Having spent so much time at home over the last two years, we all know how much our environment can affect the way we feel – both mentally and physically. Airy, light-filled spaces tend to boost feelings of positivity and optimism, lifting both our mood and our energy levels.
It’s no accident that an abundance of natural light is beneficial to our wellbeing. As humans, we’re hard-wired to respond positively to light because it stimulates the production of feel-good hormone serotonin, which helps to regulate mood.
Here, we take a look at why natural light is vital to our health and contentment, and explore how frameless sliding doors can help flood your home with mood-boosting sunlight.
Exposure to natural light has numerous proven benefits including increased concentration and a reduction in stress and anxiety. It also aids sleep because natural light helps to regulate circadian rhythms which are linked to our body clock.
‘’Light is essential for our health and wellbeing,” says sleep expert, Dr Victoria Revell. “Ensuring that we receive adequate light levels at the appropriate time of day benefits our alertness, mood, productivity, sleep patterns and many aspects of our physiology.”
So if you create a space flooded with natural daylight, nature’s ‘wonder drug’ will boost your daily mood as well as your long-term health. A light-filled space also has the added benefit of making your home look larger than it actually is, plus it can save you money on energy bills as it naturally brightens your home.
Maximising the amount of natural light in your home is big news in the interiors world because it ties in with the trend of ‘Bringing the outside in’. Introducing textures and colours inspired by nature builds a link with the natural world and helps to create a soothing, restful space which benefits our mental health.
This trend also ties in with the hot topic of biophilic design which uses architecture and interior design to create a link with nature. “Biophilic design is the use of features or patterns that elicit a similar mental and physical response to those we have when we’re in nature,” says interior designer and biophilia expert Oliver Heath. “It’s not just literally bringing in nature to a space, but also considering natural light, fresh air and replicating the restful or stimulating feelings that nature evokes in us.”
Another architectural trend showing no sign of waning is the popularity of contemporary, open-plan spaces featuring high ceilings and extensive glazing. These light-filled garden rooms, kitchen extensions and orangeries bring timeless appeal to a property, especially if positioned with a south-facing aspect to make the most of the available sunlight.
It may sound obvious, but the most effective way of bringing more natural light into your home is to create very large glazed openings. More glass = more light. The other tip is to allow light in from as many sides of the space as you can. So if you are able to introduce glazing on two or even three sides of a room it will make the space feel considerably lighter and brighter.
When it comes to selecting your glazing supplier, it’s worth choosing one that can provide large-format sliding doors with as narrow a frame as possible. Minima’s virtually frameless sliding doors offer a 20mm sightline, maximising natural light and giving you an unobstructed view. We also offer some of the largest pane sizes available on the market – up to 4.2 metres wide – as well as being able to accommodate other architectural features such as pocket doors or floating corners.
Other things to consider when trying to maximise natural light include keeping window coverings to a minimum, and trimming any overgrown trees in the garden which may be blocking out light. Reflective surfaces in your interior can also help bounce light around the space to make it feel brighter. Large mirrors and shiny surfaces such as granite, marble or polished wood can all make a difference.
Would you like to maximise the natural light in your home? Give us a call to find out more about Minima’s market-leading frameless Ultraline sliding doors.