Design Tricks That Take Advantage of Natural Sunlight
Daylight savings will start at 2:00 AM on Sunday, March 12, 2017. That means you’ll need to turn your clocks an hour forward, lose an hour of sleep, but reap one giant benefit: more glorious sunlight throughout your day. Not only does increased access to sunlight make for a sunnier disposition, it means more hours in a day when your home is cast in the most flattering light (and yes, better Instagram photos too!).
So we called on Nate to share his best tips for making the most of natural sunlight, as illustrated by rooms designed by Nate Berkus Associates.
Start with a mirror
“I have always recommended investing in a beautiful old mirror,” Nate tells us. “And the main reason is that no matter your interior design style, you’re always going to find a space for a crusty, gilded mirror.” What’s more? “If you position it across from a window, or over a console with even a single candle burning, it’s really going to help make the most out of the light in that room.”
Rethink window treatments
“Why would you get rid of 30% of the light in a room for no reason?” Nate asks. “The truth is, you don’t always have to put up window treatments. A room does not need them to be complete.” Of course, if you do choose to go with window coverings, Nate advises mounting them outside the frame of the window, and to be mindful about your fabric choices. “I usually reach for an open weave linen – nothing that looks like it could be used for upholstery.” And unless you definitely need a lining for privacy or sleep concerns, go ahead and skip it.
Consider what light can truly reveal
“I’ve always been more interested in texture than pattern,” says Nate. “And when the natural light in a room is truly great, you can really notice the details. Whether it’s the wicker of a chair, the fine points of a woven fabric, or the inclusions on a worn stone table, they’re going to come to life under the light.” So: open those curtains (if you have them at all!) embrace anything that reflects the light, and get ready for the season of your most happy, light-filled, and photogenic home.
Photography from top: Pieter Estersohn for Architectural Digest; Stephen Lewis for O, The Oprah Magazine; Brittany Ambridge for Domino.
