The debate between yellow lights and white light is endless but what everyone will agree upon is that the best way to light up your home is with as much natural light as possible. One of the most common points mentioned in a design brief to architects in India is for a house to have as many windows as possible. However, you don’t need to rebuild your home to welcome in the sunlight. Here are a few small changes you can make in your home décor to brighten it up.
Big Windows
Noting beats a big clear glass window to make your home look brighter as long as the view outside is a good one. Living rooms and dining rooms are ideal for large picture windows that span a wall. However, this is an interior design idea that will require some structural changes.
Open Those Curtains
Big or small, privacy is always a concern with windows and so most windows are usually shielded by curtains. Glass is usually reflective during the day and unless you look very closely you usually can’t look through it on a bright sunny day. So, open your curtains through the day and pull them together only after the sun has set. Optionally, use sheer curtains pulled together during the day to filter in the incoming light.
Mirror The Light
Mirrors are an interior designer’s best friend when it comes to brightening a room or making a small room look larger. To make the most of natural light, position mirrors opposite windows to reflect light. If placing the mirror directly opposite the window brings in too much of a glare, angle the mirror slightly. If your window extends till the corner of a room consider placing a mirror, the same size as the window, on the adjacent wall so as to make it look like a corner window.
Choose Light Colours
Colours play an important role in all interior design projects. Light colours reflect light and hence are ideal ways to boost natural light in your home décor. Along with paint colours also choose light coloured upholstery fabrics for your furniture and light coloured curtains.
Use Glass Doors
Instead of a solid wooden door consider doors with a glass window for external as well as internal doors. You could also choose to use frosted glass or stained glass. Both these will not obstruct light and will maintain your privacy. If security is an issue, consider investing double doors such that a solid door can be left open during the day and a glass or jail door can be used during the day.
Clear the way
Along with obstructing light, furniture or curios placed along the path of light can also darken the room by casting long shadows. Arrange your furniture away from the windows in such a way that it does not obstruct natural light. If you have a garden outside your home, ensure that there are no plants outside your windows that obstruct light. Grills are often a security necessity in India but don’t always need to be formed from a close knit pattern that blocks out the sunlight.
Clean It
Lastly, keep your windows as clean as possible. Even water can leave behind cloudy masks on glass that don’t allow light to pass through evenly. Wipe your windows regularly and keep away from sticking decals on the glass.
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