Natural light is an essential part of architecture and design. In some cities, it’s even a right. It’s so important, in fact, that small homes can stop big developments from being built if they can prove that it would completely restrict the natural light in their property.
Wanting sunlight cascading into your home is natural. Wanting an unrestricted view of beautiful nature is natural. It’s not, however, always easy to achieve. If you want to increase the amount of light your property gets, then this is the guide to inspire you:
Working With Your Space
What you can do will ultimately be limited by your space itself. The ways to increase natural light in a flat will differ from the ways it can be achieved in a house. The same difference will lie on those in urban areas versus those in rural areas. Ultimately, however, there will be options available to you. They may be light hacks, or they may be smart design choices like installing glass fences instead of wood ones to give you unrestricted views of the landscape.
Use Skylights
One of the best ways to brighten up a dark home is to use skylights. These don’t need to be large, either. They simply need to let more natural light into your home. These are going to be key if your property doesn’t get a lot of sunlight pouring in through the windows that you currently have. Don’t be afraid to use internal windows. You can install windows indoors to separate rooms and also allow more light to filter through your property.
Install Larger Windows
If your home is plagued with small, ineffective windows and you have the planning permission to increase their size, do it. Modern windows can be much larger, allowing you the benefit of more light, without the massive uptick in heating bills.
Use Glass Railings
Glass railings and fences are the perfect way to adhere to safety codes while letting the light (and the views) in. You’ll need to find a specific glass fence contractor to get the job done. Frameless glass fences can be tricky to source and harder to install. If you want a seamless view that you can also trust to act as a safety barrier, then going down the professional route is the way to go.
Bounce Light
Light colors bounce light. Don’t think that white is the only way to achieve this effect, however. Any pastel shade will work. You could even use different colors to change the hue of light bouncing into your home. If you want your space to feel warmer and brighter, for example, you may find that painting your home a bright or light yellow helps achieve that better than white ever could.
Finding the Middle Ground
There’s a middle ground between increasing light access and making your home a nightmare to heat and cool. In general, you’ll want to actually shade your rooftop as much as possible with trees to keep the hot sun off your home during summer. As for keeping your home insulated, get double-glazed or even triple-glazed windows when opening up your space. You can also look into self-sustaining ways to heat and cool your home, from solar-powered systems to simple, ancient systems like using a lattice on your windows and doors or using a building envelope design to help force wind through your property more forcibly.
