Maximize Natural Light with Paint and Finish
The right choice of colors and finishes can maximize a home’s natural lighting, making a room feel brighter and its inhabitants happier. Surprisingly, these emotion-evoking interior design elements aren’t always (or even mostly) found on the walls! Yes, the color of your walls is important - a key player in your light maximizing game, in fact. But, more than half of these tips to maximize natural light in your home have to do with colors and finishes found elsewhere besides a room’s four walls! So, the order of importance is up to you. All of these suggestions will help if you take them. Whether you start your interior-brightening process up or down, inside or outside, we just hope this list inspires you to let a little more light into your life.
1.) Walls
1a.) A deep rich red hue might actually be perfect paint color choice for a small Victorian bathroom with no natural light, but light colors are, as you would expect, the right choice to open up most rooms. White reflects the most light out of any color, so feel free to stick with the classics if pure white isn’t too stark for your space. Alternatively, lean toward off-white, pale brown, or light gray colors.
1b.) The color itself is only a part of your walls’ overall aesthetic and ability to reflect light. The paint finish you choose will greatly impact how light plays and is reflected on top of the color. We’re not exactly trying to turn your walls into mirrors, but we are drawing on the same principle here—shiny stuff reflects light. High gloss finishes, though, are best left to the furniture. To finish the natural light-enhancing job on the walls, simply go one level beyond your typical glossiness status quo. If you’ve always loved eggshell, opt for semi-gloss.
2.) Floors
The light-friendliest flooring is two things: light in color and reflective. Unless there’s a 2020 Christmas trend involving tinsel carpet that we’ve somehow missed, we don’t have any leads on “reflective carpet.” But, if your preference is for carpet, choose neutral, light shades that complement the colors of the walls and furniture. Otherwise, stone, ceramic, or wooden floors with a polished finish reflect the greatest amount of light. A fresh coat or two of stain and polyurethane on gorgeous hardwood floors will do incredible things for the natural light in a room!
3.) Ceilings
Some painters have recently become more playful with their ceiling paint techniques, and it’s working. While it’s true that a white ceiling will reflect the most light, a new sky blue ceiling trend creates the optical illusion of bringing a summer’s sky indoors. A ceiling that mimics nature brings its own sunlight indoors. But, if you’re not feeling daring enough to venture outside of traditional ceiling white, no worries! A fresh coat or two of the classic will do wonders to reflect light from your shiny walls to your even glossier floor and all around your home’s interior.
4.) Eaves
Painting your eaves white is perhaps the most underrated home improvement with the biggest effect on natural light indoors. The overhangs created by your roof are known as eaves, And, whether they’re left as exposed wood or covered up with a horizontal soffit, they can be painted white to reflect light inside. A Saturday afternoon spent making this minor home improvement will be well-rewarded with a surprisingly lighter, brighter living space for minimal effort.
Glass, metallic, and mirrored accessories can all be allies when you’re trying to maximize your home’s natural light, but paint, stain, and polyurethane are the real heavy-lifters. If you’ve got a paint project in mind, PaintPositive would be honored to assist! We’re NE Ohio’s experts in painting fine homes and businesses, and we specialize in interior, exterior, commercial, and pressure washing. Book your free paint consultation on our website today!
