When it comes to interior design, the focus is usually on aesthetics but let’s not forget weatherproofing your home for comfort and function. We tend to focus on how a room will look, rather than its function or purpose. At times, this affects our comfort and enjoyment. By placing comfort at the heart of your design choices, can help you create a comfortable space all year round.
Write Down Your Weatherproofing Objectives
At the beginning of any home improvement project, write down your objectives, for example, it might be to create space or the illusion of space. Or, to provide an environment that is conducive to crafting or other hobbies. Keeping these objectives in mind throughout will help you to design around the functionality of the room
Cool In The Summer And Warm In The Winter
There are many simple ways to ensure your optimum comfort, whatever the weather outside. Installing double glazing provides a layer of insulation. This keeps warm air in your home in the winter months. It has the opposite effect in the summer and help to keep your home cooler. However, it is also important to invest in some good quality curtains. Curtains also help insulate your home and depending on which ones you purchase, can help filter out the sun’s UV rays. Double glazing and quality curtains can also help block out intrusive noise from outside the house.
To maximize this effect, keep your curtains drawn during the hottest part of the day. This will keep the sun out and the rooms cooler. During the winter months, encourage as much sun into your home as possible by keeping your curtains open.
Insulating your loft also helps regulate the temperature in your home. It has a similar effect to double glazing. It keeps heat in when needed and keeps it out during summer.
Light
Beyond aesthetics, it is often the case that little thought is given to lighting your home. This is a shame because it makes such a difference. Like any other home improvement project, it is important to look at the activities that will take place in each room. This should inform your decisions about lighting. In your bedroom, the lighting should be subtle and focused around the bed. Bedside lamps will allow you to read comfortably. You can also switch off the light without getting out of bed. Similarly, if you need to get up in the night, you can reach across to switch them on again. However, in the morning, when you’re searching for something to wear, you need something a little more substantial. So closet lighting or an overhead light is more desirable in this instance.
Wherever, you’re adding lighting in your home, think about the purpose of the room first. What will you be doing in there? Then choose lights or lamps that fulfill this purpose.
Seasonal changes are also important when it comes to lighting. If you make a decision during summer when there’s lots of natural daylight, it may not be sufficient for the winter. Always take changes to natural light into consideration when making choices. Allow alternatives for when it becomes a little darker.
To create a comfortable home for you and your family, whatever the weather, begin by noting down your objectives. Think about comfort and functionality as well as visuals. Get the basics in place and then build from there.
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