In September alone, the UK loses almost two hours of daylight. But while the days are shorter and blue skies are fewer in number, our desire for bright and airy spaces is as strong as ever.
Bringing natural light – and its associated health benefits – into our homes is an art form in itself. In search of inspiration, ELLE Decoration visited The Factory House, a quiet bolthole built on the site of a former gunpowder factory in Muiden designed by Inez Kuiper. Sitting on the bank of a natural lake, it is surrounded by forest, with the sea just a stone’s throw away.
Daylight pours into the house from every angle, through generous floor-to-ceiling glazing complemented by VELUX roof windows, placed rhythmically to heighten the architectural impact of the space.
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Among the assembled group of experts that joined ELLE Decoration were London-based designers Miminat Shodeinde and Hollie Bowden, Italian designer and art director Tommaso Spinzi, and German architect Katharina Buseinus.
Bowden, who specialises in creating bright, airy spaces filled with art and character, explained how daylight plays a crucial part in creating a mood.
‘I love it in autumn when daylight is streaming in from above,’ she said. ‘The sun is low and the effect is so wonderfully dramatic.’
Shodeinde, the founder of Miminat Designs, agreed, noting how the roof windows at The Factory House were ‘a very interesting and dynamic way to introduce natural light in a space’.
‘Daylight, for me, is absolutely everything,’ she added. ‘I think it’s the most important aspect of any space, any room.’
The benefits of natural light are manifestly clear, with countless studies demonstrating just how essential daylight light is to a healthy lifestyle – it can transform our mood and improve energy levels, concentration, creativity and sleep patterns.
There are also tangible mental health benefits – a review published in December 2021 concluded that each additional hour spent in natural light was linked to a corresponding decrease in the risk of developing long-term depression.
One recent scientific study, conducted by the Polytechnic University of Madrid, concluded that natural light can increase productivity by more than 60% — an insight that Buseinus, the German architect, has experienced firsthand. ‘With daylight, I feel more focused and in a way more present,’ she said. ‘Roof windows create perfect spaces for reflection and creativity.’
At the Factory House, the ever-evolving interplays of natural light and shadow created by the roof windows complement the design scheme. In the daytime, the black steel staircase is illuminated by shimmers of sunlight, which bounce across concrete and timber floors and soft furnishings.
But the advantages of VELUX roof windows go far beyond that. They ensure a healthier indoor environment with cleaner air thanks to the ‘stack effect’, whereby stale air is drawn out through the roof windows and replaced by fresh air entering on the lower floors.
There are also tangible energy savings, due to their ability to reduce reliance on artificial lighting by up to 20%. On cold, sunny days, south-facing roof windows allow sunlight to provide passive heating. Blackout shutters can be added for an extra layer of insulation, keeping indoor spaces warmer as outdoor temperatures drop.
At the end of their visit, the group reflected on the energising feeling created in the house.
For Spinzi, daylight equates to ‘life’.
Shodeinde added: ‘I just think it just puts you in a better mood, and makes you a happier, more productive person.’
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