Maximizing the amount of natural light in your home is key to creating a space that looks good and makes you feel good too. Whether it’s a busy family zone or a relaxing bedroom, every room in your home will benefit from a boost of extra daylight. Here are four things to consider to help you brighten up your home.
Style of windows
Your choice of windows will play a big part in maximising the natural light in your home. Everything from the style of window to your choice of material and frame design will impact the amount of light that your windows allow into your rooms.
Replacing more traditional glazing with cleaner contemporary styles will improve the amount of natural light in your home. This style of glazing will also make your rooms brighter and feel more spacious. Upgrading your windows to high performing double glazing or triple glazing will also significantly improve the comfort of your home.
External doors
Adding glass panels or side panels to a front door is an excellent idea if you’re looking to get more light into your hallway. There are some lovely designs to choose from in the composite door range for contemporary and traditional styles.
Glass doors are also ideal choices as back doors where you are trying to maximise the natural light in your space. They are particularly effective in a utility or laundry room where the room has no other windows. The uPVC and Aluminium door range has a selection of fully glazed or half-glazed designs to choose from.
Connect with the garden
One of the most powerful design tools in home design is connecting the living space with the outdoors or garden area. Not only is this a lovely design feature but changing a window to a fully glazed door is one of the easiest ways to get more natural light into your home.
If you want to take this idea one step further, why not consider creating a larger expanse of glass between your living space and garden. The most popular glazing choices for creating this kind of feature are bi-fold doors and sliding doors. Bi-fold doors will allow you to open up your living space entirely to your garden. However, sliding doors will offer the most uninterrupted view of your outdoor space as well as maximising the amount of natural light in your room. There are many options available, from lift and slide doors to uPVC sliding patio doors
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Window dressings
Finally, don’t let your choice of curtains or blinds compromise the natural light in your rooms. Most of the light will come into your room from the highest part of your window or doors. So, pelmets or decorative blinds can block a significant amount of daylight and make a room feel gloomy.
Maximise the amount of natural daylight in your rooms by pulling back the curtains clear from the windows. Remove pelmets and roll up blinds and remove any items on windows sills that might block light, such as plants, vases or other bulky ornaments.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Managing Director Optimise Design, B.Arch. RIAI RIBA
& Senator’s Expert Design Consultant
This blog post is sponsored, but the views expressed by the author are her own.
