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Aesthetics isn’t limited to just how a particular thing looks; rather, it is also concerned with how the look of a thing affects its surroundings and those viewing or interacting with it. The aesthetic effect of your home’s windows -- the way they affect the light, space, and proportion within -- play a big part not only in how you perceive your home, but also how you feel, how you act, how you think. It can even affect your health. By paying attention to these subtle effects, you can determine whether the effect will be good, or not so.
PART I: LET THERE BE LIGHT!
Windows let in light, and the amount and quality of light coming in through the windows can have a profound effect on the people who live in the house, as well as the activities they engage in. You require light for all your activities, after all. And no matter how bright artificial lighting can get, people have a preference for spots in the home that receive lots of sunlight. HOW LIGHT AFFECTS YOU Productivity is one of the things that is affected by the quality of the light. Have you ever noticed how common it is to have the kitchen sinks set up right beside the windows, for instance? While it is possible to augment the light coming in from the windows with electrical lighting, nothing beats the brightening effect of sunlight streaming in through a window to illuminate a work area.
BENEFITS OF NATURAL LIGHT Research has shown that natural lighting, as opposed to artificial lighting, has a stimulating effect on human physiology. People who work in places exposed to sunlight are not only more attentive and alert, and are generally able to do better when engaged in physical activity, but they also have less disruptions in their sleep patterns. They perform better during the day, and sleep better during the night, which helps promote their overall health and well-being.
PART I: LET THERE BE LIGHT!
WHEN A GOOD VIEW IS GOOD FOR YOU Windows which provide an interesting view, in addition to the light they admit, have also been shown to have positive psychological effects on the people who live and work there. Picture windows have no equal when it comes to letting in light and providing a view, but there are other options, too. Bay and bow windows also provide excellent natural illumination, while simultaneously providing both an interesting view, from within the alcove formed, and possibly a novel area to work from, too.
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With light comes space, which expands on the effect of the light. Learn more about this in Part II of this ebook series.
PART II: WINDOWS AND SPACE: NOT A MATTER FOR SPACING OUT
With light comes space. While we can certainly perceive the spaces around us with more than just our eyes, the fact is that vision is the primary method by which we perceive our surroundings. If you’ve ever banged a toe against something while walking around in the dark, you’ll understand how important lighting and vision are in our perception of space. It is that very perception of space that your home’s windows affect. The simply lack of windows in an area, for example, not only underscores the actual physical limits of the area, but despite whatever amount or quality of lighting in the room, it will tend to feel closed off, if not cramped. It’s amazing what effect something like an open door can have on the feeling of being enclosed in such an area. If a simple door can do that, what more a window, right? Windows create a sense of connectedness between a home’s spaces, and extend the sense (or illusion) of space, by creating visual bridges between those spaces. If you’ve ever looked out at a view through large, multistory windows, then you know firsthand how this principle works. It’s as if the walls go away, and the room you’re in feels so much larger and more expansive.
PART II: WINDOWS AND SPACE: NOT A MATTER FOR SPACING OUT
ACHIEVING SPACE WITH WINDOWS By strategically placing windows with large glass areas that connect indoor and outdoor spaces, you eliminate that cramped, closed off feeling in your home. Picture windows aren’t your only option; sliding windows can provide just as expansive a view as picture windows, with the added bonus of being easily opened to allow air to circulate. For picture windows that look out to the areas beyond the house, you can incorporate sliding windows or casement windows as part of a combination, in order to provide both a phenomenal view, and a way to catch breezes and help ventilate your home.
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Combine light and space and proportion is born. Learn more about windows and proportion in the home in Part III of this ebook series.
PART III: ALL THINGS IN PROPORTION
“Getting the proportions right” is a phrase that strikes fear into many amateur interior and exterior designers. Proportion is, for many people, an unconscious thing, and difficult to quantify. You can look at something and decide whether or not it has pleasing proportionality, but when it comes to designing something getting the proportions just right can be a matter of hit or miss.
THE GOLDEN MEAN If you’re the type of person who has problems working on proportion, the golden mean or golden ratio is a principle to keep in mind. Leaving out all the complicated math, it basically means that when you have two lengths of unequal size, the ratio between the two is the same as what the ratio is between the sum of the longer length. This ratio occurs naturally in nature -- you see it in the proportions of the human body, for one -- and is so pervasive that, subconsciously, we evaluate everything to see if it conforms to it. The closer a structure or an object’s proportions are to the golden mean, the more beautiful we will find it to be.
PART III: ALL THINGS IN PROPORTION
HOW DO YOUR HOME’S WINDOWS FIT INTO THIS? Well, with proportion comes scale. You might be keeping the same proportions to the rest of your home, but the actual measurements will affect your perception of them. The size of the windows, compared to the furniture and features around it, will affect your sense of proportion. Smaller pieces of furniture beside a window, for example, will play up the size of the window, making the view seem bigger. Smaller, isolated windows in a room can make the room feel larger, and the area outside the room smaller in comparison.
It is something of a balancing act: if the windows are too small in scale, then the room can end up feeling large and cavernous. Too large, in proportion to the rest of the room, and you can end up feeling like you’re in a fish bowl, exposed for all to see. ooooo
Got questions about achieving light, space, and proportion with replacement windows? Don’t hesitate to give your local window expert a call for advice.
Renewal By Andersen of San Diego 8266 Miramar Rd NE, San Diego, CA 92126 (858) 360-7700 (858) 201-6742 RbASanDiego.com