DESIGN NOTES
Health and wellness are a high priority for many today, especially in the home, which is why interior designers are placing a great emphasis on the renovation or remodel plans for the home. Natural light brings a wealth of benefits for your family and also gives the home a beautiful warmth. We want to share some reasons why you should consider designing with light and give some tips on how to do it.
Bringing The Outdoors In
It is safe to say that we spend more time indoors than out since most of us work indoors and get home after dark. This means we can suffer from a lack of vitamin D, something essential to the well-being of everyone in the family. By allowing more natural light into the home, you can bring a little sunshine in, which means you need to focus on the areas where you spend the most time, such as the office or kitchen. Light is an important element in the design, so be sure to talk with your designer about how to bring more light into your favorite home spaces. See a mountain retreat that utilizes natural light.
Beat The Winter Blues
While winter is a beautiful season, it is no secret that it also comes with shorter daylight hours. Lack of sunlight is known to heighten the chance of depression, so it is important to make sure there are plenty of areas in the home that have natural light. Consider having a sunroom, or multiple windows in the kitchen or living room. Nothing chases away the blues like a bright spot in the home.
Natural Light Increases Productivity
For those who work from home, it can be difficult to stay motivated, especially if your home office has no windows or is poorly lit. It can feel like you are trying to operate in a fog. Allowing natural light into a workspace increases your ability to focus and helps you become more productive. This is also important to remember with children who have homework; by the end of the day, they are feeling tired from all that’s gone on, so it’s helpful if they can have a place to do their assignments, making sure they stay on track.
Natural Light Design Tips
It’s important for the wellness of your family that you incorporate natural light into the design of your home. Here are a few tips to help you get started.
- Mirrors: Sometimes a room only has one window, and it is not feasible or practical to add any more. Mirrors are a great way to maximize the light you have. Consider placing one where the sunlight can bounce off into other areas of the room.
- Window treatments: We agree that a well-done window treatment can add class and elegance to a room, but sometimes, they can also hinder the amount of light that comes in. If you want to allow more light into the room, choose lighter fabrics or even a simple valance. They can still give the desired effect while letting enough light into the area.
- Color: Bold or dark hues and shades can hinder natural light from doing its best since dark colors absorb light. We understand that white rooms are not everyone’s style, but a light palette such as gray, pastels, and even eggshell white still offers color without blocking natural light.
If natural light is an important factor for you, be sure to discuss it with your designer so you can evaluate your space and make plans to utilize it to the fullest for the wellness of your family. Here are a few other reasons natural light is good for your family’s well-being.
Granite, Quartz, Marble, or Quartzite?
These are the top contenders when it comes to selecting the perfect countertop material for your kitchen or bathroom. Each one brings its own strengths, aesthetic appeal, and practical considerations—making the decision both exciting and a bit overwhelming.
Granite is a natural stone known for its durability and unique, one-of-a-kind patterns. Quartz, on the other hand, is an engineered surface that offers a wide range of color options and is prized for its low-maintenance qualities. Marble stands out for its timeless elegance and heat resistance, though it requires more upkeep. Quartzite closely resembles marble in appearance but offers greater durability and easier maintenance.
When making your selection, it’s important to consider factors such as heat and stain resistance, ease of maintenance, and of course, budget. Below, we break down the key differences, pros, and cons of each material to help you determine which surface best suits your lifestyle, design vision, and practical needs.
The kitchen pantry is often one of the most underutilized yet high-potential spaces in the home. While it can easily become a catch-all for clutter, a well-designed pantry is a true hidden gem—capable of transforming the functionality of your kitchen. From storing oversized serving pieces to housing everyday essentials, a thoughtfully planned pantry helps keep countertops clear and mealtime prep more efficient.
Whether you have a compact pull-out pantry, a spacious walk-in, or a dedicated butler’s pantry, innovative organization is key. A well-designed pantry not only maximizes storage but also supports the flow of your kitchen. Below, we’re sharing a few of our favorite design ideas and practical tips to help you better utilize your pantry space—and maybe even inspire your next kitchen upgrade.
Our showroom’s grand opening was the culmination of two years filled with vision, planning, and hard work—a dream brought to life through dedication and passion. Now, as we prepare to celebrate our second anniversary, we find ourselves reflecting on how quickly time has passed. It feels like only yesterday that we opened our doors and welcomed our very first clients into the space we’ve come to love so much.
Join us as we take a walk down memory lane and revisit the milestones, challenges, and moments that brought us to Uptown Shelby. This anniversary isn’t just a celebration of time—it’s a celebration of growth, community, and the relationships we’ve built along the way.
Walker WoodworkingThere is more to color than simply a large selection of hues. Color sends a message and can represent thought and emotion, especially in the world of design. Each year, Pantone announces its choice for the color of the year, a tradition that started in 1999, and designers everywhere eagerly await the news. Classic Blue was this year’s choice of color, a color that represents the future.
As we prepare to close the door on one decade and begin anew, many are filled with anticipation of what the coming year will bring. Blue has always been associated with stability, relaxation, and tranquility, as is seen in nature with the ocean and sky. We understand that hectic schedules and stressful office days generate a need for a place to unwind and completely relax. Here are a few ways to incorporate the color of the year into your home and give it that welcoming environment that will last throughout the coming decade and beyond.
Walker WoodworkingLight is one of nature’s most captivating elements, and its presence has the power to transform a space. In the world of interior design, natural light plays a vital role—not only by enhancing aesthetics but also by elevating the overall atmosphere of a room. It can create dramatic contrasts that bring depth and interest to a space, while also highlighting architectural and design features.
Natural light, when thoughtfully incorporated, makes interiors feel larger, warmer, and more welcoming. At Greenbrook Design, we embrace a design approach known as daylighting—the intentional use of natural light to shape how a space looks and feels throughout the day. It’s one of our favorite tools in the design process.
Here are just a few reasons why we love incorporating natural light into our projects…
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