Why this is the No.1 test of a successful home

If there is one thing Australia has in abundance, it’s sunshine. Indeed, given our title as the skin cancer capital of the world, some would say we have a little too much. Over the years, we have probably spent as much time focusing on minimising its impact as we have enjoying it.

During winter, the tables turn. As the days grow shorter, we lose almost a third of the 14 hours of daylight that we enjoy in the summer months and, sometimes, experience a corresponding fall in mood.

With scientific evidence increasingly pointing to the detrimental effects artificial light can have on our sleep and mood, it makes sense to light our residential spaces naturally wherever possible. Melbourne-based architect Antony Martin says natural light is the No.1 element he looks for in a dwelling.

This house by Carla Middleton is a pleasure to be in all year round with sunlight celebrating, but not overwhelming, the space.Credit: Tom Ferguson

“My most important test of a successful house is when you walk in and there is never a light on during the day because there is well-balanced natural light,” he says.

More than a simple matter of illumination, Martin says natural light has properties that artificial sources struggle to emulate.

“Natural light levels are constantly varying,” he says. “It is quite imperceptible to the naked eye, but it’s very different to artificial light, which is constant throughout the day. There is an emotional attachment that comes with it. You may not be aware of it but the colour of it changes throughout the day.”

At its most basic, the sun appears higher in the sky in summer and lower in winter. For Australians, northern light is the most desirable because it is the most consistent and can be most effectively managed all year round by setting windows and eaves at appropriate levels. The least desirable summer aspect is to the west towards the setting sun which, as it appears lower in the sky, can heat up interiors to uncomfortable levels.

But Martin says it’s not without its appeal.

“The interesting aspect for winter is western orientation which provides beautiful golden afternoon light, but it’s the worst orientation for summer,” he says.

While many homeowners shun it for that reason, Martin says with care, it can be managed and even celebrated in winter while mitigating its effects in summer.

“That’s when you need to think about external blinds for summer. With western sun, it is hard even with eaves to manage that low sun in summer.”

Maintaining light throughout the house depends on using multiple sources, he says. Residences that feel dark are not always lacking in windows, but may fall short because of where those windows are placed.

Artificial light cannot replicate the movement or subtlety of natural light, as this project by architect Antony Martin demonstrates.Credit: MRTN Architects

“In a terrace house with windows in one direction, you get too much light and dark contrast and the interior spaces feel dark,” he says.

Martin has used various methods in the past including, where space allows, internal garden courtyards, which allow light to easily penetrate spaces in all directions. He is also fond of a judiciously placed skylight.

“I particularly like skylights in bathrooms. I put them over a mirror in the bathroom because you get good reflective light, and you can often see the sky.”

Sydney-based architect Carla Middleton says getting the balance right relies on carefully considered modelling, taking in everything from overshadowing to seasonal movements of the sun. This informs the placement of windows and eaves at optimal levels.

“If you hit the angle low, you can draw the sun in during winter,” she says. “Then it will be higher during summer where you can use external protection as soon as the sun hits the glazing.”

Get it right and the results can turn night into day.

Well-lit environments such as this by Carla Middleton Architecture create a greater sense of space as light travels around the room.Credit: Tom Ferguson

“It impacts the quality of the space, which is more significant than the quantity,” Middleton says. “A dark room may go unused. You need to be drawing on every square metre you have to make it a highly functional space.”

With sunrise occurring around 7am on the east coast during winter, drawing light into interior spaces as early in the day as possible is a must to support the body’s circadian rhythm, which plays a role in everything from cardiovascular health to managing obesity and depression.

Major renovations aside, author of Natural Living by Design, Melissa Penfold, says there are less extreme ways to create spaces that celebrate the winter sunshine.

“One way to maximise the daylight in a room is to improve reflectivity,” she says. “Paint ceilings and walls in pale shades or white, preferably in a matte finish, which reflects light in all directions, rather than glossy, which creates glare. Hang mirrors to bounce light around the room.”

If all else fails, Penfold says there’s a surprisingly effective no-cost option guaranteed to brighten the room: “Clean your windows. It makes a big difference.”

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