As a designer, I love working with clients on new builds; blank canvas, endless possibilities, and lots of hopes and dreams. For the most part, I tell people who are building a new home to come and see me once they have their first draft of plans, but before anything is finalized. We can then walk through things like flow, function, space planning for furniture, and electrical notes, all things that are almost free to change on paper, but become very expensive once the construction on the building has begun.
Recently I was in a home that changed that for me -- It sits on a large storybook property that is flat and has great curb appeal. Nothing felt amiss until I was inside the home and looking out at the pool, this is when I came to the realization that the pool is located on the northern side of the property. Being on the north side limits the pool and patio’s exposure to the sun tremendously. This may not be a big deal if you are living in a climate that is ridiculously hot all year, but here in British Columbia, where sunny days are short and far too few, it feels like such a shame. I was raised in West Vancouver, a neighbourhood where most of the homes had pools, and I learned early on that there are different ways to position a home so that the outdoor living spaces and amenities enjoy the greatest amounts of sunlight. I also learned that a wet bathing suit feels even colder if you are sunbathing to the north. For example, the home I grew up in could not be viewed from the street. The driveway access came from the front of the lot which faced south. Therefore, the tennis court, pool, and cabana all sat in front of the house so that our wonderful amenities had the advantage of sunlight continuously throughout the day. The majority of south-facing properties in our neighbourhood had homes situated to the north side of the property so that their pools and entertainment areas faced south. My current front door faces the back of my lot and has a northern exposure. The south of my property faces the street. Access from the street is by way of a long driveway that leads past our landscaping feature, a pond, and south facing pool. Once past the pool, the driveway continues to lead around the house to parking and our front entrance on the north side of the property. We have designed the backside of the house with curb appeal in mind because it is the side seen from the road. Our kitchen, living room, and office are all south facing, and look onto the pool and the street. If our house was set on the south side of our lot, we would not get direct sunlight into our pool area and the house would create shade over the pool. We are also able to take advantage of our mountain view from the same side. To truly get the very best possible design for your home, walk the lot with your builder and architect or home designer. Talk about what is important to you, and consider the exposure and specifics of the lot to ensure that these things are considered when determining the best position for the home. Many builders are used to doing things the way they always have and will orient a house in the easiest or most traditional way. If your architect has never walked your lot, how will they know what the lot’s features maybe? Would you like to wake up to the sunshine? Consider having your bedroom windows facing east. Morning breakfast nook? East may be your preference here as well depending on the time of day you eat breakfast. Do you hate having a hot bedroom for sleeping? If so confirm that your bedroom will not face south or west to help minimize hot sun, especially at the end of the day. Consider privacy and window coverings. Does your bathroom look right into the neighbour’s yard? If it does, think about window coverings or privacy films for windows. If the main living spaces of the house face south, would you want blinds or sunshades to block sunlight? Does your property have a view? If so, which rooms in the house are the most desirable ones to take advantage of it? If one side of your property faces a busy or ugly space, keep windows on that exposure to a minimum, using wall space for cabinets, appliances, or storage spaces. Use the same exposure considerations when planning for landscaping, fences, and features in the yard. Sunlight, wind, and outlook will all impact the types of trees and plants you will want to incorporate and how much maintenance will be required. Think about outdoor living spaces, barbeques, and where you would like to be able to sit or eat at various times of the day. The outside faces of your home will also require maintenance. In climates that are either hot or very wet, incorporate large overhangs around your building. Not only will they provide you with living spaces sheltered from sunlight and rain, but they will also protect your home exteriors from harsh elements and help to cut down on sun-dried painted surfaces and potential water damage behind exterior surfaces. Large overhangs can also provide shelter for barbeque areas and will help to protect outdoor furnishings. Every lot has unique features and benefits that should be considered before your home plan is committed to paper. Providing your builder and architect with the areas that are most important to you in terms of sunlight and view will help them to best determine both the layout and the correct placement of your home on your lot. Consider carefully the long-term implications of having rooms and outdoor living spaces that are not placed in the most optimum way as they may impact your own personal enjoyment as well as resale value.
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