Nine Tricks To Get More Light Into Your Home

A dark home can feel like a gloomy space. A house can feel dark if it doesn’t get much natural light, has light blocked by foliage or has smaller windows. If you’re currently making improvements to your home, make sure you’re making some changes that bring in some more light. A home with lots of light feels more fresh, airy and modern. 
1. Make sure natural light isn’t being blocked from getting in. It’s an obvious trick, but it’s the easiest way to let more light in. Trim back any foliage from bushes, trees or hedges that are covering any of the windows. Inside the house, check where your curtains are hanging. A lighter curtain will let in more light, and make sure they’re not covering any of the window when they’re open, so you’re not shutting out light when you want it. Move any furniture that overlaps with a window to make sure you’re not accidentally creating darkness. 
2. Change out exterior doors. Frosted glass in the front door lets in light without sacrificing privacy. For doors into the garden, go for as much glass as you can. A great, functional option is to go bifold doors. These doors let in a lot of light with their low profile design, while also being super practical with their folding design. They can even work in more traditional homes, if you choose hardwood bifold doors. 
3.Hang mirrors opposite a window. A well-placed mirror like this will bounce back whatever light is coming through the window back into the room. Large mirrors make small rooms feel larger too, helping to create a more airy, bright feeling. 
4.Choose wall colors and surfaces carefully. Darker shades of paint will absorb light, so choose light shades that will reflect light better and feel fresher. Gloss paint can cause glare, so matte paints are actually better. For rooms where a different surface will work, choose a shiny surface that will reflect light, like tiles. 
5. Use glass doors instead. Whether you choose frosted or clear glass, a glass door will let light into dark rooms from ones that get more natural light. Archways instead of doors are also a great option to allow light to get between rooms. 
6. If you’re making larger renovations to your home, change small windows for larger ones, or see if you can add more windows to a darker room. Add a skylight if you can, to let in even more light to dark rooms. 
7.To bounce light down into the room, paint the ceiling in a gloss paint. It’s an unexpected style choice that is clever way to push light into the room. 
8. If you’re putting in wood floors, choose a light grain with some shine. The light shade will make the room feel brighter, while the shine adds another way to reflect more light into the room. A light wood also hides scratches well, which is great for high traffic areas, or homes with pets or children.   9. Choose some metallic accessories, such as large art pieces with metallic details. The metallic surface is a smart way to add another surface which will reflect light and bring more of it into the room.