Planning and constructing a house from the ground up is a true luxury. As you work with your home builder, you’ll be able to customize your future living space to meet your needs. Of all the design factors you’ll need to consider, natural light is especially key to creating inviting rooms. Not only will it help you reduce your utility bill by cutting back on the need for artificial lighting, but it can even boost your mood. If you’re eager to reap these benefits, use the following tips to fill your blueprints with sunshine.

How to Incorporate Light in Your Home Design

1. Position Your Home With Intention

The first factor to consider when maximizing natural light through construction is the movement of the sun. Since it rises in the east and sets in the west, you’ll want to place windows in these directions to capture the height of the sunrise and sunset. Keep in mind your preferences – it may be fine to place a bedroom on the eastern side of the home if you like to rise with the sun, or you can mitigate the bright rays with window treatments, but if you prefer the coziness of a dark, cavernous sleeping area, you may want to place your master suite deeper in the home. Northern and southern exposure will provide soft, even, all-day light that’s neither too harsh nor too shadowy.  

2. Focus on Window Design

In the rooms that have the most access to natural light, such as those looking out onto your landscape, ask your home builder to choose window sizes that will let in the most rays. In some cases, this may be a rectangular picture window, or a set of large, latticed windows with arched tops. In dimmer or smaller areas of the building plan, such as walk-in closets and bathrooms, mount skylights and round porthole windows.

3. Add Indoor & Outdoor Rooms

By including sunrooms, screened-in patios, and wraparound porches onto your property, your home builder can make natural light a focal point of your new construction. Guests will be drawn to these living spaces on sunny days, and the openness of these additions will let in much more natural light than traditional, enclosed rooms. Plus, some of these rooms will keep out cold and insects, so you can enjoy the fresh air without nature’s less pleasant parts. 

If you’re interested in working with a home builder to create custom living space from scratch, get in touch with Santoro Building & Design of Hamden, CT. These qualified and experienced contractors lend their design and construction acumen to both residential and commercial clients, providing everything from water damage repairs to custom-made outdoor entertainment areas. To learn more about their services, visit the website or call (203) 287-9787.