Natural light in your home is crucial!

Natural Light for Your Home | Vantage | AWS Australia

Architect Joe Snell of Snell Architects has written a book called Your Best Home. The concept is 5 spaces x 5 design steps = a better life. As a home owner, this book will educate you on how to apply the 5 design steps to help you create your best home.

Joe defines the 5 spaces as:

1. Entry 2. Living Room 3. Kitchen 4. Bedroom 5. Bathroom

And the 5 steps are:

1. Space 2. Light 3. Air 4. Sound 5. View

It’s interesting. Four out of the five steps can be related to windows and doors. However for this blog, I shall concentrate on step two, Light and more specifically, natural light.

Natural light is a secret weapon in homes. When we walk into a home which has great natural light we think ‘wow what a wonderful space this is, I am enjoying being in it’, without really realising why. Natural light has positive impacts on our health, well-being and productivity, it’s not until you’ve been in a home with little to no natural light and you feel uninspired and miserable that you realise natural light is key. Strategically placed windows and doors can be a great way to maximise natural light within your home.

In Joe’s book, he states ‘no matter how good your planning, materials and furniture, if your lighting is not good then you have nothing. One of the imperatives of human nature is to seek daylight within the family home to promote health, happiness and joy.’

At Vantage, we like:

Fixed or sliding windows located behind kitchen benches or even the kitchen sink. It connects you to the outdoors and provides beautiful natural light to the kitchen. The kitchen is where there’s a lot of action. Family time, homework and entertaining can all happen in the kitchen so having an environment that feels light and healthy is an important asset to a home.

Skylights offer beautiful light in the kitchen – light and bright kitchens are a yes, yes, yes from us!

Large sliding doors allow natural light to shine into living spaces creating positive energy and well-being. Large panels also open up the space to the outdoors, connecting us to nature and the landscape space.

Fixed or awning windows for a little reading nook define a space where you can gaze out into your outdoor area and daydream a little.

Joe suggests mixing your glazing from fixed to louvers in the bathroom to give you options for airflow and light. We couldn’t agree more. Joe states ‘one of nature’s most prolific cleansers is sunlight and so a sunlit bathroom will always feel cleaner. I invariably introduce as many windows as possible, always bearing privacy in mind. I often also introduce skylights – these are great for giving a sense of light, even early in the morning when there is not much light in the sky yet.’

Incorporate natural light into your new build or home renovation by cleverly placing windows and doors. You will really see and feel the benefits of natural light. And get yourself a copy of Joe’s book. It really is a good read.