How much natural light do you like in your home?
I’ve seen some friends that keep their places like caves; all curtains and blinds closed with maybe some lights on. Some even going so far as to put up foil and completely blocking out light. I like having blinds and curtains open with maybe just a sheer curtain to diffuse the light but I enjoy it being bright. So how do you like your space lit with natural light?
All of it, please. Winters are so dark...
As much as possible. Gimme that serotonin!!
As much as there can be, minus the bedroom which needs complete control over how much light is allowed. Side note: one of the most interesting house designs of the mid-century is called an Eichler — the design had floor-to-ceiling windows, skylights, open floor plans, and sometimes an atrium in the middle with sliding glass door entrances to make as much use of natural light as possible.
The Eichler sounds amazing.
We need sunlight on our skin to generate vitamin D. If you don't get enough vitamin D you will feel like shit. Not to mention the insiduous psychological effects.
In short, more and bigger windows are the way forward. Go outside in the wilderness, it feels good.
This is one of my partner and my biggest conflict points.
Like Gollum, she lives in the darkest, gloomiest basement, keeps the shades shut and only wants dim, warm amber light in the insufficient and poorly located light receptacles.
I on the other hand want to see what I'm doing and will open every window, tune the lights to the most white-hot, surface-of-the-sun white, and half the time I'm sitting in my hammock on the patio so I can feel the warm sunshine and get the omnidirectional sunlight. I'd like to set up her basement with some light tunnels and better lighting fixtures at some point.
I am objectively correct in this matter. :D
I need it bright too
As much as is possible while having privacy.
Lots! There are lots of large windows in my place. Took this over a better floor plan that had no outside windows. I would have been miserable without sunlight. Plus, the kitties love napping on the windowsills.
The more natural light the better.
Curtains open, come right in 🪟
I like lots of natural light, EXCEPT, when there's a TV involved, then you have to manage the glare.
Astigmatism, light sensitivity, sensitive skin that burns easy, sensory issues, etc...
I like dim, indirect light. I enjoy overcast and cloudy days where it doesn't feel like the sun is trying to kill me.
I keep it minimal. I'm neurodiverse and get sensory overload, hue bulbs massively improved my life cos I can do low, calm lights. I HATE sunlight it's too bright and overwhelming... this time of year I get an overwhelming sense of dread cos summer is coming. Sob sob sob
As much as possible except the bedroom. And the office, don't like direct sunlight in my eyes. It's nice to have less sunlight where I watch TV as well. Particularly with my projector I have instead of a TV.
Depends on what’s outside my home.
Thus far in life I’ve only been able to afford living in cities, so the blinds stay closed 24/7
It's funny how much people differ. I live in a city and feel much more comfortable having my curtains wide open than when I lived in suburbia.
That’s interesting, I live in a city and I have them open probably 80% of the times. It’s just something that I’ve learned comes with city living. You’re gonna see people and they’re gonna see you.
One of the things that sold me on my current place was the abundant south and west facing windows, meaning lots of natural light (northern hemisphere), especially in the evenings. It drives me absolutely nuts when I visit people who live in dark caves. I did finally get some heavier curtains for my bedroom since summer days can be pretty long and the limited darkness was impacting my sleep. I get wanting to avoid direct sunlight, and that you might want heavy curtains available some times, but I literally get depressed without lots of natural light and the whole day/night cycle.
I like not wasting money on electricity when there's infinite light coming in from the outside for free.
I do it like your friends and even block the tops of curtains where the light peeks through, but that's because I work night shifts lol
I want as much natural light as I can get, which in a city is usually... a window
I would happily have a windowless bedroom, but I want as many windows as possible in my lounge.
I'm guessing you're in your 20s? The cave thing is definitely indictive of younger males. It also depends on what direction the windows are facing and how much light they get. Some rooms may get uncomfortably hot if you let sunlight in all day.
Oddly, 40s
Personally, I prefer Coors Light.
Blackout curtains in the bedroom, with an exra throw blanket blocking off the gaps on top to ensure 0 light gets in.
That room is usually lit with red LEDs to avoid blue light as I like to lay in bed watching YouTube for a few hours before sleep, and often wake up at night, have a smoke/joint, then go back to bed.
Living room has regular blinds that allow some light, and even get opened on occasion. More often than not though, lit by a pair of table lamps with dimmable smart bulbs in them.
All my blinds and curtains are open during the day and if weather permits the windows are open too. After sundown, we prefer a slightly lower light, not so much that our eyes are straining, but all of our light is soft white and we rarely turn on every light source.
Absolutely zero if I'm trying to sleep or only just waking up
Managed amounts if I'm watching a TV or using a computer
Any other time, let the light in, my plants need to eat
I love natural light, but in winter i do close the curtains as my windows are terribly insulated.