Your Home: Understanding the Role of Natural Light.

When designing your home, focus on natural light.

Many homebuyers designing a new home focus exclusively on the floor plan, rather than on the positioning and abundance of windows. If you place enough windows (and french doors) throughout the house, in the correct positions, you will maximize your experience of natural light.

Why is Natural Light Important?

Health Benefits.

Exposure to natural light helps us to relax and center. Natural light strengthens our circadian rhythms, thus improving both sleep quality AND daytime productivity. Specifically, exposure to natural light (as opposed to artificial light), has been shown to improve productivity, mood, relational health, and physical health.

Electrical Use.

The more natural light your home lets in each day, the less you rely on artificial lighting. Natural light will also keep your home warm on cooler days (thus, reducing heat expenses). Reducing utility costs for electricity (and simultaneously using less energy) is an enormous benefit of maximizing natural light.

Your Schedule.

When designing a home, consider the position of the sun at various times of day. If you want your master bedroom to be bathed in morning sunlight, place that room on the east side of the house, with large, unobstructed windows. Eastern orientation ideally permits a view of the sunrise (or at least, permits awakening to a sunrise glow).

If you spend more time in the living and dining areas during afternoons and evenings, place those rooms on the west side of the house. Western orientation ideally permits a view of the sunset (or at least, provides a breathtaking evening glow).

Be Creative.

Not all windows must be conventional! Consider floor to ceiling glass when privacy is less of a concern (also, if the room is high up). Make use of sky lights and windows near the ceilings (to allow in natural light without the need for coverings).

Prioritize Green and Blue Space.

Orient your windows to green space, for a feeling of the outdoors. The same applies for blue space (if you can see a body of water). Pools (and even fountains) are soothing to the eye. Seeing water in any form (manmade or natural) is beneficial. Both green and blue spaces reduce stress and rejuvenate us.

Conclusion.

When designing a home, focus on window abundance and thoughtful placement to maximize natural light, and to bring in a feeling of the outdoors. If windows are generous in both size and number, while placed in the correct locations, you will enjoy the sun (and your surroundings) to their fullest potential. Not only will exposure to natural light regulate your circadian rhythm and improve your mood, it will also reduce your utility bills!