One of the most important considerations in decorating your home
is each room's orientation to the sun, your climate, and the placement and
windows in your space. It is also the most overlooked consideration.
When an architect designs a home, this is a priority! How will
the home be set on the lot? Which rooms have a southern exposure? Where should
the windows be placed?
Most of us live in cookie cutter homes, that have been placed on
lots with no consideration given to light orientation. To cut costs, most of our
homes are designed with the fewest windows possible.
Adding extra windows to your home is expensive. It makes an
incredible difference to your home, but few of us can afford it. If you can
afford it, or have the skills to do it yourself, and want to improve your home,
think about it. For the rest of us, here is some help.
Here are some of the things you can do to make your home
more comfortable:
In Hot Climates
Windows should be kept to a minimum on the west and south side
of the house. Decorate rooms on the west and south side in cool tones. A wall
painted mint green will visually cool you off several degrees.
If you want more light in your house, put your windows and
skylights on the northern or eastern side of the house or roof.
Install outside awnings on windows on the west side. These rooms
can become unusable for several hours each day in the afternoon and when the sun
is going down. If you don't like shutting your drapes, an awning will help.
In Cold or Dark Climates
Windows should be kept to a minimum on the northern side of the
house. Install your thermopane windows here first, to keep your home warmer.
Use warm colors in these rooms for a cozy feeling on a cold or
drab day. Again, you will be visually warmed.
Windows on the south side will warm your house and fill it with
sunshine in the winter. In warmer, dark climates, windows on the south side of
your house will provide heat, and your furnace will run less and you will save
money.