Using windows to design for light in indoor spaces

Our physical and emotional well-being is connected with the places we live. Many people felt the impacts of this during the global pandemic as most of us lived and worked in the same location. The spaces we use affect the way we work and our well-being. An important aspect of designing interior spaces is how to bring in natural light.

This month’s 3D Windows blog will look at how you can explore developing your interior design for mental good health. Bringing natural light into your home is easily achievable with our windows, doors and conservatory solutions and our team have years of experience in bringing mental health benefits to our customers in their home and business properties.

Why are we obsessed with light in design?

We are biologically and chemically connected to the amount of light we receive. Whether it’s the impact on our mood or cognitive performance, or our sleep patterns and overall wellbeing, research is growing to support the awareness we should have of how much light impacts us in our every day lives.

Natural light is a crucial aspect of interior design and interior designers work to craft opportunities for light to brighten spaces. This important aspect of interior design has benefits beyond our mood, it can also support how we interact with others in our family, in our place of work and the impact we have on those
around us.

How is interior design impacted by exterior design?

If you are looking to bring the exterior to your interior, finding solutions for bringing natural light into your home, or creating the illusion of light, will also provide the feeling of openness and space in your home or work property. The feeling of space when you are inside can lift the mood of your family or colleagues. It can be created with light colour selections with paint, choosing light shades and avoiding cold, stark white walls to maintain warmth alongside light. Choosing gloss over matt for the light to reflect, as well as painting ceilings lighter shades than the walls to create an airy interior feeling.

Flooring can also be a way of reflecting light, choosing light colours and materials that continue the theme of space from the ceiling and down to the floors. If you find light colours challenging with family life, pets in the home or the traffic in a business premises, light wooden or laminated flooring is a great solution. In addition to this, reflective accessories such as mirrors can work to reflect natural light into a room. Positioning them opposite windows is a good technique to facilitate this illusion of more light and more space.

What are the mental health benefits in the home and at work?

If you consider the importance of sleep on our cognitive performance, ensuring we balance our melatonin to regulate our sleep cycles, the spaces we live in need to bring light to our days. If we are sleeping well, we operate better as a member of our families, for our own mental wellbeing and
as a member of our work teams.

If we are feeling well, our performance in our work is more efficient and more effective. The mental health benefits of interior design are being increasingly supported by scientific evidence. If you are reading this and it is resonating with you for your home or workspace, get in touch with the team at 3D windows.
We have a range of styles and suggestions, as well as supportive payment options, to open the design of your interiors to bring that all important natural light and the mental health benefits too.