Having natural light shining in through the windows of your home can really improve the feeling of any space but sometimes it’s hard to make use of what little light reaches our windows.

Open up the windows

It should be obvious that to let light in you need to open the blinds but I suggest actually raising them rather than just opening them. If you have curtains make sure that they are light material and don’t obstruct the window at all when open. Avoid any furniture that blocks the light from the windows. Framing the window in deep bookshelves focuses the beam of light and reduces the splash that we want. Bunkbeds are the only furniture that I allow to partially block a window but I’ll touch on that more later.

Embrace the shiny

Mirrors that are strategically placed can help to get light to new areas that it wouldn’t normally reach. Even when the sun isn’t out this can help reduce your need for artificial lights. Just make sure to aim mirrors away from where people will be sitting. No need to blind your guests.

Replace your bulbs

Incandescent bulbs are astoundingly inefficient. Switch the out for CFL bulbs and you’ll be able to increase the amount of light produced and reduce your wattage. If you really want to go all out you can get LED lighting fixtures. They produce more lumens per watt than any other lighting option and have a lifespan that is about 8 times as long as regular incandescent bulbs. CFL and LED lights come in different types of light as well. The type that replicates natural sunlight is the best for making a room feel like it’s filled with natural light.

Avoid dark colors

I’m not just talking about your furniture either. The color you paint your walls can have a dramatic effect on how bright a room appears. Bright colors reflect light and dark colors absorb it. I know that many of us want our living space to have a sultry and mysterious feel to it but all that burgundy velvet is going to eat up the light and make it darker. The more surfaces that light has to bounce off the more efficiently you are using your light source.

Live near the window

If you have a work desk and a large window that aren’t neighbors you are missing out. Make sure that you can bask in the sun for as long as possible. Put your bed next to the brightest window in your bedroom and you may be surprised how much easier it is to wake up in the morning. When I was a kid, my parents put my bunk bed right against a window to help me wake up. Years later, when I got my own place, I moved my bed away from the brightest window and could feel the difference. My bed has been next to the brightest window ever since. The use of full over full bunk beds means that two people can comfortably benefit from the natural alarm clock that is the sun as well.