How to Increase Natural Light in Your Home

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Allowing more natural light into a home can enhance aesthetic value. An unobstructed view of the outdoors brings the indoors in touch with the natural environment and creates a more inviting space. One way to boost natural light is to add exposures by replacing walls with windows or by replacing windows with French or sliding glass doors. Unfortunately, due to financial and logistical constraints, such a course is often impossible. One is left to maximize whatever natural light presents exists. There are a couple ways to do so: increasing reflectivity and removing obstructions. Reflectivity: Dark colors absorb light. Light colors reflect it. Therefore, a simple way to increase the amount of natural light in the home is to repaint dark walls lighter, more reflective shades. Begin with dark window trim and valances. Best bets for replacements are shades like bone, champagne and eggshell. Just beware of glossy finishes. These should be avoided because shiny surfaces create an unpleasant glare. Another technique for increasing reflected natural light is to place mirrors across from windows so they can bounce or diffuse sunlight around the entire room. In addition, consider swapping out dark fixtures, paintings or tapestries with mirrors. Installing mirrors also creates the illusion of extra space. Obstructions: Start off by drawing back drapes and pulling up the shades. If possible, replace shades with Venetian blinds. Venetians allow for greater control over the flow of light into a space. They can also be used to redirect light to the ceiling. Use the ceiling to radiate light throughout the room. In addition, one can move darker pieces of furniture away from windows and arrange shelves and other heavy pieces so that they're not blocking the light's path. Those fortunate enough to have skylights should consider removing any valances and framing that surround them. It's not always possible to increase the aesthetic value of a space by knocking down walls, but one can usually maximize the presence of natural light by following a few simple steps. Since natural light has been known to positively influence mood, it should be easy enough to relax afterwards and enjoy it. To really use natural light to your advantage, you also want to make sure windows are clean. If you hate cleaning windows, then we have a service just for you. At Marco Window Cleaning Services in Oklahoma City, we'll clean your windows at your home and boost that natural light. Check out more information about our services and our OKC residential window cleaners.