The Design Material That Helps Any Low-Lit Area In Your Home Feel Brighter

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Are there parts of your home that you simply don't like spending time in? Well, if these areas make you feel low or cause you to feel like you are straining your eyes more, it may be because these are the overlooked spots in your home that are begging for better lighting. Some common reasons a room could be dark include a lack of windows or low ceilings. But if these larger structural issues are the cause of the low light in certain areas of your home, what can you do about it?

You don't necessarily have to install a new window in order to infuse a bit more light into these dark corners. Using reflective surfaces can actually make a room feel brighter because they do a better job of bouncing available light around the room than matte materials do. And you don't have to limit yourself to glass mirrors to get the most reflective effect. For example, The New York Times reported on a couple who wanted to make their poorly lit basement more usable, so one of them "covered [a] pipe with a folded piece of mirror-polished stainless steel, which had the added benefit of reflecting light." This material has many of the perks of a traditional mirror — such as tricking the eye into thinking that a space is larger than it is — but it is also less breakable and more flexible than glass.

Stainless steel comes with a variety of benefits such as resistance to corrosion, heat resistance, and strength. To give the metal a mirror-like quality, a sheet of steel is ground down to remove any imperfections in the surface which would disrupt the reflective finish. Then, it is smoothed using progressively finer abrasive grits. The polishing continues as the grain of the metal gets smaller and smaller, until it eventually disappears altogether to create a glassy sheen.

The result is a piece of stainless steel that is able to reflect the light in its surroundings just like a mirror. As opposed to a mirror, however — where the light actually bounces off the silver behind the glass — polished stainless steel bounces light off the surface, creating a fascinating reflection which bends slightly with the natural fluctuations in the steel. Because of the way this material is polished to a high degree, leaving no grain lines to draw the eye in a particular direction. As such, the shiny finish of mirror-polished stainless steel is popular on building exteriors, sculptures, and gardens where a sleek, almost futuristic effect is desired. Mirror-finish stainless steel is also used in sports arenas and public buildings because it won't shatter like glass.

Because of the mirror-like polish of this steel, it can be used in home design in many of the same ways that a traditional mirror would be used. However, due to its durability and flexibility, it might also be used in high-traffic areas and around curves and corners, allowing you to bounce light in exactly the right place without worrying about breaking it. The couple featured in The New York Times article wanted to cover up the eyesore of a pipe but didn't want it to eat into the existing space. You can also try this by using mirror-polished steel to cover common eyesores around the home, such as exposed pipes and beams, unsightly walls, and ugly doors.

Mirror-polished stainless steel is also commonly used in commercial spaces as wall panels to create depth and light in a space which might otherwise feel cramped and dark. Although they're generally pricey (especially as the size and thickness increases), mirrored sheets like these SOFIALXC Stainless Steel Sheets allow you to update a wall in your basement, utility room, or small bathroom with a durable accent that helps make the space feel larger and brighter at the same time. Alternatively, if you have spaces in your home that feel dark because of low ceilings and a lack of natural light, opt for an ultra-contemporary look and place the mirror-polished panels on the ceiling. This can help emulate a sense of height while bouncing any existing light from windows or light fixtures around the room. Finally, if you aren't a fan of super-modern styles, you could instead opt for gold stainless steel for a lush, opulent way to improve natural light in your home.