Blog

With an increasing amount of time indoors during colder months, many customers start to think about the amount of natural light in their homes. Natural light at home undoubtedly benefits both health and happiness. So, what natural light boosts your well-being?

Before we take a closer look at the options available, we understand that every home improvement must fit in with your lifestyle choices. High on the agenda are opportunities to save energy. Not only is saving money on bills necessary, but any home improvements must add value to your home.

To realise some lifestyle benefits relevant to you and your family, consider options to achieve natural light in your home. Once you’ve organised energy saving, cost savings and home value, you’ll have a sense of pride and satisfaction in the positive steps forward. Mental health benefits and physical health benefits can follow.

An economically sustainable home

Enhancing natural light in your home can make a home kinder to the environment. A home brightened with natural light saves on electric lighting. It can reduce heating bills too! Creating economical and sustainable homes helps reduce our environmental footprint. Simple steps like moving your favourite chair closer to the window can make a difference

An increased home value

As natural light helps to create a sense of space, increase the sunlight in your home, and you may get an increased home value. Buyers are attracted to properties that are open and spacious. So, if you might be selling your property, improve the natural light, and gain potential purchasers quickly.

Happier home feelings

Have you noticed more optimistic and productive feelings on sunnier days? Sunlight positively impacts mental health and reduces negative stress to make us feel happier. When working from home, an increase in natural light is perfect.

Healthier at home

Natural light can make us feel healthier at home by increasing our vitamin B and D levels, stimulating our appetite and boosting our immune systems. As natural light can benefit your physical health and well-being, it makes sense to maximise natural light.

Filling your home with Natural Light

Filling your home with natural light maximises the potential benefits. There are many options such as interior fabric choices, wall options, and changing windows. Here are some ideas for you:

Blinds instead of curtains

Blinds that fit in windows cut out more of the cold air than curtains that hang over a radiator. Blinds could help reduce the lost warm air. In general, thicker curtains are a powerful insulator, but only if used correctly. It is incredible how much heavy curtains block natural light during the daytime, even when they are open. Perhaps set them further from the edges of your window frame if you have the wall space available. Remove all pelmets and valance drapes and opt for contemporary curtain finishings.

Consider installing a conservatory.

Thanks to large panes of glass, conservatories offer plenty of natural light. Light, bright walls and the interior frame finishes also help to provide a light, bright space. Plaster-finished ceilings fitted with energy-efficient lighting help lower electricity bills at night.

Add a glass partition wall.

Open plan homes don’t work well for every family. If you prefer smaller divided room spaces, consider a glass wall instead of a solid, especially if one of your rooms is north-facing. Glass partitions and room dividers are a growing trend for interior spaces. Suppose you don’t want open-plan spaces, then glass dividers are the perfect solution. A glass partition wall keeps noise under control but still adds natural light to the room.

 Knock through walls

Conversely, if you like open-plan living, knock through walls to create a feeling of space and natural light. Once you’ve established load-bearing and non-load-bearing walls, plus what you need to know about planning permission and building control, you’re on your way to stunning interiors and increased natural light. A structural engineer can explain your options.

Increase the size of windows

Do you have an opportunity to increase the size of the windows? There are many natural light benefits, and modern windows also meet the minimum standards for the amount of heat they allow through. Heat loss is measured as a U-Value and can have significant effects on reducing energy bills.

Use mirrors to reflect light.

It’s no surprise that property developers’ show homes use mirrors to reflect natural light. A mirror adjacent to a window can bounce light throughout a room, projecting it into darker corners. Even the most compact home is guaranteed to feel brighter when carefully positioned mirrors reflect natural light to create the illusion of space.

Choosing the right options

Choosing suitable options for home improvements to make the most of natural light includes considering all the costs involved. If you would like to start to consider new windows or glazing in your doors, please do get in touch with us for more information.