Most brownstones are narrow (most often about 18-20′ wide) and about twice as long. Natural light typically only enters at the front and back of the property leaving a long stretch in the middle with no windows. Most brownstone homeowners wants to squeeze every bit of natural light out of the windows they can. M Rahman Construction would like to report there are other ways to increase the natural light during a brownstone remodel to make your home feel airier and brighter too. We list some helpful tips below.
Can You Mimic Natural Light in a Dark Room?
Lighting is of the utmost important to design, and no type of lighting is more desired than natural light. It is something that no light bulb can replicate in quite the same way. Natural light assists rooms and other areas look warmer and more vibrant as well as larger and more open. Consider a tiny room with no natural light compared to one with sunlight streaming through a glass window. Suddenly the size of the space doesn’t matter as much.
Which Direction Gets Most Sunlight?
When helping our clients take full advantage of every little bit of natural light entering their brownstone is determine which direction light enters the home. The main advantage of a south-facing window is the amount of sunlight it provides. In New York and the Northern Hemisphere, as the sun rises in the east and sets in the west, the south side of any house will enjoy the most hours of sunlight during the day. We often recommend trimming any trees that are obstructing natural light from shining into the windows.
How Can I Make the Rooms in My Home Lighter & Brighter?
During a brownstone renovation, we recommend replacing dark molding and window trim with light, high sheen paint to reflect more of the available natural light. Next, we recommend removing obstacles to the natural light. For example, if there are frosted glass windows, we often suggest replacing the opaque glass with clear glass to allow natural light further into the home. Sometimes there are window coverings permanently installed to cover some of a window. It is a good idea to remove these to reveal the entire glass. If there is an opportunity to strategically remove even a small section of wall, we advise taking it. This approach can greatly increase the amount of natural light flowing through the home. Installing a large mirror and interior doors with glass windows can also help bounce light around a room.
Do Skylights Increase Brownstone Home Value?
Skylights are unique in that they are one of the very few home improvements that upgrade both the interior and exterior of your home at the same time. Skylights can make your home very attractive to potential buyers and dramatically increase the home’s value too. Adding skylights to the top floor will obviously allow much more light and we can often add sun tunnels to rooms that are not on the top floor. A sun tunnel is a long tube that can go from a skylight on the roof through a wall to a room on the next level down. It does not add much expense if work is already being undertaken.
White is a Good Paint Color for a North Facing Room
While you can’t change the fact that some of the rooms in your brownstone face north, have a lot of tree cover or even another building blocking sunlight, you can make them feel lighter and brighter. Painting these rooms a light neutral color such as white will help keep the space airy, light and bright. Choosing a satin or eggshell finish will also reflect more natural light than a flat or matte paint.
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There are many ways M Rahman Construction can help you to take better advantage of the natural light entering your brownstone home. Call us to schedule an in home consultation to discuss your brownstone renovation today!
