10 Smart Tips For Waking Up your Home with Lighting

bonetta / Getty Images

There aren’t many single factors in your household that can change your mood, your health, the comfort of your home, the appearance of colors, and the feeling of a room with just one aesthetic – lighting. While most of us are trying to find the trendiest sofa to put into our living room or the best shade of blue to put into our home office, how you light your rooms with artificial light and how much natural light pours into your home can make all the difference. If you are trying to find smart ways to enhance your home with light – here are 10 tips to get started with.

1.Natural light can change you & your home’s mood:

When is the last time you went into a dark closet and felt warm and happy? For most of us the answer would be “not lately”. Natural light is needed for all humans to thrive and our skin, eyes, hair, mind and well being need natural light to be healthy. At the same time – your home reaps the benefit as well. Natural light can kill bacteria that loom in dark and wet spaces in your home and it creates an ambiance that can’t be rivaled by artificial lighting sources.

poplasen / Getty Images

2. Illuminated and bright rooms make your home feel more spacious:

For those of you who struggle with trying to make your interiors feel larger, natural light and illumination can fool the eye. Dark rooms with larger furniture and well-lit rooms with less furniture can have the opposite affect when it comes to interior design. Consider using multiple lighting sources in the evening, to avoid dark areas in your home. Ambient, task and ambiance lighting such as wall sconces throughout your home will enlarge your interiors visually and make you want to linger in them longer.

3.  Natural light can be maximized with versatile window treatments

In many homes the problem isn’t the sources of light through adjacent windows, rather the ability to let light in effectively. Take a look at your current window treatments. Heavy blinds, thick drapery and layered fabric curtains often keep out much-needed natural light. Consider using lighter-weight fabrics such as cotton or linen fabrics, especially in climates that allow moderate temperatures to filter in. For more extreme climates, opt for materials that are versatile and can be tied back to let in light or close when the sun is glaring or too bright.

sl-f / Getty Images

4. Therapeutic and mental health benefits of natural light:

In many of our homes we forget about the health benefits of allowing natural light into our interiors and daily lives. Whether you enjoy the glow of natural light through translucent glass blocks in your shower every morning or you open your blinds wide in your home office every morning, there is a health benefit to natural light. Try walking outside and soaking up sunlight and then come back into your home. If your body feels like it’s lacking the fresh and therapeutic benefits of sunlight – think of ways to bring it into your home in greater abundance.

5. Artificial light can beautify your home

Lighting technologies have come a long way in residential design. From eco-friendly varieties such as compact fluorescents and LED fixtures to innovative one’s like this in-floor light strip in a home bridge. The Design Group – 186 Lighting says, “From the exterior, warm glows reflect off the wood ceiling from an invisible source. When crossing the bridge the singular linear source creates an unexpected connection between the master wing and the main house.” These type of technologies enable the homeowner to show off their architectural detailing and still have a wonderful experience with artificial lighting.

6. Therapeutic and mental health benefits of natural light:

In many of our homes we forget about the health benefits of allowing natural light into our interiors and daily lives. Whether you enjoy the glow of natural light through translucent glass blocks in your shower every morning or you open your blinds wide in your home office every morning, there is a health benefit to natural light. Try walking outside and soaking up sunlight and then come back into your home. If your body feels like it’s lacking the fresh and therapeutic benefits of sunlight – think of ways to bring it into your home in greater abundance.

7. Design your home with wise window placement:

If you are in the process of designing your home or you at least have some flexibility in the placement of your furniture, remember these tips with natural light. Depending on where you live in the world and the orientation of your home will affect how the rising and setting sun affect you and your family. Consider your lifestyle – are you a morning riser and enjoy sun waking you or would you rather save the morning daylight for your main living areas. Think of these important window and furniture placement considerations when beckoning natural light into your home.

tulcarion / Getty Images

8. Choosing the best lighting fixtures for your interiors

There are so many lighting fixtures on the market – we as homeowners are fortunate to have so many! Walk through your home at different times of the day to determine what activities you do the most in each room. Ambient or overall lighting usually consists of overhead lighting – while task lighting comes in the forms of under cabinet and table lighting. Ambiance lighting such as chandeliers and wall sconces add a unique ambiance to your space and are perfect for entryway and foyers. Choose lighting that compliments your interiors and allows you versatility in your everyday living.

sl-f / Getty Images

9. Use houseplants as an excuse to let in natural light

Greenery and houseplants go hand-in-hand with healthy green living for humans and letting in natural sunlight into your home. Give yourself an excuse to have to open your window shades daily by using greenery around your home. Houseplants in a sunroom or growing in a kitchen garden can be perfect for growing herbs and small plants. Small terrariums grown on a side table or hanging in your bathroom are great for areas where you don’t have a lot of space. Either way plants give you an excuse to let in more light!

PC Photography / Getty Images

10. Make your home feel like home with the addition of lighting

You can change the mood in your home instantly with the flipping on of a switch, the closing of a blind, or the lighting of a few candles. Your lifestyle and all it has to offer will be enhanced with natural and artificial lighting. Create a home that you love to be in with these lighting ideas.