27th October 2014
Natural Light – Five of the Best
Through clever home design and the use of the right glass, we can feel closer to our surroundings. Generous use of glass in a home can create an enhanced connection to the outside world helping us feel more engaged with our outdoor environment. Visual connections with external areas give us a sense of space and freedom while at the same time glass can also provide us with security and sanctuary from outdoor elements – a combination that other home build materials can’t provide.
Through The Living Space Viridian Glass has provided a place to interact, discover and be inspired about natural light. We would like to share five unique homes that have incorporated natural light into their design in inspirational yet functional ways across five categories that represent how natural light can transform our lives.
Wellbeing
Generous light and space can help a family escape the stresses of the outside world making a house feel more like a ‘home’. In addition to the obvious visual advantages, natural light offers multiple health benefits, including a positive impact on mood and mental health.* This stunning Palm Beach house in NSW introduces generous amounts of natural light.
Space
We all want more space in our homes; it’s one of the greatest luxuries in home design. It allows not only a physical freedom, but a mental freedom as well. Natural light has an amazing ability to transform a dark, uninviting room to an expansive stretch of welcoming space. This property in Bruny Island, Tasmania utilises extensive glass areas to allow large volumes of natural light into the home helping connect the indoor living space to the natural surroundings outside. This creates a strong visual connection to the outdoor environment, whilst maintaining a comfortable sense of space and warmth in the home.
Comfort
The ideal home should be cool in summer and warm in winter without running up energy bills. We want our homes to provide us with a stable internal temperature that we can relax in – whilst at the same time providing us with a living space that looks good and is in sync with the world around us. This amazing beach house in Austinmer, south of Sydney maintains perfect comfort levels whilst featuring large glass areas that facilitate an abundance of natural light. The strategic placement of performance glass regulates the internal temperature and illuminates the living space within.
Sanctuary
A home should be a sanctuary, a place where we can feel connected to the outside environment, yet still feel peaceful and safe inside. We want to let positive things like natural light and incredible views into our homes, but keep negative elements like external noise out. The iconic ‘Pole House’ on Victoria’s Great Ocean Road achieves this balance. Featuring large window areas this stunning property offers a peaceful residence that maintains a strong connection to the dramatic coastline outside.
Design
Good design needs to fulfil its purpose and the design decisions made at the building or renovation stage have a lasting impact on the quality of life in a home. As glass is really the most effective way to control the levels of natural light in your home, the glass and window choices made during the design stage will play a crucial role in the functionality and comfort levels of a property. Secondly, good design needs to help showcase the features of the home in their best light and glass offers a unique and versatile way to do this. Incorporating natural light through the clever usage of glass not only improves the aesthetics of your home, but also improves its market value. Here, another house in Austinmer, NSW uses smart design to create a visually striking exterior, whilst maintaining is functionality as a home.
If you want to discover more about how natural light can make your home a better place to live and grow your family, connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest or Instagram.
The Living Space is brought to you by Viridian New World Glass.
* http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1389945706006812