Bring natural light into your home, you’ll be happier!

Entry #45, March 21, 2010

Natural light, be happier, think clearer and save energy!

Depending on your home – apartment, house, condo, etc.. natural light is your friend.  Many people try to cover up windows with heavy drapery, shutters, and blinds.  Decor is important, but your sanity is too.  Read on to see how natural light can help your family’s mood, make everything look fresher, and help you save electricity!

Why is natural light good for us? Solaglobal.com has an article on benefits of natural light, “A two-year study of Canadian elementary schools found that classrooms exposed to natural light showed better attendance, better dental records, taller children, increased concentration and improved test scores.”

If these studies are true for the classroom, think of the same benefits at home.

Dark rooms: If you have closets, bathrooms, or inner rooms that aren’t exposed to sunlight consider

Daylighting devices use natural light from outside, and bring it into dark spaces of your home

Natural light through skylights, saves the need for artificial lights in the daytime

installing a daylighting device or skylights.  Natural light can be brought into your home through an opening in your roof, through the attic, and reflected down into your living space.

Open up! Open your blinds, drapery, shutters everyday! Even if it’s raining or snowing outside.  The human body reacts positively with interaction to natural light.  Consider installing sheers (shown above) to diffuse harsh bright light.

Want to learn more? If you’d like to learn more about the benefits of natural light, you can watch a video: ‘Thinking Architecture – Natural Light’.

Tip: If you install energy efficient products, you may be eligible for Federal Tax credit for energy efficiency.  Solatube has a writeup on how much you will receive, if you use their products in your home.

For more home lighting ideas on Stagetecture, click here.