Natural lighting – it’s one of the most coveted things in a mobile home, and unfortunately, it’s not always a reality for many mobile home owners. If you’re one of the unlucky ones, though, don’t throw in the towel just yet! We have both bad news and good news. The bad news is, you probably don’t have good natural lighting right now. The good news is, you’re going to have better lighting soon. There are ways to increase and improve the lighting in your home, and we’re going to take a look at some of them today.
Start by assessing your current situation
First of all, take a step back and assess the current lighting situation in your home. Is there enough light? Too much? (Is there such a thing as too much light?) Take a moment to study each room of your home and assess (1) how well-lit it is and (2) how much light you want to see in each room. Once you’ve done this, you can get on to the next step – creating better lighting.
Basic ways to improve lighting
So, you’ve decided that all, or at least some, of your rooms need more light. Of course, there are some basic ways to make this happen. So you won’t necessarily have to spend money or plan major renovations. You might get to that point later on. But always start by doing the easy things.
Are you blocking the light with furniture?
First of all, try to see whether you’re blocking light from coming in your windows with furniture. Perhaps you’ve got a sofa shoved up in front of part of a window, or maybe your end table is a little too tall and gets in the way of the sunlight. Either way, anything that’s obstructing the light coming from your windows could end up lessening your natural lighting.
What about your curtains?
Perhaps this goes without saying, but if you want to let in as much light as possible, you’ll want to keep your curtains up and out of the way. Even if your curtains are paper-thin, you’ll get much better results if you pull them back every day.
Window decor
Additionally, think about other things that might be cluttering your windows, such as hanging art or window clings. You don’t have to remove all of your favorite window art, but remember to stay moderate.
Renovation options
Of course, there are also bigger things you can do to improve your lighting situation. After you’ve made sure you aren’t blocking your lighting with household items, you can move on to bigger plans.
Install bigger windows and doorways
Maybe your windows just aren’t letting in enough light. In that case, you can always install larger windows. Similarly, larger doorways also help improve your natural lighting.
Add a skylight
If you’re ready for a bigger renovation, you can always add a skylight to your ceiling. This is a creative way to bring more light into your home – a way that doesn’t involve wall windows. While it’s a big commitment to make, it’ll be worth your while if you’re looking for the perfect lighting in your home.
A new paint job
You may not realize it, but dark-colored walls can actually take away from your natural lighting situation as well. To remedy this, you’ll need to make time and space for a new paint job. The room or rooms that you’re focusing on all need a color makeover. The best way to make a room appear well-lit is by painting it white. Yes, you can use a different color, but it should still be a lighter color such as pale gray or beige (or “greige” if you’re feeling creative!).
If you choose to do this, keep in mind that a glossier paint will work better than matte paint because it’s more reflective. You don’t have to find the glossiest paint out there. Rather, just stay away from matte paint as much as possible.
Replace the flooring
It may come as a surprise to you that your flooring can affect your lighting situation – but it’s absolutely true. Certain types of flooring, such as wood or stone, will actually reflect the light that comes into your home, improving your natural lighting. Meanwhile, carpet reflects less light.
Use decor items strategically
Finally, you can use decor items strategically to add a finishing touch of improvement.
Hang up some mirrors
If you’re still looking for more light, hang up some mirrors! (Yes, that’s right, we said mirrors – plural!) You don’t have to stop at one – find several shapes and designs you like and have fun with them. You’ll be decorating your house and improving its lighting all at once. Talk about convenient. It doesn’t get much better than that.
Use lamps and light fixtures
Of course, if all else fails, there’s no shame in using artificial light to boost the lighting in your home. Once again, lamps and creative light fixtures are also a great way to both decorate and light up your home. LED bulbs work best for this.
Do what works for you
There are plenty of ways to improve your natural lighting, and even if you can’t achieve all of them, one or two of these methods are sure to work for you. Don’t let the opportunity to work on your lighting pass by just because you can’t do it all. Instead, do what works for you. We hope your mobile home will be looking bright and cheerful soon!