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Architect's Toolbox: Wash the Wall With Sunlight
Enrich your home's spaces and surfaces with a natural light show
Houzz Contributor. My name is Bud Dietrich and I am an architect located in the Tampa Bay area of Florida. I am licensed to practice architecture in Illinois, Florida, New Jersey & Wisconsin and I am a certificate holder from the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB). Since 1996 I have worked from my home office and provide full architectural services exclusively to the single family residential market. My passion is to transform my clients' houses into their homes. I strive to have the "new" home accommodate my clients' lives without fighting them at every junction. I look to add curb appeal to encourage a beautiful streetscape. And I design any addition to look and feel like it has always been there.
Our projects have won numerous design awards as well as having...
Houzz Contributor. My name is Bud Dietrich and I am an architect located... More »
Architects and designers relish the opportunity to explore ways to bring natural light inside. Whether it comes through a side window, skylight or indirectly, natural light enlivens a space.
One of the wondrous aspects of this design element is how the light changes with the time of day and the seasons. Capturing, molding and shaping this light will enrich your home and your life in the most basic and profound ways.
One of the wondrous aspects of this design element is how the light changes with the time of day and the seasons. Capturing, molding and shaping this light will enrich your home and your life in the most basic and profound ways.
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Light from above and the side washes across a surface to change how we see and understand that surface. Every variation in texture, joint line and piece of the surface is highlighted dramatically. We get a sense of how the wall was built and gives structure to the spaces.
Natural light washing across the surface from top to bottom makes this stairway a place to be, not just a place to walk through. In fact, placing a window or skylight at the top of the stairs is one of the most enriching ways to bring natural light inside. Think about what's more enjoyable — a stair that is bathed in light or one that's closed in by walls.
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by Bruce Wright
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| With the source of the natural light from the sides and above, the play of light and shadow across the wall is all the art work needed here. |
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The source of the light doesn't have to be visible. In fact, there are times when seeing the skylight is akin to the magician revealing the secret. It only takes away from the magic.
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A brick wall is a natural to be washed in light. The texture and overall feel that these bricks were stacked by hand comes out when lit this way.
by Concreteworks
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Certainly washing a tiled wall in light is an effective way to add beauty to a bathroom. Providing a slot of light that allows the tile to run up past the ceiling line gives an incomparable sense of spaciousness.
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by Charles DeLisle
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| Rather than a soft, overall wash, a skylight can provide a strong focused shaft of light. The important point is that the shaft of light will change position throughout the day. It can almost be to mark time. More: The High Light: Clerestory Windows |
Comments
Adam Unfortunately these nice room pictures only last for a short period time during sunny days. Besides most of us are at work or out running errands on the weekend when this happen.
16 months ago · Like
jenson Lovely ideabook!
16 months ago · Like
CAROLE MEYER Beautiful photos. I love the sun washing down the walls in our outdoor living room here in Mexico. 
16 months ago · Like
Bud Dietrich, AIA Thanks jenson and Carole, your house in Mexico looks really lovely.
16 months ago · Like
saya85 heres a question though.... if you have a room that has a northfacing window and therefore not very sunny.... do you keep the colours light and bright? or go darker for a more intimate dramatic look?
16 months ago · Like
etherial Just absolutely beautiful!
16 months ago · Like
Cindy Strobel By using a domed barrel sky light in my small bathroom, with 8ft ceilings, a western faced stained glass window and a re- purposed mirror that I refurbished my self with driftwood and a concrete mermaid, made this bath seem larger than it really is! I also added the chandelier for a mood effect. 
16 months ago · Like
thirdstone inc. [^] Great topic and examples. I did the same on one of my own projects - LG House. In this example we placed the skylight on the north side of the house. It provides plenty of indirect light without the heat gain. Also, an operable skylight at the top of stair creates a stack effect allowing hot air to escape. 
16 months ago · Like
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cristenb Well, Adam, sounds like you don't really appreciate good architecture...rather negative!
15 months ago · Like
Ideabook published on Feb. 7, 2012.
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