I’m getting really good at looking past decor and the bare bones of a house. Given Craig and I have been on a few viewings recently, we’ve had to retrain our brains to look past some pretty horrendous seventies wallpaper, Formica kitchens, and olive-green bathroom suites - if we were too fussy we simply wouldn’t be able to afford anywhere here in Reading. But one thing I just can’t get past, is dark and dingy reception rooms. As most of the houses in our price range are terraced, many of the ‘through’ rooms are boxed in with light fed in by windows to the front and back, making them feel really cramped and oppressive.
So I’ve been doing a bit a research to work out how we can make these houses work for us. Let’s face it, we can’t magic up another £30,000 to get the space we really want, so we’ll have to be clever, invest a fair old chunk of money over time, and plough lots of time and love into the project. With this in mind, here’s some ideas on how to maximise light in a dark home.
Skylights
I’m reliably informed these are also known as Roof Lanterns. In any case, if you are planning an extension from scratch (particularly where rooms face north), this has to be the best way forward. This will flood a room with natural light and maximise light in adjoining rooms. Skylights also take up no wall space which is fabulous for kitchens where wall space is at a premium.
For even more impact, you can add a full ceiling multidimensional roof lantern and make it into a real feature. These will be sure to add value, as well as light, to any project.
Conservatories
Conservatories are considered to be permitted development and are therefore the ideal solution where planning permission is tricky. They also make fabulous sun-filled dining rooms, playrooms, and gyms where furniture is not limited to the perimeters of a room.
Although conservatories vary in cost from the ridiculously cheap, to the downright expensive, it’s not worth scrimping on them as badly designed conservatories can be a huge energy drain for a home. Spending a little more on good insulation and energy-efficient glazing will help retain warmth and make it a useful space all year round. Self-cleaning glass for roof panels is also worth the investment in terms of easy upkeep.
Bi-folding Doors
When extending is simply not an option, replacing at least one exterior wall with bi-folding doors or huge windows can work wonders. It’ll involve some clever room design to ensure your new feature is unobstructed, but if you have the space, it’ll certainly help open up an otherwise oppressive room.
To further ‘bring the outside in’, consider using the same flooring indoors and out. At the very least keep floor levels the same, match floor colours and ensure any floorboards run in the same direction to help give the illusion that the room stretches beyond the glass. Coordinate furniture on each side of the glass, and use greenery inside as well as out to further merge the spaces.
Decor
When your walls are the biggest surface area in your room, using wallpaper with a reflective sheen will multiply the light source in the room. You can also get carpets with reflective fibres, glossy tiles and high sheen laminate to carry on the theme beyond the walls. At the very least ensure you stick to a light colour scheme (including flooring) and inject personality and warmth through your furniture instead.
Finishing Touches
Strategically placing floor to ceiling mirrors in a room are a great way of adding the illusion of extra depth and reflecting light, however limited. Glass furniture and other transparent materials will also desist the eye from focusing on one specific section of the room. Finally, create smaller pools of omnidirectional light by introducing cut glass ornaments such as vases, bowls and candlesticks.
Lighting
If all else fails bathe your room in layers of artificial light. Try experimenting with heights of light sources such as floor lamps, table lamps and low hanging ceiling lights. Throw out bulky shades and leave bulbs exposed to make the very most of what you’ve got. Positioning mirrors and other reflective surfaces immediately behind bulbs (or even candles) will also add additional layers of light in darker pockets of the room.
So there you go! Have you ever tried any of these techniques? If you’re brave, do share a picture!
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