Winter is here, and that means shorter days and darker evenings. When you’re sitting at home and the daylight is disappearing, the temptation to switch all the lights on is often at the back of your mind and easy to succumb to. However, while this may ensure you’re not bumping into things and reading by torchlight, it will also see an increase in your energy bills. What’s more, excessive exposure to low light can actually have detrimental effects to your health, as we’ve touched on before. There are, in fact, several ways that you can make the most out of the light in your home without adding some extra digits to your monthly expenditure.
Mirrors
By placing a mirror opposite or adjacent to a window, you are essentially giving yourself an auxiliary window that helps spread the light throughout the room. By doing this, you can make the room brighter, as well as making it seem more spacious – not to mention the reflective surface of the mirror will mimic the views from the window, too.
Window dressing
Blinds and curtains are important to the design of any room, and they are very useful for letting light in and blocking light out as and when you want to. However, it can be easy to choose window dressings that totally block out light, which is fine during the night but can have a detrimental effect during the day.
Instead, opt for a translucent window dressing that lets light filter through whilst still allowing you to maintain your privacy.
Colour coding
If you have darkly coloured walls, then having a ceiling in a similar shade can make the room feel somewhat cramped and restricted. For rooms with darker walls, a lighter-coloured ceiling can work wonders. White ceilings in a room with dark walls is somewhat extreme, but a lighter matte paint will reflect light and help brighten the room.
Furniture positioning
While it may not seem like something that has the biggest bearing on the amount of light in a room, big pieces of furniture can block light out if they are placed in a certain area. Take a moment to see how the light filters through your room – if a table or a sofa is blocking light out, for example, rearrange the furniture and you may notice a lighter, more airy space.
Cleaning
Another under appreciated but effective tactic for maximising the light in the room is to clean the lights and windows themselves. Dust and dirt can dull any light coming through, so by giving them a polish and a clean, you can ensure your bulbs are as bright as possible and your windows let all the light in.
The above tips are cheap and effective ways to keep the light in your room as winter comes around without spending extra money on your energy bills. By following these tips you can hopefully enjoy natural light for longer periods before flicking on all your light switches.
VHL offer first class electrical services for customers throughout London. If you would like to know more, please get in touch with us today and we will be more than happy to help you with anything you need.