Maximise Natural Light

Maximise Natural Light

Light, whether it is daylight or artificial light is one of the most important aspects of interior design. With a little knowledge, light can be used to alter not only our perception but also the ambience of a room. Natural light can be softened and even coloured according to your choice of curtain or blind fabric and the style of window treatment you choose.

There is nothing more attractive than natural daylight streaming into a room which will increase the sensation of depth, highlighting textures and colours within the room. For those who enjoy the warming glow of the sun, but perhaps don't want to be consistently bombarded with direct light, there are a number of ways of maximising your natural light through colour and design with the use of various types of window blinds. There are specially designed features that have been included into many of the fabrics of window blinds that offer specific features such as glare reduction, dim out or light reflection.

Making the most of all available daylight by using a bright white or a hint of a tint wall colouring and using high gloss paintwork, especially around the windows, will reflect as much light into and around the room. Combined with a large mirror which has been strategically placed to catch any sunlight and other reflective surfaces, the result will definitely improve the appearance of the room and well-being of the occupants.

Light has a significant effect on our emotions, so by carefully selecting the colours of your blinds you can also, to a certain degree, control the atmosphere in a room. Pale blue or green Vertical or Pleated Blinds, when closed during the day, will create a cool light, ideal for a serene and soothing setting. Orange, red or yellow Roller Blinds or Pleated Blinds will stimulate a warmer feeling, more suited to an intimate space such as a bedroom or a family room such as a kitchen.

Creating a Light Airy Atmosphere

The source of daylight, the amount and how it is presented in a room will have a direct effect on our décor as well as our emotions. To a certain degree we can control our natural light levels as well as our artificial lighting. If it is not possible or indeed viable to enlarge your windows to increase your level of natural light, then using light reflective colours for your decoration and windows will certainly help. White or light coloured Wooden Venetian or Metal Venetian Blinds will reflect light from the outside bouncing it up to the ceiling or deep into the room, ideal especially in a modern home where the constraints of curtains are not called for, it is surprising how much light can be lost with curtains. Painting the window frame with a gloss paint and fitting a Roller or Pleated Blind that stacks to the top of the window opening will allow maximum levels of light to reflect from the window sill and frame.

Light produced at midday is the closest to white light which can often be harsh and unforgiving, whereas the late afternoon sunlight softens its surroundings. Dressing windows with light voile curtains for example will reduce the glare from intense direct sunlight whilst still allowing plenty of light through the windows. Vertical Blinds in particular are also very adept at dealing with this particular problem as they can be closed during the day when required, the angle of the blind blades controlling the degree of direct light entering the room.

Subtle Unobtrusive Blinds

To help emphasise a rooms light you'll need a blind that isn't too overbearing, both in terms of density and colour. A soft Roman Blind is particularly useful for this purpose. Available in a wide selection of soft creams and bright whites, Roman Blinds offer a highly stylised blind often with minimal opacity. The material can be light enough to prevent the suns full glare, whilst still allowing a significant amount of light to penetrate and filter through to the rest of the room, bathing it in a bright warm glow.

Vertical Blinds are available in a multitude of colours but mainly in off-whites and pale pastels with a hint of decorative detail on the fabric. They offer a high level of control over the light and temperature of a room whilst discreetly stacking back to the sides of the window when not in use. The enormous colour palette will ensure that if they are to be used in conjunction with curtains, there will surely be a colour to perfectly match the colour hues in the curtaining.

Roller Blinds and Venetian Blinds also make a very discreet window treatment, rolling or stacking to the top of the window opening ensuring that they remain as unobtrusive as possible when they are not in use.

Versatile Window Dressing

Due to their versatility, blinds can be used alone or are often used in conjunction with curtains. They lack the high impact of an impressive pair of curtains, especially in a more traditional décor but especially with the added features such as Dim Out, Black Out and Glare Reduction, they offer a much higher degree of daylight and sunlight management.

The advantage of blinds as a window dressing, is that they are extremely malleable. Therefore any blind, from Vertical to Pleated, can be adjusted accordingly throughout the day to optimise the light being dispersed in the room. Slatted blinds like metallic Venetians and Vertical blinds are particularly adept at changing to accommodate the suns position. The slats can be angled to allow shafts of light to seep through in a controlled direction, giving you the flexibility to manipulate the natural light to better suit your own requirements.