Natural Light Secrets
I can’t express just how important light is to a space, both natural and artificial. One of the first things designers do is understand what kind of natural light the space gets and any shadows the natural light creates. The biggest impact natural light has, is on colour and room temperature, here are my top tips on how to understand natural light;
- AM or PM sun, what kind of natural light does the space get? Simply does it get morning sun which is cooler and whiter or the afternoon sun which is more yellow/orange and warmer or is the space mostly shaded.
- Functionality, what is the key function of the space eg: a living room with TV, configure the room after considering the natural light to avoid glare which impacts the function of the space.
- Surfaces, assess how the natural light touches the key surfaces of your space ie floor and wall. This will affect how the surface is treated eg: if you like hard wood floors but the space receives a lot of direct sun light then the wood will fade. Similarly, with your walls, light changes colour.
- Temperature, depending on how the natural light works in the space, it will impact the temperature of the room, for eg a home office space that gets afternoon sun may be too uncomfortable to work in.
- Configuration, ensure the furniture in your space is configured with natural light in mind eg: someone in your living room may get the sun directly in their eyes making it uncomfortable for them and comprising the function of the space.
No space is perfect and there are ways to overcome some issues the natural light presents such as window treatments to diffuse light but it’s always worth understanding how natural light plays a role in your space.
More and more clients are understanding the importance of natural light especially when it comes to choosing the right paint colour for their walls, contact us to discuss our colour consultation service.