Interior Design

Today I ran the 2nd day of a course on sustsinable interior design. Today's session focussed on using natural light. If we open our homes to natural light we reduce the need for energy hungry artificial light. We also reap the mental and physical health benefits of living in a light-filled home.

If you are building new, ensure the building is oriented on the plot to receive maximum natural light throughout the day. In hot climates you will need to use shading techniques to lower thermal gain and so reduce the need for cooling systems. In cooler climates, solid floors will store heat gained during the day to slowly relsease it at night.

Wherever you live, your home's interior design needs to be planned, or 'designed'. Too often we bring in decorators packaged as designers. A true designer will look at all the aspects of your lifestyle, your wider home environment, how the rooms flow from one to another, and from indoors to outside. Beware costly mistakes with an interior decorator/designer who may sell you beautiful curtains that do nothing to address the issues of do you have sufficient natural light in the room? and what can you do about it if you do not?