Brighten up your home this year

Whatever the style of your property, it should offer a sanctuary, and be a welcoming place of comfort and relaxation.

One way to make your home the heavenly haven it should be is to maximise natural light, a proven mood enhancer. Here are a few hints for brightening your living space, thereby effortlessly boosting well-being.

• Neutral-coloured walls

Dark shades absorb light. A neutral palette (think white, grey and cream) offers instant brightness, and you can also make things more colourful with accessories.

If a room is especially dark, consider paler tones for furniture and other surfaces, too.

• Get clever with mirrors

Mirrors reflect light around a home and so are highly effective, especially in stairwells, corridors and similar darker spots. Mirrored furniture (such as wardrobes) can also help.

• Get decluttering!

Have a clear-out as part of your spring clean, to help create a light, stress-free living environment. If there is too much on your walls or bookshelves, for example, the room can seem darker and smaller than it really is.

• Letting the light in

Having glass panelling on your front door lets daylight beam through into the hallway, where it brightens the surrounding areas. If the glazing is frosted, you can maximise the effect while still maintaining your privacy.

• Sheer brilliance

If your windows are surrounded by dark or heavy materials, consider having a change. If you’re able to go for lightweight or sheer fabrics for curtains, for example, natural light will flood easily into your home.

• Hard floors, high shine

While carpets are not without their benefits, they can kill off natural daylight. Hard, high-shine floors will make a space feel a lot lighter. Either wood or stone will bounce light around.

• Bifolding doors

These are ideal when it comes to bringing the outside in and create a seamless integration between your garden and the house. Think wall-to-wall and floor-to-ceiling glass to bring a huge amount of natural light into your home.

• Roof windows

If you’re lucky enough to have a conservatory, a roof window will let sunlight flood in from the highest point, creating an intense, direct source of natural light.

At Paradise Windows, we’ve been installing products like double-glazed windows in the Oxfordshire area for more than 20 years. If your home could do with a lighter, brighter look this spring, give us a call – our product line-up includes some great lantern roofs and bi-folding doors.