Architecture ·
Designing Around Natural Light
Northern light is low and soft for most of the year. We plan houses to make the most of it.
In Manchester the sun is low for most of the year and the sky is often bright but overcast. That light is a gift for interiors: soft, even, almost shadowless. It is also easy to waste.
We begin every project by drawing where the light falls through the day and the year. Rooms are then placed by use: kitchens east for breakfast, studies north for even light, baths west for the evening.
Surfaces matter as much as windows. Lime plaster, oiled timber and honed stone all scatter light gently. A pale wall in a matte mineral finish can lift a north-facing room more than a larger window would.
Artificial light comes last, and we keep it low and warm. A room that is lit like daylight at night never feels restful.