Take advantage of natural light

After one of the dullest springs in living memory we're all craving a little more sunshine.

It's only natural, of course. Take a stroll down Lonsdale Avenue when the sun finally does come out and you'll experience it first hand. We all want sunlight. We need it. Why is it then that so many homes fail to capture it?

The relative position of the sun in the sky is determined by the time of day and by the season of the year. In northern latitudes facing south means facing the sun. It will rise in the east and set in the west. We all know this but we often fail to translate this understanding into a meaningful expression when it comes to our homes.

Photograph by: Mike Wakefield, NEWS photo

When laying out a new home the first thing the designer will do is determine the lighting requirements for specific spaces and then locate these spaces to best take advantage of natural light. This typically means maximizing southern exposure (for us dwellers in the northern hemisphere) and often encourages a form that stretches along an east-west axis. Not every property affords such a layout so understanding the movement of the sun to best capture its rays is an essential first step for any project.

As a general rule spaces like a dining area or den require less light than do the kitchen or living room. Morning light is best utilized by morning activity areas such as en-suites and breakfast nooks while afternoon and evening light better illuminates spaces that buzz later in the day.

Once a general room layout based on sun movement has been established the designer or architect begins to consider how this natural light will illuminate the spaces it enters. Light coming from two directions is always ideal. This might be from windows on adjacent walls or from a window wall and skylight above but having light illuminate a space from two directions adds a vividness to the room and enhances its three-dimensionality.

The use of a wall or ceiling surfaces as a reflector can create interesting and appealing lighting options while helping illuminate from multiple directions as well.

A clerestory is a wonderful way of bringing additional light but one must be cautious about bringing in too much. With sunlight comes warmth. Incorporating well-designed overhangs will block out the unwanted, near-vertical rays of summer while still allowing the warming light of a winter sun to make its way deep into the home.

Everything seen in space is perceived and understood through the light that falls upon it. The more we anticipate how natural light affects our layout, the more we move towards an optimal design for our homes.

Outdoor room extends space

North Shore residents have a special connection with the outdoors -- I'd say we're among a select few "big city" dwellers who aren't shocked to see a black bear or coyote rambling down our neighbourhood streets -- and for many of us it's this proximity to nature that's the reason we live where we do.

Photograph by: Mike Wakefield, NEWS photo

The newly coined "Nature Deficit Disorder" that's plaguing many urbanites these days will have a tough time affecting us.

We're seeing a popular trend in home design to extend the interior day-to-day living spaces of a home to the out-of-doors through the use of well-defined outdoor rooms. The barbecue nook with adjoining multi-purpose plastic chairs and table is transforming into dedicated outdoor kitchens, eating and lounging areas that truly bring the indoors out.

If you're thinking about creating an outdoor room for your home here are a few ideas you may want to incorporate:

• The outdoor room should be a natural extension of the interior space of a home with the delineation between inside and out as seamless as possible. Keep the floor levels between interior and exterior spaces as close as possible and pick exterior furniture and accessories that reflect the style and design of the interior. Long gone are the days of the molded plastic garden furniture as today's offerings are stylish, colourful and comfortable.
• Plan your outdoor room as you would any interior area within your home. Delineate areas for specific tasks. If you're focusing on an outdoor kitchen then anticipate adequate areas to work and to lounge. If you're designing an outdoor living area think about how you will furnish the space, how you will circulate through it and what elements might become a focus for the space such as an outdoor fireplace or a landscape feature.
• Think beyond a simple barbecue and purchase or build a grill island. This full-service cooking centre may have storage cabinets, warming drawers, a sink and even an under-counter fridge - but make sure it's only a cold storage for drinks and the like or those rambling north shore bears will be enjoying your outdoor kitchen as well.
• Think about adding gas or electric heaters to your layout.The addition of heat can make a huge difference on how frequently an outdoor space is used. If designed correctly an outdoor fireplace can produce lots of heat and can make an outdoor lounging area an inviting place even on the chilliest of evenings.
• Make sure to generously cover your outdoor area to ensure greater use year round. A pergola with grapevines is visually nice and will provide shade but will not keep out the rain. We live in a very wet climate here on the North Shore. Our outdoor spaces need to reflect this reality.
• Think about sheltering your outdoor room from the wind as a cool breeze is a sure way to send everyone inside. Latticework with trailing vines, a tight wood screen or a densely planted hedge will all do the trick nicely.
• Exterior lighting is a critical component of a successful outdoor room. Think about lighting the outside as you would the inside with general, task and feature lighting. There are loads of new energy-efficient all-weather options on the market these days.

Adding an outdoor room to your home is a wonderful way of expanding your daily life into the outdoors and making nature a place to inhabit rather than just a place to look at.

Build an energy efficient new home

If you're building a new home and want to make it as energy efficient as possible, you might want to consider Natural Resource Canada's (NRCan) ecoENERGY for Buildings and Houses program.

The NRCan's Office of Energy Efficiency has created the EnerGuide rating service to give expert independent advice on energy-efficient home construction and to provide an energy rating system that reflects a home's energy performance.

Green washing abounds in the construction industry and it's all too common hear claims of energy efficiency without the proof.

The EnerGuide rating system provides this proof by using a standardized rating system that generates a number, backed by the Government of Canada, that can be openly compared between homes.

The rating system is based on a scale from 0 to 100 with 0 representing a home with no insulation, enormous air leakage and over-the-top energy consumption -- picture a derelict barn with a low-efficiency furnace running at max -- and 100 representing a home that is very well insulated, is airtight while being well ventilated and is completely off-grid, requiring no purchased energy whatsoever.

A new home built to current building code standards will typically fall in an EnerGuide rating range of 65 to 72. A new home with some modest energy-efficiency improvements will fall in the range of 73 to 79.

A new energy-efficient home with significant energy-efficient upgrades will rank somewhere between 80 and 89 while a super energy-efficient home, one that requires little or no purchased energy, will rate between 90 and 100.

Many municipalities today recognize the EnerGuide rating system and grant bonuses for new home construction with an EG value of 80 or more.

The District of North Vancouver, for example, offers a density bonus from two to 10 per cent with EG ratings of 80 or more.

Taking part in the Energuide program requires the prospective homebuilder to acquire the services of a certified EnerGuide adviser who will evaluate their construction documents to develop an energy-efficiency upgrade strategy before the building starts.

The adviser will use computer software to model different options, focusing on the heating and ventilation equipment of the home and its building envelope, to create the most cost-effective solutions for optimal energy efficiency.

After construction, the Energuide adviser returns and verifies the energy efficient upgrades and performs a blower door test. The homeowner is then provided with an evaluation report and an official EnerGuide rating.

Simply put, an energy-efficient home uses less energy and is less expensive to operate. By creating one, we choose to invest in the proven value of an energy-efficient home while helping to protect the environment as well.

Stairway can create excitement

Locating a stair is likely the single most important planning decision the designer makes when laying out a home.

The stair can become one of the most dynamic and interesting elements of a layout, presenting an exciting sculptural form that efficiently moves occupants from one level to the next, or it can wreak havoc with a plan, disrupting every space it adjoins while generating awkward circulation patterns throughout the home. It all depends on how it's located.

Photograph by: Paul McGrath, NEWS photo

As a general rule, the stair should be relatively centralized in its location and should be easily accessible by its occupants. It can slide neatly up the side of a corridor, sweep formally out of a central hall or be a feature element of a home, but in all circumstances needs to simplify circulation rather than confuse it.

Vertical movement through space is an inherently dynamic circulation experience and demonstrates the power of the stair to create drama. Spatial relationships created by height differences can suggest feelings of authority or distance while the physical shape of the stair can create a sense of excitement. Architects and designers understand this and design the stair as a staging area for dramatic experience rather than solely as a means of getting from one floor to another.

But the getting from the one floor to other is the raison d'être of a stair and there are a few basic principles one needs to understand when designing one. It may seem obvious but a staircase occupies a volume that's more than one storey in height. One of the most common mistakes made by first-year architectural students is to design a stair that at some point runs itself into the floor above. Laying one out is not as easy as it seems. When thinking about the relationship of the step height to its depth (the riser height to tread depth), use this formula: riser + tread = 17.5 inches. There are building code limitations at the extremes of height and depth, but this rule of thumb can be very helpful.

Here are a few design tips that can make for a more appealing and dramatic stair:

• Let an open stair run down the side of a room. Removing the dividing wall between stair and room creates a dynamic within the room and helps make the room feel larger too.
• Place a skylight above a stair. A staircase is a vertical shaft that runs through your home. The light that washes over it will carry right through the house as well.
• Create a window seat on a stair landing. A landing forms a natural stopping point and lends itself as the perfect "getaway" spot.
• Use the walls that abut the ends of the stair as feature walls for artwork and sculpture.
• Place the stair near the entry, where the added height created by the stair volume will enhance the feeling of grandeur.

With a little forethought and design, the simple circulation device that allows us to move from one level to the next can become one of the most dramatic and appealing elements of our home.

Compare cost of renovation vs. new build

How big a renovation is too big? Well, the answer is: it all depends.

Small renovations that tackle specific and identifiable inadequacies to an otherwise functional home are generally the most prudent and cost effective. They generally don't hold enough momentum to initiate "project creep" and, if thought out well, can add significant value both as a livable environment and as a monetary investment.

Project creep is the tendency of a project to grow beyond the original scope of work for various unanticipated reasons brought to light by the renovation -- one may decide to completely replace drain tile around their home after digging up a small portion of it or be faced with a total electrical upgrade after realizing their current system is inadequate -- but regardless of the circumstance, the result of project creep is more work done and a more expensive project.

Medium-scale renovations are far more susceptible to project creep and need to be carefully monitored in order to not grow out of control. It's easy to keep adding to the program until the medium-sized project has grown into something so extensive that both its affordability and value are called into question.

Photograph by: Mike Wakefield, NEWS photo

As renovations become bigger and more involved it's essential to determine whether it's really worth it. An extensive renovation to an older home will likely cost more than building new.

At a certain point in a large-scale renovation the existing home becomes a liability rather than an asset.

Keeping existing spaces and forms is one thing, but transforming everything while being hamstrung by an existing framework is another. One needs to recognize when this point is crossed.

It's good to ask yourself if the cost of the new renovated home added to the value of the existing property will hold its overall worth in its given context? In many circumstances, it might it be wiser to sell the existing house, add the renovation budget to the overall sum and purchase something new that already has what you're looking for.

One compelling reason to keep an existing home, even through a large-scale renovation, is that the existing home gives you something you won't get if you start anew.

This typically comes in the form of an existing non-conformity where the existing building contravenes a zoning bylaw -- in its location on site or in its overall height, for example -- and won't be required to meet the new standards provided the renovation doesn't make the existing condition worse.

If you're confronted with the dilemma of an involved renovation, the first thing you need to ask yourself is if you're committed to living where you are. If so, it then comes down to whether it's renovate or build anew.

For those individuals planning to spend the rest of their lives on a given plot of land, the monetary considerations might not be that pertinent, but for most people, the balance between what you want and what makes good market sense needs to be addressed.

Flexible living spaces are ideal

Are the spaces in your home really designed for the activities that take place within them? Do you find rooms that you use every day to be simply too small while others, some lying vacant most of the year, are just swimming in area?

If the answer is yes, don't be surprised as a vast majority of our homes have been designed on a planning model that is long outdated and in desperate need of a rethink.

Many of our homes have been designed with the notion that separate activities need to be housed in separate spaces, an idea routed in a more formal way of living that's not appropriate to today's lifestyle.

Look around and you'll see it everywhere: a main entry that's used rarely while the more convenient, day-to-day entry is littered with recycling bins, hockey gear or whatever detritus daily life sheds or a formal dining or living area that lies empty most of the year, standing testament to a bygone era rather than being part of the daily life.

A great exercise for homeowners is to look carefully at how they truly live within their homes. Walk around your home and quickly pace out the spaces within it to get a rough square footage area of each. Make a list of these spaces and their accompanying area and write down what activity goes on in the space and how it's being used. The numbers might surprise you. It's amazing how much space goes unused in the average home.

I find such an exercise a great starting point for rethinking the planning of a house. One sees how the square footage of the most used spaces of the home compare to other areas and gives an immediate insight to where a little trimming and relocation of space might be in order.

One should think of spaces in their home not as rooms surrounded by four walls but rather as places that house activity. As one moves through their home they move through a series of these places, some by necessity independent and private and others interconnected at varying levels openness. Spaces within a well designed home will be flexible and adaptable and, above all, will be used every day.

Meet need for personal space

The well designed home responds to the changing social demands of its occupants by providing spaces that allow a gradation in privacy from communal to private.

We as human beings are keenly aware of our personal space and our relationship with others. We feel comfortable in environments that recognize our varying needs for personal and private space and allow us to express ourselves equally as active members of the family and as individuals.

Older homes provided distinct spaces for distinct functions with communal areas such as the kitchen, living room or dining room being individual spaces that had little or no spatial interconnectivity with the other communal areas. A person working in the kitchen, for example, would need to leave the room in order to participate in a conversation in the living room, a complete disassociation from one space for the enjoyment of another. These homes are the product of a bygone era when construction methods, mechanical considerations and general lifestyle were far different than they are today.

Photograph by: Mike Wakefield, NSN photo

Modern homes typically try to dissolve this strict delineation of spaces in favour of a more open free-form layout that allows both a visual and acoustical connection between communal spaces. The open plan concept is a good answer to many of the old drawbacks but the concept can be taken too far with large open spaces ideal for parties and family functions giving no respite to a family member who needs to escape the hustle-bustle of household life. Semi-private areas that would allow a degree of isolation, without being disconnected from the family, are absent and the weary occupant is forced to retreat to a bedroom or an equally private zone.

The ideal layout lies somewhere in between. There's no doubt that the modern lifestyle is well suited to the "open plan" concept and with the introduction of so-called "semi-private" zones to this type of layout will meet our varying needs for personal space.

An alcove off the main gathering area is an excellent example of a semi-private area. It allows one to remove themselves from the focal activity zone of say the kitchen or living room without having to move into another room. A visual and auditory connection can be maintained but the alcove still provides a psychological disconnect.

A dedicated room that maintains a visual connection to the main activity hub takes the concept of the semi-private space a little further. Glazed french doors or pocket doors work well in such a space as both doors can remain open to make a strong connection to the communal area or can be closed off if the situation dictates. An office or reading room works in such a semi-private zone, maintaining a connection with the heart of the home while allowing a degree of disassociation.

As much as we require time together we also require time apart. A well designed home will reflect this ever changing need by providing its occupants the opportunity to express themselves communally, privately and every way between.