A Quick Guide To Understanding Sun Exposures In Homes- Sina Architectural Design

 

Nothing sells a home like natural light. It is by far the most valuable feature anyone can have in their custom home. Once you’ve selected your lot, our team goes through and does a thorough site analysis. During this site inspection, we look at the direction of the lot and determine the layout based on how different sun exposures hit different rooms.

 

It might seem funny, but each sun exposure has its own personality and temperaments. Here’s a quick rundown of what you should know about directional exposure and how to orient your home to utilize it.

 

Eastern Exposure

Due to the sun rising in the East, eastern exposure creates a soft morning light. It can add a delicate soft glow to a room, but it’s important that it’s brightening the right room. If you’re someone that doesn’t like your sleep cut short by a beam of sunlight, make sure your bedroom doesn’t face east. However, some clients’ love being woken up by the sun, which means an eastern exposure is perfect. Lighting can always be controlled with window treatments too.

 

Western Exposure

Western exposure is strongest in the afternoon when the sun begins lowering (the sun sets in the west remember!). Afternoon sun can be strong and tends to have golden overtones. Be careful using certain colors in rooms with western exposure, as oranges and reds will make the room seem like it’s on fire. It also means that cool tones may read warmer when the sun is shining in. Afternoon sun is hot too, especially in the warmer months, so keep that in mind for window treatments and temperature control.

 

Southern Exposure

Southern exposure is typically described as harsh. It’s a bright light that will persist all day. Instead of fighting the strong light, balance it will equally intense colors. Bolder color palettes work well with southern exposure. Rooms that you spend a lot of time in throughout the day such as living spaces are best with southern light. It keeps you from having to turn on all of the lights during the daytime!

 

Northern Exposure

Out of all of the directional exposures, northern exposure is the most beloved. It produces a soft light that lasts through the day. North facing views are particularly beautiful, due to the consistent lighting throughout the day that is never too dull or too harsh. Northern light can be thought of as calming. Due to it’s softer side though, it’s not recommended for darker areas of the house so keep that in mind.

 

Conclusion

A custom home is only as good as it’s plan. Here at Sina Architectural Designs, we make sure that we take into account everything, especially sun exposures when planning your custom home. The right lighting can make or break a design. Feel free to contact us if you have any questions or want to get started building your sunny dream home!