You’ve paged through all the interior design magazines and tried to implement the advice in the latest architectural blogs. Will your renovation plans for your Sydney building live up to your expectations?
One way you can’t go wrong when making changes to your building is asking yourself ‘How do I design with light?’. The answers can be anything from skylights Sydney homeowners love to use, to simply buying a mirror.
Light is key to a good renovation project and here’s how to make it work.
Why is Light so Important?
Leave out light in your design phase and you’re missing out on a powerful tool that can often do more than massive changes to layout or structure. With light you can make a space more functional and safer, simply because people can see better to walk or perform a task.
Light also helps create atmosphere and by using natural light more effectively, you’re affecting how much you’ll spend on your electric bill in future.
See why you need to make this a top priority?
Ways to Use Light More Effectively
Below we’ll share some of the tips the experts like architects and interior designers use to optimise a space. In almost any renovation or makeover project you’re likely to be able to apply at least one or two of these.
Bring in More Natural Light
Perhaps you already know the value of having a well-lit room. You can do more when you can see clearly and with more light you can have more workstations. So, enjoy an office area and a reading nook and a lounge area, all in one room, by simply lighting up dark corners.
But you don’t have to install a lot of artificial light sources if you use installations like skylights effectively. Whether you’re upgrading an attic or you’re simply fed up with the dark lounge, modern skylights can help. Even the dark hallway can become more inviting and be transformed into a space to show off photographs or set the tone for the rest of the house. You simply need enough light so people notice the other décor elements you add—without even flicking a switch.
Spread it Around
Once there’s light, you do need to channel it in a smart way. Light can’t bend around corners but you can use creative ways to bounce it off walls from one space to the next:
- Use mirrors as part of your décor against walls
- Add glass elements throughout the rooms
- Position furniture with glass panes to help reflect the light falling through a window or a skylight
Apart from making rooms seem lighter and more spacious, this will also add to an inviting atmosphere.
Think Functionality
If you’re stumped about how to make a certain spot more functional, light could be the key to your solution:
- Is an attic too uninviting to turn into an additional bedroom?
- Do you need a home office but you don’t have room—only a dark nook under the stairs?
- Perhaps you love cooking but the kitchen isn’t well lit, making it uninviting but also difficult to see what you’re doing with those sharp knives?
The solution may not be a total upgrade, but simply an improvement of light conditions. For some scenarios it can be a skylight and for others it’s a well-positioned artificial light that will make a space more usable.
Remember, design is about beauty AND functionality!
Try Out Different Bulbs
It’s not only about light, but also the type of light. Think different levels of brightness and a variety of hues created by different light bulbs.
Experiment with different bulbs to identify the one that will make a space seem most inviting or functional. You can also add a little drama by using something else than standard yellow or white light bulbs.
Create Contrast and Atmosphere
As mentioned, aesthetics is just as important as functionality in design, so use light effectively and you have an affordable strategy to create the atmosphere you want.
For example, darker décor elements will contrast with the light—natural or artificial—you add to the room. Think a dark table and light stand with striking white light pouring from the bulb. This contrast can add a sense of drama and give a room some character.
Spread the Joy—with Light
Light can be the way you save money on monthly utility bills and getting access to more natural light doesn’t have to be expensive. And that’s only one of the many reasons to smile after using light more efficiently in your space.
Now, go and renovate like a pro and please share your own tips with us below.
