Table of contents:
- World directions and insolation of rooms
- South windows
- Northern windows
- The windows to the east
- West windows
World directions and insolation of rooms
The side of the world our windows face on is of key importance for the level of sunlight in the rooms. Not all interiors need even light throughout the day. Therefore, it is worth considering their layout in advance at the house design stage, or taking into account this criterion when choosing an apartment.
The successfully planned arrangement of the rooms in relation to the directions of the world will ensure the optimal amount of sunlight and a good mood every day. Proper location of the window can improve the energy balance, naturally warming up the interior, which will affect the amount of electricity and heating bills in winter. On the other hand, in summer, excessive sunlight may lead to too much heating of the rooms.
Windows facing different directions of the world also offer a different type of sunlight. Thus, for example, the times of the day when the light is most intense or when the interior warms up the most, change. Therefore, individual types of rooms can benefit from exposure to different parts of the world. In other words, the interiors where we spend more time, such as the living room , should be better lit than those where, for example, we only sleep, such as the bedroom .
South windows
It is believed that the best exposure of windows is in the south and south-west direction. It is wrong. Windows facing this way provide the most even and optimal access to sunlight throughout the day. Thanks to this, the interiors are the most heated in winter – with the use of appropriate windows, they can be even several degrees warmer than other rooms. However, it can be a problem in summer due to high temperatures, but the solution is awnings, canopies and roller blinds or facade blinds . In energy-efficient houses on the southern side, the largest glazing is installed, while on the development market, flats with windows in this direction are usually more expensive.
It is a very good idea to locate a living room with windows facing the south side. As a result, it will be optimally lit for most of the day. This will reduce the need to turn on the lights earlier and should result in lower electricity bills. South windows are conducive to activities such as reading, for example. So, in the living room facing this direction, the household members will be able to relax and rest after a hard day.
Another room that will gain thanks to the southern exposure may be a child’s room . Most often, interiors of this type serve not only as a bedroom, but also a living room, so – like the living room – they will benefit from even sun exposure for a longer period of the day.
However, we do not recommend designing the kitchen from the south side. Additional heat is not needed there, and even inadvisable. This room is already sufficiently heated by the kitchen appliances and the food preparation process.
Northern windows
Contrary to the southern windows, the northern exposure provides the lowest level of natural light. However, it is evenly diffused light, does not give contrasting shadows, and all colors look natural in it. Windows facing north are also characterized by a constant level of sunlight, but there is simply less of this light than on the south side. As a result, the rooms are cooler all year round. Therefore, due to the risk of heat loss in winter, the installation of windows with a low heat transfer coefficient should be considered here.
The north side fits very well into a bedroom where excessive sunlight is inadvisable, and lowering the temperature – especially in summer – will affect the comfort and quality of sleep. In addition, on days off from work, you can sleep longer.
It is also good to plan the office on the north side. Even exposure throughout the day and the lack of strong sun are conducive to work at the computer and do not tire your eyesight.
The exposure to the north side will also work well in interiors where we do not need good lighting, such as a bathroom , kitchen or, for example, a utility room .
The windows to the east
Eastern light illuminates the rooms particularly strongly in the morning, before noon. The morning sun’s rays, however, do not heat the interior as intensely as in the case of southern or western exposure. So the rooms should cool down in the afternoon. The eastern location of the windows is worth choosing for rooms where we spend time in the morning, because in the later hours they simply get darker.
So the bedroom can benefit from the eastern exposure. Morning sunlight will be especially appreciated by those who like to get out of bed in the morning. On the other hand, household members who like to sleep a little longer should consider installing additional external covers.
It will also be a good idea to place the kitchen on the eastern side. We get the heat during the day from cooking, so it is not necessary to heat the room by the sun’s rays.
It is not a very good solution to place a living room or office with windows facing east. This is due to the room’s uneven sun exposure at different times of the day.
West windows
Windows facing west provide very intense, warming up and deep sunlight in the afternoon. Such lighting can be bothersome, especially in summer.
Western windows are quite problematic, as there is basically no room that would clearly use such an exposure. Perhaps this solution will work in a living room in some cases, but on warm days, temperatures can be unbearable, which will ultimately necessitate the installation of external covers, and perhaps even air conditioning.
The bothersome light can also affect the comfort of work, so placing it on this side of the office will not be the best solution. A similar problem applies to the bedroom , which will heat up most intensively just before bedtime, worsening the comfort of the household members.
A kitchen on the west side will also not be a good choice because it will heat up excessively. We usually cook in the afternoon, so the heat expelled from the stove will increase the temperature, which will be additionally affected by intense sunlight.
It is best to reserve rooms from the west for interiors where we do not spend too much time in the afternoon. So, first of all, any utility room , as well as a bathroom , for example, will fit here.
