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A few quick tricks can make your space brighter in just a few minutes.
You don't need to undergo renovations to install new windows - a few quick tricks can make your space sunnier in just a few minutes
Double the amount of sunlight in your room by allowing it to bounce off reflective surfaces. Hang a large mirror directly across from the largest window in your room, or arrange an array of smaller mirrors to help brighten a dark staircase, suggests Houzz.
More: 6 clever ways to use mirrors to make your home feel bigger and brighter
If light can't reach your window, it certainly won't brighten your room. Make sure any bushes or trees cushioning your windows are trimmed regularly, and avoid planting trees on the southern side of your home (as Scandinavian Home Staging explains, the sun will be too high for the trees to provide shade in the summer, and in the winter, the foliage will block your windows from solar warmth).
More: Ask the experts: Can we get rid of these trees blocking light into our home?
It may seem counterintuitive, but glossy walls can create glare (rather than reflect light equally). Matte surfaces, on the other hand, reflect light in every direction.
Yes, we know, this one seems a tad obvious, but simply cleaning your windows can have a major effect on how much sunlight streams into the room. The less dirt, dust and splatters on your windows, the more sunshine can peek into your room. (Plus, cleaning a window is way easier than installing more windows.)
More: Two uncovered windows transform kitchen into light-filled room
Carefully think about where you place light fixtures throughout your space. Indirect lighting aimed upwards can make up for lack of light on the ceiling as daylight dwindles.
You love your art, but do you love it more than a healthy dose of Vitamin D? Save your large, dark artworks for rooms that aren't short on light. If you cover a wall with paintings or posters, they will absorb the little sunlight streaming into your space rather than reflect it.
Bookshelves or partitions should never be parallel to a window, or they'll obstruct the light. Carefully consider the flow of daylight and how you want to promote it.
This isn't the place to try out a moody, dark colour palette. The lighter the colour of your walls, the more light they'll reflect. If your walls are neutral, paint the ceiling a shade lighter to help light bounce around the room.
There are plenty of window treatment options on the market that provide privacy without turning your abode into a vampire's lair. Get rid of heavy, dark curtains that absorb light, and instead opt for translucent shades that allow sunshine to spread throughout the room.
While you don't want to go glossy on the walls (remember: glare), reflective surfaces can play to your advantage when it comes to bouncing light. For a room with limited sunlight, opt for glimmering items like acrylic accents, translucent furniture, metallic finishes and mirrored surfaces such as reflective coffee tables.
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