Nothing makes a home feel brighter and more welcoming, than plenty of natural light. Studies have also shown that lighting has the capacity to impact our mental and emotional wellbeing, too. However, not every home is blessed with big windows on every wall, and it isn’t always feasible to add them to the property, or for folks to up sticks and move to a brighter, lighter home elsewhere.

Fortunately, if you and your home are suffering from a lack of natural light, there are a few things you can do to combat this, with options for every budget:

Go mad with mirrors

Provided you have at least one window in a room, even if it’s a small one, the trick of placing a mirror directly opposite it (where possible), works wonders for helping to bounce the light back; instantly making a small room look bigger than it actually is, and almost certainly brighter.

This is an affordable option for most people, especially if you can find a pre-owned mirror in a thrift store.

Decorate using light colors

The color white has a powerful ability to brighten up most things, and in terms of home décor, when white paint is used, it reflects light back into the space instead of absorbing it. this means that in a dark or small room, you can instantly create a sense of lightness and positivity.

White is a versatile color that can easily be coordinated with your existing homeware and furniture, or to make the illusion of light and space even more effective, you could choose light colored furniture and other decorative items to complement the white walls and ceiling.

And you don’t have to opt for plain white either, with so many variations on the shade available, you can be as creative as you like, while still creating the illusion of light and space.

Add an indoor skylight

Although this is a slightly costlier way of enhancing the natural light in a room, it may cost less than having a new regular window installed, or be a good option in those situations in which regular windows aren’t a feasible option.

Cleaning your windows

Now this tip is about as simple as it gets, and is definitely within everybody’s budget! That said, if you don’t have the time to clean your own windows, paying a home cleaning company to do it for you, may be an option. They will also have the best techniques that keep them streak-free and shiny, and allow them to get the job done quickly and efficiently.

Windows play host to a lot of grime, both inside and out, and cleaning them regularly could allow a surprising amount of additional light into your home.

A light, bright home, is what most people dream of, and thankfully, achieving it could be as simple as hanging a few strategically placed mirrors up, hiring a cleaning service to spruce up your windows every few months or so, or redecorating. So, what steps will you take to brighten up your home?