How to Get More Light in Your Home

September 27th 2019

Whilst daylight is the best option for light in your home, as it has so many benefits; it is not easy to come by in many homes, especially apartments. Luckily there is no need to worry as there are many ways to bring more light into your home so that you don’t have to settle for living in a dark space. Lighting is a fairly common concern for many interior designers and therefore there are actually an array of DIY solutions and ways to bring more light into your home.

Having a well-lit home can actually vastly improve your wellbeing, it has been proven to boost mood and reduce stress levels. There are various different kinds of lighting which may be needed in the home and it is good to have a full understanding of these; as they all serve valuable purposes.

Optimising Light Placement

The lighting you choose and where you choose to place it can have a big impact on how useful it is. It is also important to consider where in your house lighting is more important, as you may not need the same amount of lighting in each room. Floor lamps which direct light upwards are great for when it is getting dark in the evenings as the light is directed up to the ceiling which makes up for the lack of daylight. Living rooms, kitchens, bathrooms and hallways tend to be the rooms which need the most light. Living rooms may not need as much in an evening as sometimes ambient lighting is beneficial however during the day, a dark room could decrease mood. The other rooms need practical lighting to ensure you can see everything you’re doing.

Practical Lighting

Whilst there are numerous wellbeing benefits to good lighting, it is also essential for practicality in some instances. Consider placing lights inside cupboards which have poor visibility in order to ensure you can see everything you are doing. This is great in kitchens; alongside spotlights under high cupboards or even at floor level. For decorative display cabinets, soft lights or spotlights make a great addition.

Outdoor Lighting

As the amount of daylight, we see gets less and less, having good outdoor lighting is essential. Good front door lighting is key for the winter months as more often than not we leave and return to the house in the dark; it makes unlocking the door a whole lot easier. For general outdoor lighting, motion sensor LED lights are great, they are also a good way of deterring thieves. If you find yourself doing outdoor work of an evening as day draws in faster; temporary floodlights can help to keep the area well-lit whilst you complete work.

Making the Most of the Light you have

There are various ways to optimise your lighting, without actually adding more lights. These include updating your paint colour or adding more reflective surfaces. Having lighter painted walls, preferably with a gloss finish can help to lighten and brighten a room; alongside lighter floors and accents. Mirrors are a great way of optimising lighting in the home as they reflect light; place big mirrors in rooms where you want the light to bounce; the same goes for other reflective surfaces such as anything which has a gloss finish.

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About the Author

Lauren King

Lauren works in our Ecommerce Team, with over 6 years of experience at HSS. She brings product knowledge and is able to give her advice on the right tool for the job no matter how big or small.

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