According to Build Green, almost 90% of our life is spent indoors. Because of this, it is incredibly helpful to increase the natural light within your home to soak up the benefits of the sunlight we receive. Beyond the many health benefits natural light brings, it can also offer energy and money savings.

Here are some of the ways we recommend clients add natural light to their home:

• Skylights and light tubes are not limited to the direction your home faces. Light tubes are particularly useful in small, hard-to-reach rooms like interior hallways or bathrooms where no windows exist but light can be gained from the roof.
• Open floor plans are great to make the most of what natural light exists with no walls to block them. Designers will often tell you that open-floor plan rooms feel bigger even if it’s the same square footage being utilized.
• Glass doors are a great choice for increasing natural light in your home. So many options exist – accordion doors, French doors, and sliding glass doors, to name just a few. All can help you increase natural light and create a more indoor/outdoor feel while still protecting your home from the elements.
• Adding more windows during home remodels is a common request as they can increase property values along with the beauty of your home is more easily realized.

Once you have these design components established, be sure that you take care of your windows with regular cleaning, sheer window treatments, and that you ensure your outdoor foliage is well-maintained, so they don’t block your natural light. Utilize mirrors in your home décor to bounce light around as needed, and don’t underestimate the value of a light paint color in making a room feel lighter and brighter.