Design by Ann Henderson
Chasing the Summer Solstice
“O, sunlight, the most precious gold to be found on Earth!” — Roman Payne
W
e dwellers of the Northern Hemisphere recently experienced the Summer Solstice, a day that is often celebrated with excited, boundless energy and activity well into the night. In the Northeast, where I reside, the difference in exposure to sunlight fluctuates greatly according to the seasons. Not only does this directly affect our moods, but it also affects the ambiance or, as the Dutch say best, gezelligheid, of our interiors. And now, as the days begin to shorten, I am thinking about natural light and how to luxuriate in it, creating its full potential for beauty and comfort in interior spaces no matter the season. Fenestration, or the overall window and door plan of a building, defines the exterior and interior elevations while creating continually shifting patterns of light in our interiors. Present-day life seems to covet bright, open spaces flooded with natural light. All light coming into a space is characterized by its orientation, thus making this a hugely important factor in choosing interior colors, materials, window treatments and auxiliary lighting. Natural northern light is calming, consistent, without harshness or glare, the light of artists and painters.
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