Whether you have a dark home or you’re simply obsessed with having a home filled with light, here are 7 simple ways to maximise your natural lighting indoors.

Let’s place emphasis ‘simple’ because truth be told, there are MANY things one can do to maximise natural light indoors – but if you’re not wanting to smash out walls and put in bigger windows, these tips will have you basking in your very own natural light in no time!

If we start with the basic nature of light, we will realise that light can be reflected or absorbed. That’s why you’ve probably found wearing all black in the sun or getting into an all-black car after it’s been sitting in the sun all day, can have you feeling hotter than normal.

Black absorbs light. It doesn’t allow light to shine, reflect or brighten up a room – so let’s start maximizing your natural indoor light by painting light!

Painting light

Painting light
If you have dark walls it doesn’t matter how much light you let in, there is only so much you can maximise it. Especially in the darker winter months! Light won’t reflect off dark surfaces so if you’re finding it hard to keep the light flowing through your home, consider painting your walls a brighter and lighter colour.

If you were to Google light reflecting paint you would be inundated with ideas, solutions and brands to explore. It’s a thing. And it’s something you could do yourself if you wanted too.

Reflect the light

Speaking of reflecting light, why not increase your chances of all day indoor natural light by incorporating mirrors and reflective surfaces throughout your home?

If you’re able to position mirrors across from where the light streams into your home, you will see that the light will hit the mirror and reflect back out in the direction the mirror is facing. It has been done before that people strategically position mirrors throughout their home so that they can have the light reflected from mirror to mirror – brightening up the space with natural light!

The other reflective surfaces you can consider is having high gloss or reflective surfaces in your kitchen and bathrooms like splash backs and counters. If natural light enters your home through the bathroom or kitchen why not maximise it by giving it something to reflect off!

Brighten up your décor

Brighten up your décor
In the spirit of lightening up the place, dark furniture, curtains and décor are not going to help you maximise natural indoor light. As mentioned above, dark colours absorb light.

Dark indoor furniture is where light goes to die. Dramatic but true. As you update your internal interior or if you are looking to buy new furniture, consider buying lighter colours as to increase your light flow.

Clear out the window clutter

If your windows are covered and draped in curtains and pot plants and random pieces of furniture – clear it out!! Why block what little light you have with things that can easily be positioned somewhere else. Light is a clever traveler, but it also likes to create shadows if given the opportunity. If you’re going to display items by the window, try making them reflective surfaces like mirrors.

Doll up your window frame

If you don’t want to paint your whole house, why not start by dolling up your window frames! The same as a woman paints on her lipstick to brighten up her face, when you paint your window frames with high gloss white paint, they are just begging to reflect shiny light into the home!

Open your curtains all day, every day

Open your curtains all day, every day
Open your curtains they said. Let the light in they said. For some this is not so easy – but there is a solution!

Depending on where your windows are positioned there are a few reasons people feel they need to close the curtain. Privacy is a big one. If you have large windows facing the street or your neighbours, opening up your curtains to let light in can leave you feeling vulnerable!

Then there’s keeping the house temperature controlled. In summer, opening the curtains can have the heat pouring into your home and over heating it. In winter, opening your curtains can let the heat out making your home resemble an Eskimo hut!

The solution – window glazing! If you can invest in having your windows single or double glazed you will be able to open your curtains 24/7, 365 days a year and never have to suffer through another dark and dull moment ever again!

If you want to maximise your natural indoor light window glazing will allow you to open your curtains all day, every day. You’ll never have to worry about your neighbours playing peeping Tom or your home becoming a sauna or Eskimo hut again. All you’d have to do is enjoy the light streaming in and brightening up your home!

Spring clean your windows

Seems simple but we did mention we were going to focus on 7 SIMPLE ways to maximize natural light indoors and this is one of the simplest! Clean your windows – inside and out!
Windows are never high on our priorities of things to clean BUT when they are cleaned, they sparkle and reflect light like it’s nobody’s business!

Dust, grime and fingerprints accumulate on the glass of the windows overtime and before you know it your window has a coating on it that stops light from travelling into your home.

Then you have spiderwebs and dried raindrops that leave your windows looking sad and tired.

The more frequently you can clean your windows from the outside AND the inside, the more natural light you will notice streaming through your glistening windows!

If you are wanting to create a cozy and welcoming environment in your home, finding ways to maximise natural light is a great way to create the ultimate homely atmosphere. It doesn’t have to be difficult and it doesn’t all have to happen overnight. Start with one suggestion and then increase your light flow from there. Happy lighting!