Ways to Use Natural Light in Your Home

By Linda Wright, Photography by William Dickey

Your home is your safe haven. So, of course, you want it to exude the right vibe and feel for you. Some like warm and cozy, while others enjoy more of a crisp, refreshing atmosphere. 

This Carolina country home had dark pine cabinets, brown appliances, and bow windows, so its owners decided to spruce it up by adding more light.

In the renovation, the entire back wall of the house came down, opening the kitchen and family room, and a new porch was added. There were two windows in the whole house—an outdated bow window in the family room and one tiny window in the kitchen along with the 1970s dark décor. A change was in order, so the homeowners put in large windows in the new kitchen and added French doors in the family room to access the new porch, which lightened the room considerably.

Porch

The kitchen cabinets were designed and built based on an early antique cabinet design while the soapstone counters with honed edges bring an antique century-old farmhouse look to the space.