As the bright warm days of summer turn into dusky early autumn, there is going to be less natural daylight coming into your home until next year.
There are some neat tricks and tweaks we can make to our living spaces lighter and maximise the shrinking window (no pun intended) of free daylight and warmth as we enter the darker months.
Mirror, mirror
A simple technique is to use mirrors and polished surfaces around the room to increase and amplify the available natural light. Gloss paint and polished surfaces and floors are effective, as are using materials such as stainless steel and polished copper or aluminium. Wooden floors or large tiles will also help reflect upwards.
Sticking to a neutral or pale hued colour palette in the room will also help make any room feel brighter and finding if any paint companies are using the latest scientific advances to make their paint more light reflecting such as the Dulux Light & Space range.
Clean and tidy
Light will fill up all available space so if there is more space for it to flow into then it will increase. By keeping rooms as free from clutter and keeping surfaces clear, there light can remain unimpeded.
It’s also a great excuse to get partners and kids to clean up after themselves “We need more light – pick it up!”
Blind luck
Using lightweight fabrics for curtains instead of heavy types and light blinds will allow more light to come in as a design feature. Some rooms may need blackout curtains and shades by necessity but if not then err on the side of light and lighten the mood.
One direction
It is worth taking note of the direction the house windows and door face to plan ahead to maximise available light. If they are predominantly east facing then there will be more light in the morning and little in the late afternoon and evening. The opposite is true if the house faces west. North and South facing houses will have light of varying strength throughout the day but knowing when and where the light will be available is an advantage.
Bifold doors
The best solution to making the most of the free heat and light supplied by the sun is to remove whatever obstructions there are in that direction. Imagine if you could remove a wall from a room and let the light flow in unobstructed.
There is a cost-effective solution to achieve this – or the next best thing – bifold doors! It’s really important to make sure you avoid doors becoming out of plumb when it comes to these.
Lightweight yet strong, secure yet minimalist, a bifold door can fill any room with natural light and open up the available space more than you would have thought possible. Available in many colours to accompany any home interior design palette, they will fit seamlessly into any landscape or design pattern anywhere in the country.
Whether you choose to fit bifold doors in Gloucestershire with it’s rolling downs and hills, or suburban Leeds or London to create an oasis of space in the city; they let you enjoy more than your fair share of daylight.
