Part Shade or Part Sun – these terms are used interchangeably to mean an area that gets 4-6 hours of direct sun per day. Even in our south-facing garden we don't have sun much after 6pm on summer evenings. The main living spaces such as living, family and dining rooms should be north facing where possible. One of the cardinal rules of applying feng shui to a house is to identify the orientation in terms of directions. Base your decision on your routine. According to the bagua, there are 8 trigramsthat take position in each of the 8 main directions as identified by a magnetic compass. South facing sun exposure. We have already covered the north facing house vastu and south facing house vastu in our previous blogs. In addition to house and floor plan orientation, there are plenty of other techniques you can use to optimize sun exposure: Daylighting refers to the use of windows and skylights to bring sunlight into your home. All rights reserved. Passive solar designs can have porches on the east, west and north rather than the south, since the porch would shade the south windows from the winter sun. for information on the tilt). If you like entertaining on a summer’s evening, or want as much natural light as possible in your living room, then a south-facing aspect may be a big consideration whe… Our website, archdigest.com, offers constant original coverage of the interior design and architecture worlds, new shops and products, travel destinations, art and cultural events, celebrity style, and high-end real estate as well as access to print features and images from the AD archives. South-facing rooms allow most winter sunlight, but little direct sun during the summer North-facing rooms admit relatively even, natural light, and almost no unwanted summer heat East-facing rooms receive the most morning sun. Here's what you should know about various directional exposures so you can orient a new house the right way on a lot, or deal with the windows you've already been dealt. Porches on the east, west and north do not compromise the passive solar gain and can even help with cooling. Not to mention – lots of natural light creates a desirable natural ambiance, contributing to your home’s overall comfort. Passive-inspired Modern, Los Altos Start with a compass. For any household that consist of a married couple, two area… With an east-west facing house, the intense heat will be concentrated on the front and backyard, discouraging yard time with loved ones. The bold peacock blue of this Bachman Brown-designed living room holds its own against the strong natural light pouring through. This is also important when incorporating patios and decks – and likewise, situating the garage, laundry room and other areas used less frequently. Such a pit of latrine may be in the east. So I guess it could certainly be worse. Think of a house as four distinct quadrants, each with its own potential for daylight and free heat, depending on the sun’s position during the day. I would prefer more evening sun but in fact the morning sun, the garden as a whole and the privacy in my garden more than make up for this. 18 If there is a well or pond in lower south-east, it is considered bad. Eastern exposure in a bedroom can be softened with strategic window treatments—roller shades being a must, as in this Houston guest room by Bruce Budd. If there is a Miss Congeniality award, it would probably go to northern exposure. The best location for an entrance in a south facing house is the energy field of Vithatha and Gruhakshat.An entrance located on the 4th pada of the Vastu Purush Mandala can bring unprecedented wealth, health and prosperity.. On the contrary, an entrance in the fields of Yama, Gandharva,Bhringraj etc. House rooms or windows facing the east enjoy some nice morning sun from the months of September till March, while the south of the house will have little or no sun. Selective siting, shading, and construction strategies can save money on lighting and heating bills. But the late afternoon and early evening sun … “Morning light may be delicate in a space—as long as it’s not shining into a bedroom,” says designer Elena Frampton of Frampton Co. Everyone knows what it’s like to have their precious extra sleep time thwarted by beams of light puncturing cheap wooden blinds—which will be the case if you have a bedroom that faces east (where, as you know, the sun rises). As you prepare for the construction of your new house, be sure to speak with your builder about their plans for sun exposure. If the building’s axis is located on the east-west direction with its longest dimension facing the south, more of the building is situated to absorb the sun’s heat energy. For people who wake up really early, this is also ideal as you get to see the sun rise in the morning as well. For instance, in the summer (when the sun is high and warm), you can use overhangs and trees to shade your home. Believe it or not, how a house is oriented in relation to the sun can have a dramatic impact on heating and cooling – the largest energy contributor in most homes. In summer, mornings can be uncomfortably warm and in winter you won't get much heat from the sun at all. A Manhattan apartment by Michael S. Smith featuring both northern and southern exposures. Southern-hemisphere designers would probably feel the opposite [from those in the Northern hemisphere].” So keep in mind, these maxims will not apply to your veranda in the Maldives. At our house, we have some peppers and herbs in 20 gallon pots near the front door. South East facing units get the benefit of the morning sun from the months of September till March. Also we have a good plot, and the house we want. Located in Los Altos, CA., this sophisticated high-performance... saved between 10% and 20% on heating costs, Dreaming Up Your Custom Home: 2021 Trends to Watch Out For, Reasons To Be Thankful For Your Modern Home. Passive solar buildings are typically rectangular with the long side of the building facing south. “If you have strong, solid light throughout the day, I’m more inclined to use a bolder color palette,” he says. In addition to strategically positioning the building as a whole, design the home so that frequently used rooms (such as the kitchen and living room) receive an ideal amount of sunlight. can push the inhabitants under huge debts and financial losses. The distance from the sourc… The main advantage of a south-facing house or garden is the amount of sunlight you’ll enjoy. These properties generally benefit from the afternoon and evening sun streaming in 2. West-facing areas usually get 6 or more hours per day – more than enough for most sun-loving plants. North-facing rooms: 1. have good daylight most of the day 2. have solar gain for most of the day throughout the year 3. may require horizontal shading to prevent overheating in summer 4. have good passive solar gain in winter. If you’re able to use these techniques effectively, you can count on the perfect amount of natural light, lower utility bills, and a bright new home for you and your family. To learn more about how Clarum can help you optimize sun exposure for the home of your dreams, give us a call at 650.322.7069. If a south-west facing property is put on the market, the advertisement almost always specifies the garden orientation. Designers tend to agree: Southern exposure is harsh. You can also position landscaping to shade windows during the summer, while still admitting winter light. Generally, in northern parts of India, where the winters are cold, a south facing house is advantageous as the interiors will get more hours of sunlight, thereby keeping the house warmer at night. This is why a south facing direction is often considered the best direction to face and is generally the most coveted exposure. Though it is always a positive, not all views are created equal—not in terms of what’s outside the window, but rather which direction the window faces. *You might prefer a house that faces an ordinal direction (NE, SE, NW, or SW) to avoid … East facing house Vastu. In any case, this is kind of disappointing, because our new Energy 101: Daylighting video explains that south-facing windows are best for daylighting. Orient the floor plan. But the fact is, the sun’s position in the sky also depends on other factors – like the time of year and location of your home. 16 The east south-east protruding house is unfit for inhabitation. Because the sun rises in the east and sets in the west, the side of the building that is utilized for solar gain needs to be facing the south to take maximum advantage ofthe sun’s potential energy. One of the biggest aspects of the south facing house pros and cons, surrounds the sunlight that a south facing garden receives. As the sun rises in the east and sets in the west, the south side of any house will see the most hours of sunlight during the day – especially in the Northern Hemisphere – so a south-facing garden takes advantage of this. Architectural Digest may earn a portion of sales from products that are purchased through our site as part of our Affiliate Partnerships with retailers. Let’s take a closer look at this technique for optimal sun exposure. Natural light exposure within a home is all about perspective. As very few gardens are 100% directly South facing, would you prefer it to be more South East facing or more South West facing? California-based designer Kelly Hinchman loves working with Western light in her clients’ homes, but is quick to warn, “The afternoon sun will flood the room with golden overtones… I would stay away from oranges and reds in the west [or] your home will be on fire!”. One of the most important (and often overlooked) energy efficiency factors in any home is its orientation. You can also use strategic shading to minimize unwanted sunlight – using trees, exterior walls / fences, structural additions such as a porch or trellis, or simple window coverings. Each exposure has its own distinct temperament, and as with all strong personalities, it’s better to work with them than against. North-facing views provide lighting that is consistent throughout the day, never too harsh or too dull. East-facing homes might enjoy lovely sunrises and full morning sun but that will be over by noon. Get Vastu Tips & Vaastu Dosha Defects People are more attracted to south-west facing properties than any other kind, and some people specify this a non-negotiable feature of their property search. Especially plants that are growing in containers. Bright and airy, south facing gardens are perfect for summer BBQ’s, and just enjoying time in the garden. 15 Toilet in south-east is considered good provided there is a pit in the toilet. For this reason, it’s important to work with your builder to orient your house in a way that allows for direct sunlight when and where it is most beneficial. Think about how the sun moves through the day and through the year. Typically a south-facing home gets sun for most of the day, especially at the front of the house, and is therefore usually brighter and warmer. If the house is with any T-junction, place Vastu partitions, crystal boundary or Vastu bricks to nullify the negative vastu. Like top-of-the-line appliances and perfectly patinaed hardwood floors, natural light is in that echelon of amenities that make even the most jaded homeowner swoon. If you planning on getting an East facing house, you need to do a detailed vastu analysis before build you home on it.It is because, not every vastu is suitable for everyone. “Generally north light is calming," Frampton explains. Most part-shade areas are south- or west-facing with some structure – trees, sheds – blocking part of the day’s light. For sun-lovers like my parents, only a south-facing garden is acceptable. Frampton Co., for example, set up its office in a northern-facing room. Walls facing south should have a total window area at least 50 percent more than the combined window area of walls facing east and west. The warmth of the sun can help heat a south-facing property throughout the day 3. But highly personalized window treatments can mitigate the intensity: “Some clients love to wake up with the sun, in which case we’d match them with a high-transparency roller shade and decorative drapery. This happens because the Earth is a sphere and spins on an axis that is tilted 23 degrees (see "What Causes the Seasons?" The best advice for taking advantage of the sunlight exposure in Florida is to focus on the direction the rear of the house faces.As I mentioned earlier, it depends on you and on what you are specifically looking for. 17 East-south or south south-east angle protruding house is unfit. When you face south in an apartment in NYC you generally get direct sun for most of the day. Also, you do not get the harsh afternoon sun unless you have windows facing the West! While some passive solar features are relatively recent innovations, the practice of orienting a home to the path of the sun is as old as civilization itself. Other ways to incorporate natural light are light shelves, and lighter interior coloring to ensure maximum reflection value. The balance of sun works well for us during the summer. Sun-inspired house plans with entries facing south will have small south porches. However, there is one major downside about facing south, and you have to really experience it to understand. A cool-tone kitchen—like this one by Frampton Co.—would buffer warmer tones that will filter in from western exposure. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Condé Nast. Now its turn to discuss the same for an east facing house … Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement (updated as of 1/1/21) and Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement (updated as of 1/1/21) and Your California Privacy Rights. Morning sun is dominant in east-facing … The same house as ours that was south east facing had other disadvantages and cost more (and wasn’t available at the right time). Schoolchildren can tell you that the sun rises in the east and sets in the west – and if this were strictly true, building orientation would be fairly simple. I have foxgloves and hydrangeas etc - those in my side bed that prefer some shade. They let in the light all day long, and don't have as many problems with glare and heat as east- and west-facing windows do. Southern exposure is important in the city, and also in any house that wants to take advantage of solar energy-- if you live in the Northern Hemisphere, the sun comes from the south. To revisit this article, visit My Profile, then View saved stories. Why? And remember, in Florida, the back yard is possibly the most important living area in the household, so it’s best to focus on your back yard activities, rath… In the heat of the summer, however, these areas will need the most attention to prevent drying out. Undoubtedly the biggest appeal of a south facing home is the increased level of sunlight. If you're the kind who likes a bit of the bright morning sun, then south-east facing units are for you. In the winter (when rays shine at a lower angle), the sun’s rays shine below the overhangs to allow you to still benefit from their warmth. For colder climate locations, getting south facing house vastu is an add-on feature for the property purchasing, as the sunlight for most of the day offers natural heating in the house. In these circumstances Designer Bachman Brown Clem gravitates towards hues that are just as intense. Also, a house with plenty of natural light is more pleasant to be in. Similarly, for warmer climate locations, this should be avoided, or at least should have adequate shades around the house. This is so that one can determine where specific trigrams are located within the premises. I think we would have another hour if it wasn't for a tall house and tree next door in the west. To reduce the vastu dosha of south-east facing house, Siddha Shukra Yantra should be kept in the house. Locating the dining room or breakfast nook on an east wall makes the most of light potential in the morning. North-facing views provide lighting that is consistent throughout the day, never too harsh or too dull. © 2021 Condé Nast. Vastu for South East Facing House, Property, Plot, Kitchen, Main Door, Entrance, Bedroom. Design floor plans to use sun all day long. As Bachman Brown astutely points out, “I think it really depends on the hemisphere that you're in. Of course, some like to control the sun, in which case there are many blackout options available, even programmable," she says. Typically a north-facing home will only get sunlight in the back of the home and will be naturally cooler and darker than that of a south-facing home. *Others prefer the opposite, having the house face west so the backyard is facing east and benefits from the shade on a hot summer afternoon. Ad Choices, And how to soften the harsh light from certain orientations. Placing the house on an east-west access lets openable west-facing windows collect offshore breeze. Frampton Co., for example, set up its office in a northern-facing room. South facing patios will get the most sun. In a south facing house, assuming your south is not blocked by buildings or other structures, you will comparatively receive natural light for a longer duration (because of the sun’s path of movement). A study by the Bonneville Power Administration found that homes re-oriented toward the sun (without any additional solar features) saved between 10% and 20% on heating costs. 1. This makes them ideal for growing vegetables. Maximising on a… Our current house has a SE garden, and its great in the mornings and midday (when it's sunny), but we do lose the sun over the roof by mid-late afternoon ish depending on the season.