Let There Be Light
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Working within property, can you guess how often we hear people extolling the virtues of the absence of natural light within a home? Comments such as “ooh, I’d really like to find ways to make this room look darker” or “I’m after the medieval dungeon look” do occasionally surface, however, people love light airy and spacious areas to live in.

With the Energy Saving Trust reporting the percentage of a households energy use for lighting as 15% and studies showing an increase in mood, being combined with exposure to sunlight, lets explore a few changes that we can make to invite in the light, promoting luminosity even in the darkest of rooms.


One house, many rooms, some more blessed than others. While making your initial assessment, compare room for room. What works in one, that doesn’t in another? Could your furniture, dark floors or decorative styling be absorbing your natural light? If so, where possible, remove, reassess and reincorporate or replace to help combat any issues.


 


1) Increase reflective areas


Increasing the amount of shiny and reflective surfaces in your rooms, will reflect light around the room. The first item that comes to mind in this instance is, of course, a mirror, although picture frames, chandeliers, lamps, acrylic or glass furniture and door furniture can all play their part.

Addison Mead loves this beautiful full length, free standing mirror from John Lewis, with a handy shelf to store your hairdryer or products, keeping them conveniently at hand, but tucked out of the way.

 

Hints and Tips

Think hall of mirrors! Use the same size mirror directly opposite one another to create the illusion of infinite depth.

Short hallway? Place a large mirror at the end to increase the length.

Place a mirror above the Sofa or opposite the window to immediately increase the amount of light within the room.

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2) Window dressing


Heavy window dressings in the form of curtains and blinds can absorb natural light. By replacing dark or heavy curtains with light colours and light weight fabrics, you will improve the main source of your natural light.

Addison Mead loves these delightful light and airy curtains from John Lewis, which provide a splash of colour to the window opening, while keeping the main window area lighter. 


3) Know what you’re walking into


Glazed doors not only look amazing, but they also increase the passage of natural light dramatically. With so many styles to choose from, you can be sure to find the perfect match for your home. Never fear though, glazed doors don’t always need to provide a window into the room. If you prefer more privacy you can always choose a frosted option or even use a vinyl frosting like this funky pink shimmer covering by Purlfrost, which is cut to size and have a range of colours and designs.

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4) Decorating dark rooms


When looking for inspiration on which colour to paint a dark room, try to stick to neutrals such as grey, white or mushroom. A lighter paint colour will lighten your room and you can add warmth by choosing brown and tan shades.

Have you ever decorated and found that the end product looks completely different to the original idea? If so, then the Valspar mixing desk at B&Q has a light box which provides three variations of lighting to enable you to see an example of the finished product within your room. With the capability of mixing any colour that the eye can see, over two million shades, this facility could either be heaven sent, or become your worst nightmare as you deliberate over ‘Cream Delight’ or ‘Swiss Coffee’. We won’t even mention the option of adding gold or silver glitter shots!


5) Under the spotlight


While dark ceilings absorb a lot of precious light, they also add style and character. So how are we able to keep these showstoppers, without leaving our audience in the dark? If possible, we bring out the spotlights! Adding recessed lighting is a sure-fire way of adding a dimmable light source. A further option could be to add a skylight if the roof is suitable and it doesn’t take away from your existing character.

Addison Mead loves these bespoke Flushglaze Eaves Rooflights which provide you with a glass wall connected to a glass ceiling. These would be a stunning option for any self-build or high-quality renovation project.

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The marketing of your home takes time, perfection takes time - but you never get a second chance to make a first impression. 

 

If you would like one of our complimentary marketing packs, please email me direct on adam.wheeldon@addisonmead.co.uk and I'll personally send one the very same day.