Light plays a huge role in many aspects of life, and yet, oddly, many people take it completely for granted. It can enhance the look of potentially beautiful items, make reading easier and give a room a particular ambience. Too much light can be harsh, and too little can be draining. Getting it right when rebuilding a house can play a large part in how pleasant the home is in general.
It is widely accepted that natural light is the best kind from a practical point of view, and there is a secondary advantage to it: it’s free. That means you can build lower electricity bills into your house, and who doesn’t like to save money?
Glass technology has improved strikingly over the years. Look through an old window with an original pane, and it will probably have a random wavy effect because that was the best the makers could do at the time. As charming as that might be, it is a manifestation of imperfection.
That same wavy pane will also be very delicate. Glass used to be the Achilles heel of home security, and we still see in movies people putting an elbow through a pane in a door to reach in and unlock it. That simply doesn’t work on a modern glazed door.
Double glazing has knocked billions of dollars off the world’s electricity bills, and the increased strength that can be achieved is evident in the fact that many big hotels and office blocks now seem to be made purely of glass. Even if that is in fact just the exterior and there is a beefy structure inside, it couldn’t have been done if glass had not been toughened up.
Maximising Natural Light Through Strategic Window Placement and Orientation
Architects tend to have their own style, and some favour big windows that can even dictate the shape of a building. An A-frame house with a big triangular window dominating the front brings an immediate benefit in terms of light, and even if you don’t go to that extreme, it is wise to think about the windows when considering the overall design of your rebuild. You’re not building a little house in a Charles Dickens novel, you’re creating a bright, modern home in 21st century Australia.
But what about shade? Which way is the house going to face? What about keeping the sun out where it’s not wanted? Of course, this must be part of the planning process, because direct sunlight can be damaging to furniture and pieces of art, so if you’re designing the house yourself, you can pass your ideas on to a builder or architect to add the pragmatic touches. Please consider what rooms are going to be where and what level of light they need. Blinds and curtains can help you achieve the desired result, but the smart way is to have your natural resources do most of the work.
The Importance of Layered Lighting: Ambient, Task, and Accent
Here come the technical terms: layered, ambient, task and accent. These all deal with specific requirements. Layered lighting means using several light sources, while the ambient light is what is provided by the main source. In a room with large windows, the ambient light during the day could be natural, replaced at night by a central light fitting.
Task lighting is focused, designed to make a certain task easier, be that reading or preparing food. Accent lighting is a similar idea but aimed at focusing attention on, say, a painting or a photograph.
The reason why we are looking at these technical terms is that professionals tend to bandy such words about, forgetting that the rest of the population might not know what they mean. So, if you walk into a big lighting store and the sales assistant talks blithely about accents and asks what you plan to do about ambient light, you can appear suitably clued-up.
Layered lighting can be more important in some rooms than others, so, as with choosing where to have big windows, have a good think about what is going to be happening in a particular room and design your lighting accordingly.
Functional Task Lighting in Kitchens, Bathrooms, and Home Offices
Functional task lighting is more of the same, but more generalised. The overall lighting in a bathroom is very different from that in a home office, where there is reading being done, but also computer screens to consider. In the kitchen, substantial windows are useful for ventilation as much as light, but if your kitchen is also your dining room, you may need to light it differently in different parts.
Creating Mood and Ambience with Dimmers, Warm Tones, and Feature Fixtures
Ambience is very much to do with lighting. Do you want a big, happy atmosphere or an intimate, cosy one? Your choice of lighting units is crucial in this respect, but whether you go for chandeliers or cute stained glass lamp shades, or you have the ceiling studded with little downlights, you can incorporate a dimmer switch to change the mood as needed.
Feature fixtures are more often seen in commercial premises in the form of distinctive display cases, but if you have these at home to show off items associated with your hobbies or maybe sports trophies and awards, you will want to get the lighting right.
Exterior Lighting Best Practices: Security, Safety, and Architectural Focus
The need for exterior lighting can be driven by different elements, from safety or security to beauty. Safety is all about making it possible to walk around your garden or yard without tripping over things, while security is obviously concerned with making life difficult for potential intruders. Typically, this will be motion-sensitive, so you’re not wasting electricity by having the exterior bathed in light all the time. It is an effective deterrent because most crime is best carried out under the cover of darkness.
If you have an architectural feature that you want to highlight, be it a gargoyle built into a wall or a fountain that provides a tranquil touch, lighting can be installed above or in the ground.
So that’s lighting and how it can have a profound effect on a rebuilt home. You’re essentially starting from scratch, so give it due consideration, and it can enhance your property and your day-to-day life in your new home. To see how we incorporate smart lighting design into our builds, browse our home designs or get in touch with the Enso Homes team to discuss your new home.
