issue).
Such furniture’s light-reflecting qualities also give you the freedom to introduce moodier shades elsewhere in the room without compromising the light level.
Position mirrors strategically. You can increase the light level in even the brightest of rooms with floor-to-ceiling, wall-to-wall mirrors. The best place to put them to bounce light around and create a space-enhancing effect is on an adjacent, rather than opposite, wall to the window.
Go for low furniture. It stands to reason that the taller and bulkier your furniture is, the more light it will block, so choose low-slung pieces to make your room feel brighter. What’s more, your ceiling will automatically feel higher too. Pick light-colored pieces to enhance the effect.
You can increase the brightening effect even more by picking a metallic finish that will make the wall shine and reflect the light.
Hang mirrors in recesses. Even the brightest rooms have dark spots, with alcoves the biggest culprits. You can combat these problem areas by painting the walls in pale colors that recede (instead of dark ones that advance) and by hanging mirrors in them to increase the feeling of depth and to reflect the light.
Opt for lustrous materials. If you’re lucky enough to have a light-flooded room, you can go to town on moody wall colors and dark, dramatic furnishings. However, that doesn’t mean you should pass up the chance to add an extra touch of shine.
One easy way to do this is by using lustrous materials — think velvet, chenille, silk or satin. They practically glow in the dark.
