5 Tips for Maximising Natural Light in Your Home

Feel like you’re living in a cave? If there’s one thing we absolutely love in sunny South Australia, it’s making the most of all that glorious sunshine pouring into our homes. After all, why rely on artificial lighting and suffer those skyrocketing power bills when you can have it all (and better) courtesy of Mother Nature? In this article, we’ll outline our top 5 tips for maximising natural light in your home. If you’re brainstorming ideas for an upcoming home renovation and need help transforming your kitchen, bathroom, or laundry from dingy to bright, you’re in the right place.

The benefits of natural light

What’s up with all the talk about natural light? Well, there’s more to it than contemporary aesthetics. It turns out that natural light plays an essential role in our psychological and physical health. Having enough natural light in our day helps support our circadian rhythms, boosts mood, and improves productivity and energy levels. Proper light management, which means utilising natural light and adjusting artificial light colour and intensity, can help us maintain a balanced lifestyle, reduce stress, and enhance our overall wellness. In a time when working from home means countless hours spent indoors, ensuring your home environment supports your health is more important than ever. Yet this isn’t a closely guarded secret, and many Adelaide residents are quickly catching on to the benefits of maximising natural light for a healthier home. That’s why we’ve whipped together this quick, no-nonsense guide to help you find practical solutions to enhance natural lighting and determine the most suitable options for your home and budget.

Mirror mirror, on the wall…

Think mirrors are just for checking if you’ve got something stuck in your teeth? Think again! Mirrors are your secret weapon for bouncing light around your space like a disco ball. Pop a big ol’ mirror opposite your window or next to it, and watch as it doubles the light. Want to add a little glam? Why not opt for metallic accents and glossy surfaces for extra sparkle? For a classic touch, select ornate frames or reclaimed wood to create a hint of country chic. Best of all, mirrors can be utilised anywhere in the home. Bathrooms, living rooms, bedrooms, hallways – you name it! Even kitchen renovations can utilise reflective splashbacks to maximise the value of existing windows. When it comes to mirrors, it’s almost impossible to go wrong.

West Lakes kitchen with mirrored splashback for maximising natural light

The West Lakes complete home renovation cleverly used a reflective mirror splashback to scatter and maximise the natural light.

Let Your Windows Breathe

Set those windows free! Heavy drapes are great if you want to feel like you’re in a gloomy Victorian estate, but they aren’t exactly ideal for bathing your home in glorious light. Let the velvet and satin go, opt for sheer or light curtains that flutter in the breeze, and let the light stream in. We suggest linen, cotton, voile, or muslin. Think natural, sheer fabrics that won’t block out that precious sunshine. For entertainment areas requiring a blackout option, wooden and synthetic blinds can be an excellent and adaptable option that allows you to salute the sun throughout the day and wave goodbye when it’s time to binge your favourite show.

North Adelaide home renovation, featuring wooden blinds for controlling and maximising natural light

The North Adelaide complete home renovation featured wooden blinds that provided adaptable lighting to the living area.

 

Paint It Light. Paint it Bright!

Dark and feature walls filled with rich, saturated colours, shelving, knickknacks, or artwork can make beautiful statements expressing your personality and style. However, if your home is already struggling for light and feels a little more oppressive than uplifting, it might be time to consider a change. Walls and ceilings in light colours are ideal for spreading that natural light love. White, soft pastels or even a dreamy wallaby grey can make your space feel open and more spacious than it is while making that light work a little less to make your spaces feel light and luminous.

InterConstruct Laundry 1 After

The Athelstone laundry renovation utilised clean, bright colours to maximise the natural light entering through limited windows.

Bring the Outside Inside with Skylights

If you’re really serious about flooding your home with light, let’s talk about glass doors and skylights. Skylights aren’t just fancy roof windows; they bring natural light into those spaces where regular windows just won’t cut it. Think kitchens, bathrooms, hallways, bedrooms that just don’t see enough morning or evening sunshine and even attic spaces. These underrated beauties can make a world of difference for dim hallways or dark kitchen nooks. What’s more, they come in various configurations, meaning that you can tailor and adapt them to fit into your space in just the right way. Some of the most common options include:

Fixed Skylights

A true classic. There’s no fuss with these skylights, just more light. Unlike ventilated skylights, fixed skylights are sealed shut. Think of a window that can’t open but is an excellent means of flooding a given space with natural light.

Ventilated Skylights

Light is good, but light and fresh air are even better. Ventilated skylights can be opened right up to let that breeze in. They’re fabulous for bathrooms and kitchens where you want to let out steam and welcome a touch of cool outside air. Stuffy rooms, begone!

The skylight featured in the Fairview Park kitchen renovation helped the kitchen retain a light and airy interior despite a lack of traditional windows.

Let the Light in With Glass Doors

French doors, bi-fold doors, and sliding glass doors can be brilliant ways to blur the boundaries between indoor and outdoor living. They let natural light flood your space while keeping it cosy in winter and cooler in summer.

The Findon renovation featured contemporary doors and windows to create a seamless transition between the living room and backyard.

French doors

French doors are the classic choice for anyone who loves a touch of chic elegance. They typically feature two glass panels that swing open, making them ideal and highly functional design elements in dining rooms, living areas, and even bedrooms.

Sliding glass doors

Sliding glass doors are clever space-savers that don’t require a swinging area. This makes them great for smaller spaces like apartments or homes where you want to maintain a natural indoor-outdoor flow without sacrificing space.

Bi-Fold doors

If you want to make a big statement, bi-fold doors are your go-to. These versatile doors can be folded into sections, creating an entire open wall. This is a particularly good option for households that entertain with a large courtyard or alfresco.

Ready to Brighten Up Your Space?

So there you have it! Five ways to embrace all the beautiful natural light we’re gifted daily to transform your home. Looking to take your home to the next level with a professional kitchen, laundry or bathroom renovation? Our friendly team of industry experts is always on-call with professional advice or to help with an upcoming home renovation. From installing skylights to creating open, airy spaces, our team can help you take advantage of your home’s hidden benefits. Get in touch today at 0426 118 900 or enquire online to get started.