Help Your Home Bask in Natural Winter Warmth
A hedonistic house designed to welcome the northern sun will keep you comfortable no matter how cold it gets outside
Joanna Tovia
17 April 2016
Houzz editorial team. Photojournalist specialising in design, travel and living well. Follow her photodocumentary about pets and the people who love them on Instagram @unfoldingtails
Houzz editorial team. Photojournalist specialising in design, travel and living well.... More
Is there anything quite so delicious as sitting inside with the warm sun flooding in through your windows when it’s chilly outside? You’ll feel toasty and joyful just looking at these balmy ways to bring in the winter sun; just don’t be surprised if you find yourself dialling an architect for a quote when you’ve finished reading. That’s exactly what I plan to do for my house – I’m craving a sunny winter room at the back that takes full advantage of the northern sun. It’s sure to become the whole family’s favourite room in the house.
Design in homage to the sun
If it’s oriented to face north, imagine the glorious light and sun that would penetrate a house like this? The living and work zones of the house are all positioned to take full advantage of the sun – only the bedrooms and bathrooms are at the back of the house.
If it’s oriented to face north, imagine the glorious light and sun that would penetrate a house like this? The living and work zones of the house are all positioned to take full advantage of the sun – only the bedrooms and bathrooms are at the back of the house.
Position the windows with the sun in mind
If privacy is an issue but you’d still love the sun to come pouring in, banks of lofty windows could provide the solution. An architect will be able to advise on the best placement of high windows based on the sun’s movement through the sky during the different seasons, and whether double glazing is worth the expense.
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If privacy is an issue but you’d still love the sun to come pouring in, banks of lofty windows could provide the solution. An architect will be able to advise on the best placement of high windows based on the sun’s movement through the sky during the different seasons, and whether double glazing is worth the expense.
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Design your interiors around the sun
The designer of this two-level addition made use considered overhangs and correct orientation to make the most of the sun, and that window seat is just the spot to enjoy the benefits. If you’re planning an extension that brings the outdoors in, be sure to plan ahead so there’s always somewhere sunny to escape to during the cooler months - it will be positively life enhancing.
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The designer of this two-level addition made use considered overhangs and correct orientation to make the most of the sun, and that window seat is just the spot to enjoy the benefits. If you’re planning an extension that brings the outdoors in, be sure to plan ahead so there’s always somewhere sunny to escape to during the cooler months - it will be positively life enhancing.
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Consider a pop-out hangout nook
A nook like this serves multiple purposes: it’s a sunny spot to have breakfast, but it can also be a delightful drawcard for reading the paper, working from home, for cups of tea with friends or for the kids to do their homework (and where you can keep an eye on them). With all those potential uses, the cost of adding such a nook to your home will be worth every penny. It doesn’t have to come off the kitchen, either. As long as it’s positioned to welcome the northern sunshine, it can be a wonderful addition to any room of the house – it just might call for a comfortable window seat (the bigger the better) rather than a table and bench seating.
A nook like this serves multiple purposes: it’s a sunny spot to have breakfast, but it can also be a delightful drawcard for reading the paper, working from home, for cups of tea with friends or for the kids to do their homework (and where you can keep an eye on them). With all those potential uses, the cost of adding such a nook to your home will be worth every penny. It doesn’t have to come off the kitchen, either. As long as it’s positioned to welcome the northern sunshine, it can be a wonderful addition to any room of the house – it just might call for a comfortable window seat (the bigger the better) rather than a table and bench seating.
Add a conservatory
If you have the space, a European-inspired conservatory is a straightforward fix if your house is on the cold side in the winter months. Acorn Garden Houses owner Steve Magliano created this Melbourne conservatory in response to the homeowners’ request for a light-filled room for talking, reading and listening to music. The sun coming in through the glass ceiling and large windows makes the room winter cosy, and the fireplace extends the comfort into the evenings, too. “Our clients wanted to use all natural products: granite, limestone, hardwoods and copper,” Magliano says. “The fireplace creates the warmth and cosy feel in winter and lots of glass makes you feel that you are outdoors all year round.”
Sunrooms built to let the light in
If you have the space, a European-inspired conservatory is a straightforward fix if your house is on the cold side in the winter months. Acorn Garden Houses owner Steve Magliano created this Melbourne conservatory in response to the homeowners’ request for a light-filled room for talking, reading and listening to music. The sun coming in through the glass ceiling and large windows makes the room winter cosy, and the fireplace extends the comfort into the evenings, too. “Our clients wanted to use all natural products: granite, limestone, hardwoods and copper,” Magliano says. “The fireplace creates the warmth and cosy feel in winter and lots of glass makes you feel that you are outdoors all year round.”
Sunrooms built to let the light in
Make your outdoor room winter ready
A louvred roof over your deck means you can close it up to keep cool in the shade when the hot summer sun is high in the sky, but can open it up to the lower-set winter rays when you need a little warming up. Spending time outdoors is an instant mood lifter, so do what you can to make it comfortable all year round.
A louvred roof over your deck means you can close it up to keep cool in the shade when the hot summer sun is high in the sky, but can open it up to the lower-set winter rays when you need a little warming up. Spending time outdoors is an instant mood lifter, so do what you can to make it comfortable all year round.
Bring in the breeze when you need to
The weather can be unpredictable, no matter where you live, and sometimes even the best laid plans to bring in the winter sun can go awry. When those winter days are unseasonably warm – or the seasons are in transition – it pays to be able to let the heat escape if that sunny room you love becomes sweltering. A bank of doors that can open up will do the trick, and high windows that can open are also advisable to release that rising heat.
The weather can be unpredictable, no matter where you live, and sometimes even the best laid plans to bring in the winter sun can go awry. When those winter days are unseasonably warm – or the seasons are in transition – it pays to be able to let the heat escape if that sunny room you love becomes sweltering. A bank of doors that can open up will do the trick, and high windows that can open are also advisable to release that rising heat.
Let eaves control the elements
A well-designed home will keep your energy bills low by using eaves to shelter you from the sun when it’s hot out, but positioning them in such a way that in winter the sun can still find its way inside.
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A well-designed home will keep your energy bills low by using eaves to shelter you from the sun when it’s hot out, but positioning them in such a way that in winter the sun can still find its way inside.
See more of this house
YOUR SAY
How does your house make the most of the northern sun? Tell us about it in the Comments.
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How does your house make the most of the northern sun? Tell us about it in the Comments.
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Just a few comments; double glazing IS worth it in most Australian homes. It keeps summer heat out as well as winter warmth in (but note not all windows & double glazing are up to these tasks; you need quality!). Also, having mass internally to catch the sun is even better than just warming your body. And finally, don't forget Building Designers can help you out with Solar Passive Design, as well as Architects.
Double glazing is a god-send. We live in Perth and lashed out on double-glazing throughout (including all external doors). The result? We don't use any air con or heating, have zero drafts around our windows and doors, and the inside remains a constant comfortable temperature. It's incredibly difficult to break into our house. I only hope that the Australian insurance industry gets on board with double glazing and recognises the advantages - our insurance premiums should be significantly less due to the decreased risk of break-ins.
I love this article. Our clever client knew the advatnages of a north facing back yard even in very warm Brisbane. We were able to maximise this aspect in the design of 'Bardon Garden House' while consciously providing screening from the brutal afternoon western sun (if you've ever suffered a Brisbane summer on a western facing deck - you'll know what we mean). The result is a light filled living space that opens into the garden. A large overhang and solid wall panels on the west given much needed sun protection.