How to Save Energy Using Natural Light In Your Home

By Ameeta Jain

A home that is filled with natural light looks more warm and inviting than a home that is dark and dreary. This isn’t the only reason why homeowners should embrace natural light, though. Taking advantage of natural light can also reduce energy usage and save you money on utility bills.

Even though some homes are designed to get more natural light than others, there are dozens of ways to increase the natural light in your home. Follow these tips:  

Open the Curtains

The easiest way to let more natural light into your home is to get in the habit of opening the curtains every morning. Depending on the weather, simply opening the curtains could provide you with enough sunlight to brighten the entire house.

Hang Mirrors

Another simple way to increase the natural light in your home is to hang mirrors on the walls. Mirrors reflect light, so any natural light that enters your home will be magnified, making the entire room brighter. It’s best to place mirrors on the wall that is facing the natural light source. This is a great way to maximize the natural light that is already streaming through your windows.

Trim the Hedges

Walk around the perimeter of your home to see if there are any hedges that are covering the windows. Hedges placed near the windows should be trimmed on a regular basis so they don’t block natural light from entering your home.

Rearrange Furniture

Believe it or not, the way your furniture is positioned could affect the amount of natural light in your home. Tall pieces of furniture such as bookcases, entertainment centers, or dressers should always be perpendicular to the wall with windows. If these tall pieces are placed in this position, they will not block natural light so the room will look much brighter and more spacious.

Paint the Walls

If your home has dark-colored walls, it may be time for a change. Dark colors absorb natural light, whereas light colors reflect it. Therefore, painting the walls a light color could increase the natural light in the room. This strategy is even more effective if the paint has a glossy finish, which is more reflective than matte or satin finishes.

Paint the Eaves

Look outside your window to see the color of the eaves on your roof. The eaves are the part of the roof that hangs over the side of your house, and they play an important role in allowing natural light in. If you paint the eaves white, they will reflect more natural light back into your home.

Don’t worry about how painting the eaves will affect the overall look of your home’s exterior. Eaves are not visible from the curb, which means painting them white will not affect the way the exterior of your home looks.

Use Glass Tiles on the Kitchen Backsplash

Homeowners can instantly make the kitchen look more open and inviting by using glass tiles on the backsplash. Glass tiles reflect close to 100% of the light that hit them, so they will brighten the entire room. Glass tiles also come in a variety of different shapes, sizes, and colors, so you shouldn’t have any trouble finding a design that complements the rest of the kitchen.

Replace the Windows and Doors

Some homes are built with small windows and solid wood doors, which could limit the amount of natural light available. Installing bigger windows and glass doors will drastically increase the natural light in your home, however this can be costly.

To keep the costs low, consider only changing the windows and doors that will make the greatest impact. For example, south-facing windows typically get the most sunlight, whereas north-facing windows typically get the least. Therefore, it would be wise to only replace the south-facing windows and doors if you are working with a limited budget.

Many homeowners are hesitant to make this change because they do not want to sacrifice their privacy. However, this should not be a concern. If you want to protect your privacy, consider installing frosted glass doors or windows. These doors and windows will allow natural light in, but they are not transparent, which means no one will be able to see inside your home.

Add Skylights

Many homes have a few windowless rooms that rely solely on artificial light. If it’s not possible to add a window or two to these rooms, consider adding a skylight instead. Skylights provide much more natural light than traditional windows, so adding even one skylight can flood the entire room with sunlight.

By following these tips, homeowners can improve the lighting in their home, conserve energy, and lower their utility bills. Plus, research has shown that natural light also boosts your body’s vitamin D levels, helps you sleep, and improves your mood. Let there be light!