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October 6, 2007
Will adding windows make the room a lot brighter?
We are considering a brownstone in Park Slope but are a bit worried b/c the ground floor, where the main living area is, is kind of dark. It's a south facing house so the front gets afternoon light but not a ton. Plus it's 45 ft long so even the front light doesn't get too far in terms of lighting the place.
If we put in a nice big bay window in the front and then opened the back wall up as much as possible with almost floor to ceiling windows, would it make a considerable difference in terms of how much natural light gets in?
Or is it really hard to say? Or is the answer definitely no?
It's hard for us to guage whether it will make a considerable difference, but we really think we can't live in a place that has such little natural light (the way it is now).
Just wondering if any of you have specific experiences or thoughts on this. It is the parlor floor but the building has a low stoop so it's not as high off the ground as most parlor levels.
Comments
Nope, definitely think more windows will make the place darker.
Posted by: guest at October 6, 2007 6:04 PM
I've found if you put the openings in the floorplan where they were originally when the house was first built, and then put the mirrors back over the mantels, the pier mirrors, etc. you'll find there's a lot of reflected light. I also found if mirrors are placed around the house where they once were, there are interesting effects such as being able to sit in the back parlor and see that someone is coming to the front door.
Windows will help, but putting a bay window on the ground floor in the front is usually frowned on in Brownstone Brooklyn for two reasons - it WILL lower the value of your property by destroying original detail and often - if the area is landmarked - you could be stopped or fined.
You'd be amazed though, how much opening up the back wall with sliding glass doors can do to lighten up the place. I've seen this in a few places and have always been impressed.
But seriously, first, try a little work restoring original layout and using mirrors inside.
Posted by: guest at October 6, 2007 7:55 PM
7:55- thank you. That was very useful advice (OP here). The property is not landmarked by the way and we feel that adding the bay window will not destroy the original character from both inside and outside, but that is a good warning/suggestion that we will definitely consider!
Glad to hear that opening the back wall has such a positive effect usually.
Many thanks!
Posted by: guest at October 6, 2007 8:17 PM
Many old brownstones have a internal shaft that's either not used or boarded up. It's feasible to open up this shaft with a skylight on the roof and you can actually bring light into the center of the layout. I've only seen this used for baths on floor 2 of a 4 story, but might be worth checking.
Posted by: cmu at October 6, 2007 9:27 PM
I'm an interior designer and agree with previous comments about opening up the back...it makes a tremendous difference. Also using transons on any interior walls will allow the light to pull through the entire space. Mirrors in the original places also will help as will the front window. Good lighting design can compensate for any natural light shortcomings. It's not the same as sunlight, of course, but will make a dreary space feel light and inviting.
Posted by: shoeboxinteriors at October 9, 2007 11:41 AM
Agree with above comments. The opening up of the back wall is a big bonus. You have to do your homework in terms of how to stabilize the rear facade if you remove significant portions of masonry and replace it with a primarily glass solution. An Architect/Structural Enginner can assist.
Also, another idea. Similar to the comment regarding using an existing shaft/dumbwaiter as means of drawing in light, you may consider a more dramatic option. We proposed this in a previous renovation design; if you actually cut back and remove the floor plate above the parlor level, maybe 10-12 feet or so, you can really get added light from the upper windows streaming in to the parlor level. Essentially, you are creating a double height space, presumedly in a public portion of the house. The upper floor becomes a kind of mezzanine which overlooks the parlor level. It can really help in connecting the spaces of the house and allowing light to bleed deeper into the center of the house. You do lose some floor area, but if you are occupying the whole house I certainly believe its value added in terms of quality of space.
A third idea. This has been done quite a bit. If you open up the wall between the living areas and the common coorridor, creating a large opening, 16 feet let's say, you can get borrowed light from the stairwell (typically there is a skylight at the roof level of the stair). Again, this requires some structural reinforcement to carry the load of the walls above (by adding a beam + columns typically), but it can really help open up the parlor space.
Hope this helps,
George Roushakes, R.A. | T: 917.647.2678
george@pulse3am.com
Posted by: guest at October 10, 2007 11:11 AM
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