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How to design a home with orientation

Natural light in the home is proven to improve wellbeing, mood and anxiety. That’s why it is so important to design your home with orientation.

But where to start?

First of all, you want to make the most of your main view. This could be the ocean, a river, backyard garden or the bush. However you design your home, you want to be able to enjoy this view. This means creating a home design with orientation. If you have little ones, it is also important to consider your views looking into the home so you can keep an eye on the kids playing side if you are outside.

Capturing natural light is crucial when designing with orientation. Understand where north is, where the sun rises and sets so that you can determine the sun’s path and how it affects your home. This will help you capture the best light.

There are a few ways you can get natural light shining into your home when thinking about your home extension. If traditional windows are not possible, you may be able to take advantage of other sources of potential light, such as sidelights, highlights, roof lights and skylights. Rather, you can use different types of translucent light to provide a different quality of natural light.

Your existing home may be built close to neighbours so it is important to consider the areas of your home that may be visible from your neighbours’ homes to ensure you can protect your privacy. Think about window placement or outdoor area roof coverings.

When designing the home, you don’t want the home to produce any harsh qualities. For example, some walls may reflect harsh sunlight or create shade. This may make your home uncomfortable to live in or create spaces that are too hot, too cold, too dark or too dark at certain times during the day.

The aim of designing with orientation is to bring natural northern light into your home and manage the heat in different seasons throughout the year. During winter, you want to let the sun and in and keep the sun out during summer.

If you would like to know more about how to design your home with orientation, get in touch with us today here.