10 tips for increasing the sunlight in your Surrey home (for all budgets)

6 min read Tips

We could all use a little extra sunshine. The Vitamin D we get from the sun is vital for maintaining our physical and mental health. However, government statistics show that 25% of UK citizens are deficient in this crucial vitamin. Clearly, it’s time to take action. Lighting up your Surrey home doesn’t have to break the bank. From big window purchases to a few simple tricks, here are 10 top tips for increasing the sunlight in your home that cater to all budgets.

  1. Sleek bi-fold doors tailored to Surrey properties

    A sparkling new set of bi-fold doors is by far the most impactful and exciting option. With their unique concertina style fold that stacks neatly to one side, creating an almost open plan living & garden space in true Mediterranean style. Bi-fold doors are the perfect, almost invisible gateway to your garden. They’re available in a range of designs in classic timber and contemporary aluminium. Installing a fresh set of bi-fold doors will bring the outside world in and help to maximise the amount of sunlight in your home. Sliding doors may be a preferable option in smaller spaces.

black aluminium bifold doors

  1. Striking roof lights or roof lanterns

    Having a roof light or roof lantern installed is a sure-fire way to bring more sunlight to those darker spaces in your house. Good for kitchens, stairwells and bathrooms, roof lights can also provide excellent soundproofing to give you that extra dose of peace and quiet. Roof lights also offer better ventilation and better access to fresh air. Coupling this with the additional sunlight, a roof light or roof lantern is a charming and effective way of making a room brighter, happier and to make it appear more spacious.

double velux window

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3. Paint

There are several painting tricks that can illuminate a room. Decorating your walls with soft, cool colours like pale grey and blue can help them to recede, creating the illusion of a more spacious room in which sunlight can be amplified. A bright white ceiling will achieve the same effect. Also, believe it or not, a splash of dark colour here and there can really help to magnify the sunlight already there. All these tricks are, like we say, tricks. They only provide the semblance of sunlight. However, adding a glossy finish to any painted wooden furniture job will ensure that any actual sunlight is bounced back into the space, leaving the room fresh and glistening.

paint

4. Mirrors

Talking of reflection, your placement of mirrors can play a major part in bringing more sunlight to your home. Locate the biggest This is a particularly good and cheap trick for the darker spots of your home. Dotting an array of smaller mirrors up a staircase would be a particularly sophisticated way of increasing your Vitamin D intake and brightening your mood!

5. Metallics

You may be beginning to see a pattern here. Reflection is your biggest ally in making your room brighter. If you’re looking to get in touch with your artistic side, decorating with small metallic sculptures is a more fun and more effective way of reflecting sunlight than hanging light-sponging paintings on the walls. Gold and silver are particularly reflective colours for achieving this.

6. Drapes

Having dark, heavy drapes or curtains is only going to block any sunlight from entering the room. Evaluate your current selection of window dressing and see if there’s room for something lighter that more sunlight can filter through. Semi-sheer curtains are good for this, but why not consider the cheapest window dressing there is: no window dressing at all. This allows for light to flood in all day round. And it’s free!

drapes

7. Strategic furniture

Another sunlight-increasing hack you can try without emptying your pockets is a simple declutter and rearrangement of your furniture. Having loads of bulky sofas absorbs all the sunlight out of the room. Try stripping things back and investing in items that will help the sunlight to glide through the room, like light-coloured sofas and transparent coffee tables. Carefully angling the furniture, you have will reflect that sunlight across every inch of the room.

8. Trim your trees

Trees may be beautiful, but they can cast a significant amount of shade into your home. Be sure to keep any trees near your house nice and trimmed and avoid planting anything on the south side of your house to keep that sunlight streaming through. Consider hiring a reputable professional to help you if you are unsure exactly what to do.

trees

9. Light wood floors

Similar to paint, installing light wood floors can create the illusion of space and brightness while also reflecting sunlight up into the room. This option may be more on the expensive side, but a light brown, wooden finish offers a slick look that makes the whole room look and feel that much warmer. Light wood floors are also better at masking scratches and will magnify your home’s sunlight for years to come.

woodfloor

10. Clean

We know, it seems obvious, but keeping your house and windows clean is probably the most reliable way of increasing the sunlight in any given room. Whether you invest in ultra-slim bi-fold doors, a fresh lick of paint, or an eccentric collection of stylish metallics, be sure to keep everything polished and dusted to maximise transparency and sunlight reflection.

Enlightening windows, doors and conservatories in Surrey

And that’s your lot. Whether you’re thinking of repositioning a mirror, or you’re finally motivated to give the house a clean, we hope this list has inspired you to get more sunlight into your life! Try taking some before-and-after photos of the tricks you try and see just how much difference a little extra light makes! Now, throw those curtains wide and let the sun in!

Offering a wide range of glazing solutions, this includes UV-resistant solar glass available in a range of tints tailored to meet your specific needs. So, no matter the direction your windows, doors, and glazed extensions face, unbearable heat will never be an issue. To find out more about our wide range of enlightening home improvement products, contact the Sheerwater Glass team today.

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