I've been in numerous houses and I noticed that most people have their lights on during the day and still complain about huge electricity bills. The reason is because they don't get enough natural light into The House. Would it be better to get bigger windows, more of them maybe? That would be a little bit expensive. Do you guys know of some cheap ways to let in more sunlight into a house?
While having sunlight into the house seems a good idea, sunlight can also fade things in the house like the sofa or curtains. I think a good way to have light is to have more mirrors in the house that reflect light and make it look less dark. Blinds can also control the amount of light that comes into the room. Having bigger windows isn't always the answer either as it depends on whether you live somewhere where trees or buildings don't obscure the light.
Placement of the windows may be the problem. We have a room the only has one window in the back which makes the room dark, there is another wall that could have a window that would give the room more light. I would have one of those narrow windows up near the ceiling that you see just for light and allows the room to still have privacy.
The best way I have found to brighten up a room with limited outside light is to repaint it a light color. White paint will do wonders for making a space seem bigger. If you have dark furniture, try finding a light colored cover. Another trick that works well is to add big mirrors opposite the walls with windows. Give it a try and let us know how it turns out!
People on Pinterest suggest sticking solar lights in your houseplants, buying flameless candles or using LED night lights. I usually go the LED night light route because they cost pennies to run and provide charming soft light.
One thing that might help is to paint the room in a brighter color that would reflect light a lot easier. Also, filling it with mirrors in the right places could enhance what little natural light is getting into the room, although these only go so far and if it ends up not being enough then it might be time to get bigger windows which I think should be worth it in the long run.
If you actually own the home and can make changes to it, installing doors that have glass panes in them is a lot cheaper and easier than cutting holes in exterior walls to add windows. All you're doing is replacing a door. I've lived in places that had solid doors and places with doors that have glass panes, and the glass makes a big difference to the amount of light that comes in.
I am not a person of fashion but I like decorating our bedroom. The first thing that catches my eye is the curtain. If the color has a good symmetry with the surrounding furnishings then it would enhance the bedroom. For added color, we have here some native blinds that can be bought cheaply. I used to buy that but when we moved here in our present house, my husband wouldn't like the native theme so what I used now are modern design for the blinds.
I've got to go with those here who are suggesting the use of light colored paint and mirrors. There is something about darker colors that actually seems to soak up light. I suppose it just doesn't reflect it as well. Light window treatments on the windows you do have are also something I would recommend. With something above ( a valance or whatever) and merely some blinds or a shade that can be pulled down or shut at night or when you don't want to feel open to the world.
Stupid though it may sound, keeping your windows clean makes the room look brighter. You don't even need window cleaner to do this. You can use water with lemon juice or vinegar and clean the windows with scrunched up old newspaper. Don't have blinds or nets in your windows either. Another simple trick is to add mirrors to the room. If you position one directly opposite the window it will reflect light around trhe room.
The kind of bulb they are using also has to do a lot with the elec bills. The best kind of bulbs are the LED kind. They are fairly new around here. They are a bit pricey but in the long-run in saves a lot in electricity. Plus, they're out of plastic so they don't really emit heat or anything.
If your room is painted in light and bright colours, it will always look a lot better than it would if it was painted in black, for example. You should also ensure that you have plenty of windows, and mirrors reflecting the light from the windows. Other than that, you may find that you do need to invest in some kind of lighting, even though that does cost a little money - but a few extra lamps are almost certainly a lot cheaper than it would be to have a couple of extra windows built in your room.
Are you strictly referring to natural ways of getting more light into the house, because if this is the case, then the methods people mentioned are truly great, but if you also want some artificial light (at night time, especially) you can use those cheap LED lights that are available at Chinese retailers. One site I recommend you check out in regards to these lights is Miniinthebox.com. Tell me your experience. Good luck!
If you have lighter coloured furniture it can help a lot. I used to have a light grey sofa and since it's been replaced with a dark green one the whole room feels a lot darker than it did before despite this being the only change. Having a mirror in the room can also make the room feel lighter in my opinion.
