MAKE THE MOST OF NATURAL LIGHT IN THE WINTER
The air is getting colder and the days are getting shorter. With winter fast approaching, there are less hours of daylight each day. If you are a struggling with a space that is feeling dark, here are some tips to utilize natural light, keeping your room warm and bright and lowering your energy bill too (without a full renovation)!
The colder months mean that you’re staying inside more and leaving your lights on longer.
The average person uses about 706 KW in the winter which is over 200 KW more than in the summer.
This raises your electricity bill by one third! Using less energy use reduces the demand from power plants and decreases greenhouse gas emissions. While you don’t have to switch off all your lights, it is way better for your body, home and earth to find ways to bring in more natural light.
Natural light is also extremely beneficial to your health
Boosts your body’s Vitamin D storage
Higher productivity
Better vision better Improves sleep quality
Boosts mood
By finding simple ways to increase the natural light in your home, you will be able to reduce your carbon footprint and still keep your space light and bright.
WINDOW TREATMENTS
The best place to start is where your natural light comes through. Take the screens out of your windows and store them for the season in a safe place where they won’t get damaged.
You will get 30% more light streaming in!
Change out your dark, opaque curtains and minimize your window coverings by choosing lighter, sheer curtains like organic hemp curtains from Rawganique or recycled cotton curtains from Deconovo.
This way, you are allowing as much natural light as possible shining through!
Make sure nothing is blocking your windows, like a tree from outside.
And don’t forget to wipe them off with an all natural cleaner to make sure they are sparkling clean!
MIRRORS
Another useful tip is to add mirrors to your room because they reflect light around the room, which will double the amount of any natural light that streams into your space.
Hang a mirror directly across or adjacent to windows in your home.
This design trick can give the illusion of the mirror acting as another window, which will not only instantly maximize the light in your room, but also make it feel more spacious.
To learn more about mirror placement from Feng Shui expert Laura Benko click HERE
PAINT
Have you been itching to give your walls a fresh paint job before the holiday season?
Choosing neutral color shades such as whites, light greys and beiges are known to improve light in dark rooms.
Lighter colors means the overall effect of your room will feel lighter because it also reflects light instead of absorbing light.
Make sure to avoid paints that contain use harmful chemicals and toxins called VOCs that will pollute the air quality in your home. Look for non VOC paints from sustainable brands like Colorhouse Paint who are transparent about their ingredients.
Shop Colorhouse Paint HERE
FURNITURE
Make sure that no piece of furniture is covering up any part of your windows.
Moving furniture away from your windows will make a significant difference in the amount of light that is let in.
Keep your furniture arrangement as minimal as possible to keep your room open.
Remember, less is always more and by removing unnecessary items and giving your room more open space, you will be able to decrease the amount of pieces absorbing light.
LIGHTING
And if you haven’t already, make sure that any lighting fixtures in your home have LED bulbs.
LEDS use 84% less energy than incandescent bulbs to produce the exact same lighting.
Brands like Plumen create low energy bulbs that will last you longer and give your home a warmer glow that will keep you cozy and your home feeling sustainably bright!
Shop Plumen HERE