Exterior of custom built home by Falcon Alaska

How To Maximize Sunlight in Your Custom Home Design

If you want to build a custom home in Anchorage or the Mat-Su Valley, incorporating architectural design features that maximize natural light can make living in your new home an even greater joy.

You’ll be able to overlook the panoramic views of your property and enjoy all the benefits of natural light, such as enhanced mood and productivity and improved energy efficiency.

No matter what architectural style you envision for your forever home, Falcon Alaska will design and build an open and inviting space. From strategically placed windows to eye-catching skylights, we understand how natural light can enhance your home’s aesthetic appeal and your personal well-being.

Considerations for Enhancing Natural Light

Direct sunlight from the south can illuminate your home, while indirect sunlight from the north provides a soft glow. Consider how light impacts your home’s design:

  • How will your home be oriented on the lot?
  • Which rooms will you use most frequently? Where will they be situated in your floor plan?
  • Are there any trees, neighboring homes, or other features that may block sunlight from your home?
  • Where can you add reflective materials like mirrors and lighter paint colors that will pull natural light into the space?

Architectural Features That Bring More Sunlight

As the Mat-Su Valley’s trusted design/build firm since 1995, Falcon creates custom homes that beautifully combine innovative design and functional solutions.

Our designers are skilled at incorporating architectural features that optimize the amount of natural light entering a home, including:

Window Walls

Whether you choose window walls, oversized windows, or simply more windows, the result is more daylight.

Designing your custom home with more windows on the south-facing side lets you enjoy more hours of natural light and helps you save on energy costs.

Glass Doors & Sliding Panels

Interior and exterior glass doors and sliding glass panels are some of the best ways to allow more natural light into the home.

They also allow for a better view of your property and easy access to outdoor living spaces.

Skylights

Skylights are a sustainable, energy-efficient, and beautiful way to brighten the indoors.

Use them to create dramatic accents in bathrooms, hallways, kitchens, and other spaces.

Lightwells

Incorporating a lightwell into your custom home introduces light from multiple angles and creates a sense of openness.

It’s a creative way to brighten otherwise dim areas, such as interior rooms with no windows.

Open Floor Plans

Open floor plans and high ceilings maximize the flow of natural light and create a visual perception of more space.

It also facilitates a smooth transition from one room to another, so the design and function of your home are more cohesive.

Request a Consultation With Falcon Alaska

At Falcon, we understand how Alaska’s extended summer daylight hours and limited winter daylight hours present a unique challenge to incorporating natural light.

This is one of many considerations we incorporate when designing your custom home. We’ll work with you every step of the way to craft a design that will make your house feel like home and bring it to life through efficient construction.

Contact us online or call 907-745-3865 today to learn more about our process and schedule a consultation.

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