InFluential_Magazine_March_April_2017

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that look like caves - not even if your
house has an actual “man cave” or
“woman cave” in it.
Fortunately, a few smart decorating
tricks and some budget-friendly,
high-impact enhancements can
help brighten rooms and relieve
that cave like feeling.
Sunlight Solutions
Of course, the sure-fire way to get
more light into a room is to add
more windows, but that’s not always
a practical or cost-effective solution.
Instead, look for alternative ways to
bring more sunlight into a room.
Daylighting systems can bring
sunlight from a rooftop down into
a room, allowing natural light to
illuminate dark spaces where light
from windows can’t reach. For
example, the Solatube Daylighting
System captures daylight with a
rooftop dome. A highly reflective
tube funnels light inside the home,
where a decorative fixture on the
ceiling spills the natural light into
dim areas. The tube fits between
rafters, so there’s no need to cut
through critical structures, do frame
work or make repairs to sheetrock.
An options light kit provides electric
illumination on cloudy days or at
night. The included integrated solarpowered
nightlight provides gentle,
low-level illumination at night, and
qualifies the entire system, plus
installation, for a 30 percent federal tax
credit. With the tax credit, Solatubes
start at less than $500 installed,
making them a cost-effective option
for any room in the house, and
especially in master baths, powder
rooms, mudrooms, hallways and
laundry rooms. To learn more, visit
Solatubedaylighting.com.
Another option is to amplify the
sunlight coming into the room.
Strategically positioning mirrors can
help reflect natural light to dark corners.
What’s more, a large mirror mimics the
feeling of a window, making rooms feel
bigger and brighter.
Window Dressing
Maximizing the amount of light
that comes in through the windows
you do have is easy. Keep curtains
light and airy, and use blinds or
shades to control the amount of
light coming from the window.
Install curtain rods 2 feet wider than
windows so that when curtains or
drapes are open, they don’t block
any of the window or the light
coming through it.
You can also “dress” walls to mimic
the look of windows. For example, if
you have a windowless powder room,
adding a transom above the door
can help the room feel bigger while
borrowing light from adjacent rooms.
The tactic of borrowing light can
also work if you’re able to put a pass
through between a closed off room
and an adjacent one that has windows.
Decorating Tricks
Finally, don’t overlook the power of
decor in making a room feel bright and
welcoming. Light-hued walls of white,
cream or pale yellow or blue not only
make a room feel bigger, they evoke
the visual qualities of natural light.
Large windowless rooms, like a
basement play room, can benefit from
large framed art. Select scenes that
mimic the view you might get from
a picture window, such as a seascape,
mountain scene or city skyline.
Filtered overhead light can also create
the effect of a natural light source.
For example, drape light-colored,
opaque fabric above a bed, so that
the cloth conceals the overhead light
fixture. As the artificial light shines
through the fabric, it will imitate the
diffused look of natural light. (BPT) l
MARCH / APRIL 2017
FLUENTIAL 105