How Do I Get More Natural Light in Lake Oswego, OR Home?

Natural light is more than just a convenience…it is an essential to life. It brightens rooms and makes us feel more alive and vibrant. But you probably don’t have natural light in every room of your Lake Oswego, OR home during the day. As the sun makes its quest across the sky, certain rooms will catch more light in the morning and grow dark in the evening. That is just a fact of life. But that doesn’t mean you can’t make the most of the light you do have and create brighter spaces in even the darkest rooms.

Perform a Natural Light Assessment

Take a moment and walk from room to room in your home. Where is the light coming from? How does it change as the day goes on? Do you have ample light in the rooms where you spend the majority of your time awake? Where do you notice the most darkness? Do dark floors or heavy furniture seem to absorb all the natural light in a room? Or are windows that are too small or shade from exterior trees the main problem? Noting all of these characteristics will help you know and understand where you need to make changes.

10 Ways to Bring More Natural Light Into your Home

You don’t need more artificial light to make a room brighter. Did you know with just a few tricks, you can double or even triple the amount of sunlight getting into your home? For more light you can:

Trim Trees and Bushes

Trees and bushes are nice for privacy, aesthetics, and shade. But they can also block light from your windows. The first thing you want to do is cut branches and foliage away from the windows.

Clean Your Windows

Grime can also block a lot of sunlight. Clean your windows and you might be surprised how much of a difference that can make.

Remove Dark Curtains

Seems obvious, but some people forget to remove heavy drapes after winter. Swap them out for something light and gauzy that will give you the wanted privacy, but still allow natural light to filter through.

Decorate With Mirrors

All the shiny surfaces you add to a room will help reflect the natural light and spread it around. Specifically focus on adding mirrors on walls across from your windows.

Apply Shiny Surfaces

Mirrors aren’t the only things that reflect light. Anything shiny or metallic can also work—like brass doorknobs, silver faucets, shiny countertops, and acrylic chairs will all make a space feel warmer, brighter and larger.

Choose Lighter Colors

Darker colors absorb light in Lake Oswego, OR. So while it is okay to choose accent pieces in dark colors, you want the majority of things in your space to be light, neutral tones to bounce the light around. And if you do want a dark accent wall, be sure you keep the ceiling light.

Try Satin Paint

Flat, matte paint doesn’t reflect as much natural light, but a glossy finish might be too shiny. A good balance between them is a satin finish that helps reflect some light without the glint of gloss.

Install Glass Doors

Solid doors block so much natural light. Doors with glass inserts, even frosted glass on interior doors, will add more sunlight to your space.

Windows

If you don’t have enough light, one option is to add more windows. South and west facing windows will get you the most light in summer. Just be sure you also choose glazing options that provide you with optimal insulation so you don’t have to worry about unwanted heat gains.

Install Solar Tubes or Skylights

If you have dark rooms, but don’t want to install new windows, there is another option. Skylights come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and operations. You are sure to find something in your price range.

If you want new windows Lake Oswego, OR, doors, or skylights for more natural light in Lake Oswego, OR, start with EnergyGuard Windows and Doors. Our professionals can get you a great price on top quality products in Lake Oswego, OR. For more information stop by 516 E. 2nd St., Newberg, OR 97132 or call 503-554-5500.