This new house is so dark and dreary even on the brightest and sunniest of days. There is no need for air conditioning due to the three huge maples out front but they are the cause of the lack of light also on the front side of the house and the living room specifically. The living room is on the small side and I've had to eliminate a side table from the previous set up which eliminates a table lamp. There is a floor lamp.
I suggested skylights but the trees will block those even.
I'm thinking about having pot lights installed but I am not sure. Perhaps a centre light would look better given the age of the house.
The living room curtains haven't been hung yet as the drapery rod is still on order but I will make sure they are hung so they stack beyond the window frame. Anything else I could do to get more light in there?
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That idea has not gone over well, I know they are living things but cutting one or two down sounds like a very good idea to me.
"...due to the three huge maples out front but they are the cause of the lack of light also on the front side of the house and the living room specifically..."
Arizona - why do you not investigate the idea of removing one or two of the maples?
Glen
I think the former owners must have felt bigger windows would help as they had big ones put in the dining room and the living room has a very large window. I cannot imagine what it would be like with the originals. I was thinking perhaps a miners helmet with the light on the front might do the trick for me. The old place was in a new subdivision that had lots of natural light as there were no trees of any size and the new place is in an older neighbourhood in a forest like setting. There are pluses to be sure but I wasn't counting on it feeling like living in a basement. Whatever is spent on additional electricity for lighting will be more than offset by not using air conditioning.
You might want to go and have a chat in a really good lighting store to see what they suggest. Also take a really long look at what it is you are missing.
Maybe you can get away with some floor lamps or sconces or wall lamps (different than sconces) because they don't require the kind of room a table lamp does.
I say that because I had a mom who was really affected by sunlight and light in general. She always seemed to need lights on and was just never happy in darker places. She had all those things plus table lamps going and some halogens in her fireplace mantle and still thought it was dark at night or if the drapes were closed during the day.
I mention that because we realized all the artificial light in the world wouldn't make the difference large windows did (she finally felt better when we moved into a house with a 14' front window) so maybe you need to consider if that might be a better investment for you. To my mom, it didn't really matter how much light was coming in, it was how much she could see. We realized that when they put a roof over the front window which we thought would drive her nuts but no big deal even though no direct light was coming in any longer. meanwhile, try and shut her drapes during the day and the talk would start about how dark it was. I think some people just need that openness but it can be confused with thinking it's actual light.
Smoodgie I knew what you meant :) I was trying to think of their name the other day. Even if I had those all over the roof it would still be dark because these frigging trees cover the roof. The amount of light I would get would not justify the cost and hassle so that idea has been scrapped.
I will be interested to see what it is like when the leaves drop. I am hoping it will be brighter.
If I go with potlights where would they be placed? Around the perimeter of the room would be my guess but I remember Brian Gluckstein saying that was very bad to do that and you're supposed to place pot lights where you need them except I need them everywhere so what should I do?
All-Canadian Tubular Skylite--production process developed in Germany. This process, called “Anolux-Miro®”, is an “Optically Enhanced Aluminum”, not to be confused with aluminum that is coated with a silver film or is polished. Daylight is reflected down a mirror-like pipe to a translucent ceiling fixture which then diffuses the outside light evenly throughout the room up to 225 sq. ft., even on an overcast or rainy day! The All-Canadian Tubular Skylite, using this optically enhanced aluminum, puts out the same or more light as the conventional skylight. They say that in both existing homes and new construction, installation is as simple as putting in a light fixture. Gives 100% full spectrum lighting with no harmful ultra-violet rays and no condensation. [url]www.tubularskylite.net[/url]
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Have you considered a couple of those sun tubes?? Not sure what the technical term is, but instead of a window in the roof/ceiling, it's a tube that you can put into the ceiling of a room on your first floor, and the sunlight comes through the roof, down the tube, and into your room. It looks like a big pot light, but it's natural light instead of a light bulb.
I'll try to find better info for you :o
Edited to add... I guess they actually are called sun tubes. No idea how much they cost to buy and install, but once they're in, sunlight is free :)
[url]http://www.sun-dome.com/[/url]
I think pot lights would be a good solution too, even though the house is a little older - if fact, it will contemproize the space nicely. Even with pot lights, you can still opt for a centre light if you wanted. Like Jeep said, if they're on dimmers you have control over the intensity of the lights at different times of the day - or for different uses of the room. And of course, well placed table lamps are key.
By the way... I like your idea of skylights. Even though the tree would shade this window, too, I think even a little more natural light would be great!
I say go for Pot lights they aren't cheap but if you put them on either dimmers or separate switches you can really control the light. They are great for task lighting if you like to see and read or do crafts much better than a center light which you will always be in a shadow.