BUILDING ENVELOPE


How to create a lighfille home


hether it is a renovation, an extension or a complete new-build, creating a finished home filled with natural light starts with the design. dward tobart of ystems explains more


e know that bright, light- filled spaces within a home are appealing  but why t is only in the past couple of generations that artificial light has become the predominant source of lighting in our homes. For almost all of the evolution of the human body, our ancestors relied on natural light and our bodies are programmed to be drawn to natural light as a result. xposure to sunlight prompts our bodies to produce vitamin  and serotonin. itamin  can impact our emotional balance, reduce fatigue and boost our physical health, while serotonin is a hormone associated with wellbeing. ith the ritish climate as it is, maximising the amount of natural light that enters our home all year around is crucial  especially during the winter months when it can feel like it barely gets light at all  so designing living spaces that draw light both into and through the home is a key design consideration.


W HOW DO I DRAW MORE LIGHT INTO MY HOME?


GLAZED DOORS ith narrow profiles and large panes of glass, aluminium-framed sliding doors have become a hugely popular option over the past decade. ot only do the doors draw light into the home, they also allow for almost uninterrupted views out  breaking down the boundaries between inside and out. ifold doors are ideal for those who want to completely open up an aperture and step out into the garden on warm sunny days. ith wider frames and smaller panes of glass they let in slightly less light in comparison to sliding doors but their ability to extend your living space out onto the patio has proven a huge draw for those planning a project. lide  turn doors provide narrow frames like sliding doors, but with the


may/jun 2024 Flat rooflight


ability to stack the panels completely to one end like bifolds and have become a hugely popular option for those wanting the best of both systems.


WINDOWS


hen we think of windows it is typically the traditional casement window split into sections with one or more opening sashes, but window design has come on so far that larger and larger openings can be catered for.


Fixed frame picture windows are perfect for drawing more light into a home, particularly on extension and renovation projects, and can be ideally suited for loft conversions, allowing views out over the rooftops while increasing the amount of light that enters the new attic rooms.


GLASS ROOFS, ROOFLIGHTS & LANTERNS articularly important for extension projects, glass roofs, rooights and lanterns are great at drawing light further


into a home.


ne thing to consider when planning an extension is not creating a bright, contemporary new living space, but leaving the rooms on the existing structure darker and less inviting now that they are further from the exterior of the home. Adding rooights, lanterns or a glass


roof to an extension design pulls light deeper into a structure, enabling every room in the house to be filled with natural light  wherever it is in the house.


INTERNAL GLAZING


aving designed your doors, windows and glass roofing to maximise the amount of light, one of the key glaing options that is often overlooked is how to draw the light throughout the home. nternal glaed doors or glass partitions


are an ingenious idea because they allow the light to spill through the house while still creating an effective divide between rooms.


www.sbhonline.co.uk 49


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68