Natural Light for Stitching

We're planning/hoping to build a house in the next few years and I'm working on our house design now. I'd love to have a sun room for stitching, but the current plan would only have a space on the South East corner. But since we are in the very earliest stages - thinking about what spaces we need and what relationships we want them in - that could be changed.

In fact, one plan has an office/guest suite as a north extension with windows to the east, north and west - that may end up being my stitching space!

One note - the best building sites on our farm are on a east facing slope, plus those areas give the best views.

If you had your ideal natural light for stitching, where would you place your sun room for the best light? North, South, East, West, or a corner - NE, SE, NW, SW?

Reply to
woodswell
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Lucky you! I suppose it depends if you`re an early or late riser/stitcher. If early, East, NE or SE, or if a late stitcher you might need to take advantage of a Western sky. However, don`t forget that strong sunlight "washes out" colours, and artists prefer a North light so you don`t have any extremes. Personally I`d plump for the Eastern aspect in your case, since it has the best views and won`t have the full glare of the mid-day sun. But then I`m not a heat-freak!

Pat P

Reply to
Pat P

Ah. I had a living room with windows on 3 sides in Colorado Springs (300+ days of sunshine a year.) The middle window was southern so I had natural light all day long. I stitched more in that room than any other place I've ever lived.

Donna in Virginia

Reply to
major moxie

I would go for the north light which is somewhat diffused I think. Artists studios (in books anyway) always have a north light. Also I don't like heat so I wouldn't want south or west facing rooms.

Alis>

Reply to
Alison

I'd plan on a room that could get lots of light from the east and then the south. Also, think about where your trees are/will be. You'd be amazed at how much that affects your light.

Cheryl

Reply to
Cheryl Isaak

Most of my stitching is done in the living room, which is southeast. The only 2 problems are, (1) at one point in the morning (a time when I'm usually sitting and stitching) the sun is at an angle that it's directly in my eyes, and (2) that room gets dark earlier in the evening than the west side of the house. (Unfortunately, my only western windows are in the kitchen, which is not comfortable for stitching.)

Reply to
Karen C - California

Another possibility for interior natural light... one or more Solatubes or similar "light pipes". Or consider a stepped roof with clerestories. Both tend to be much better in terms of energy efficiencies and provide good light.

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Reply to
Kay Lancaster

This is really a reply to everyone!

I'm not a morning person, so having an east facing room might not be the best idea. ;-) I've been thinking that the room with light from three sides would be best, especially with the north facing window giving good indirect light all day. At Callaway, the room where we did Japanese Embroidery had floor to ceiling windows facing east and west. Early in the morning and late in the afternoon, the direct light could be blinding.

Also, we're in the Southeast - a south facing window would heat the room, probably too much. I've been thinking of changing the orientation of the house anyway so that the "public" rooms get the southern sun, but would have a porch all the way across that side for shade - and not have the direct light for needlework.

I thought about Solatubes - they do work great. If we do not go up to a second story for space, I may put some in, especially in the middle of the house where we are planning our library/office.

The location of the house will have trees on all four sides, though most will be far enough away to not directly shade the house. Our current house has a huge live oak that fully shades the southern side - nice in the summer but it is really dark and gloomy in the winter.

Thank you everyone for your suggestions and thoughts!

Anne

Cheryl Isaak Wrote:

Reply to
woodswell

That's my problem, too. Unfortunately, when you buy a house ready-made, you takes what you gets. And since it's in a Historic Preservation District, I can't do anything to change it.

Reply to
Karen C - California

We are pretty lucky with our current house - the living room goes all the way through the house and it gets both east and west light, as well as air flow through when the weather allows. But there are other rooms that would make better stitching spaces only they do not have good light, partly due to the trees.

That is why I've decided that if we are going to build a custom house, I WILL have a stitching space. It may not be a dedicated room, but there will be a space just for stitching and lots of space for stash storage and needlework books.

Anne

Reply to
woodswell

or more Solatubes

Clerestory windows will not fit with the style of house we want, plus we have good views pretty much all the way around so if I am going to have windows interrupting the walls, I want to see out.

Here we have four or months of the year that are nice enough to be able to open the windows - we closed ours this afternoon for the first time in two weeks and that was only due to rain. With the right overhang and porches, we could have left the windows open since it was not windy.

I've never been fond of skylights - I've seen way too many problems with leaks. That would be my major worry with light pipes - I'm planning a metal roof and want as few holes in it as possible.

Reply to
woodswell

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