How to choose a bright apartment? Where is it better to have windows in the apartment? What does the sunny side of the apartment mean?

If you buy an apartment, it may turn out to be a purchase for a lifetime, so you need to be extremely careful in choosing your future home. You need to be especially careful about which side the windows will face. Even if this is a one-room apartment, they can go out on two sides at once, but the windows of the living room are of the greatest importance.

Southern apartments

A dwelling with windows to the south is most often considered the most successful. Even the price of such apartments is usually higher than all the others. In addition to the fact that rooms with southern windows will be lit most of the day and you won't have to spend a lot of money on electricity to light them, sunlight also has a beneficial effect on the human body. Under the influence of the sun, serotonin is produced, and if the windows are open, then vitamin D.

However, before making a choice on which side to choose living, you need to remember that too much sun and constant light in the rooms can even be annoying. Wallpaper will fade from it, and watching TV will not be so convenient. Therefore, when purchasing an apartment with south-facing windows, take care of the shade curtains.

West and East

The most neutral options on which side it is better to buy an apartment are west and east. The choice of one side or the other depends on your tastes. If you do not like to get up early, it is better not to buy housing with east windows - the sun will shine in your eyes at dawn and interfere with sleep. For larks, such rooms can be an ideal option.
Apartments with windows to the west will give you the opportunity to enjoy the most beautiful sunsets. However, in the summer, the sun shines in them closer to the night, while being quite annoying. Therefore, if you have to go to bed early, it is better to neglect the beautiful sunsets and choose windows on the other side.

north side

Usually, apartments in which all windows face north are considered unsuccessful. However, if it is located above the 5th floor, and the windows overlook the forest, stadium, kindergarten or other space not occupied by high-rise buildings, then there will be no lack of light in such an apartment. But there will be no scorching sun, from which you will have to hide most of the year.

Living quarters with northern rooms are preferred by people who work from home. Especially - creative professions: photographers, artists, writers and programmers.

On which side to buy an apartment, only you decide. And specialists from the company can help you with the purchase realndv.ru. We offer you a huge number of housing options with windows on different sides of the world, so that you choose the option that suits you perfectly.

When buying a home, it is worth considering - where it is better for the windows of the apartment to go out. After all, with sufficient illumination, you can save on electricity. In addition, a person living in a more lit room is more likely to have a good mood, because. Light stimulates the production of serotonin, the hormone of happiness.

When deciding which side the windows in the apartment should face, be guided by your lifestyle. For example, if you are a "lark" and are used to going to bed early, then the best option is windows to the east, because. in the evening, the sun's rays will not interfere with sleep, and in the morning the rising sun will wake you up. For "owls" the western side is more suitable: in the morning the sun will not wake up early, and the evening will brighten up with the rays of the setting sun.

It is impossible to unambiguously answer the question "Which side is better for windows to go out on?" It is necessary to take into account the individual rhythm of life, personal wishes, requirements and even marital status.

Apartments with south windows

Windows on the southern sides of the building are a guaranteed source of natural light and heat in the apartment. This will especially please flower growers, because. flowers and seedlings grow well. Buildings with southern windows are especially suitable for people who spend the whole daylight hours at home - parents with children, pensioners, people working at home. Under the influence of sunlight, pathogens reduce their activity, so if one person is sick, then the rest of the family can avoid the disease.

Unfortunately, on the sunny side, walls, furniture upholstery, and household appliances screens quickly burn out. Blinds, Roman blinds, blackout curtains will help here. In summer, air conditioning will save you from the heat in such an apartment. It will be a big plus if shady trees grow under the windows: without shading the premises in winter, they will save you from the heat in summer. Protect from the heat and the presence of loggias and balconies.

In an apartment with windows to the south, it is a little warmer in the autumn-spring time, when the heating is not yet turned on or is already turned off due to the fact that the walls are warmed up from the sun.

INTERESTING! Basically, satellites providing telecommunications services "hang" above the equator, so if you want to use satellite TV, then going south is an ideal option for an antenna.

Apartments with north windows

For lovers of twilight and people who can hardly tolerate the heat, apartments with windows to the north, northeast or northwest are recommended. In such a room, even on cloudless days, due to lack of light, it is quite darkened, the sun's rays will not blind your eyes, and it will always be cool, even in hot summer. This is also true for people who are engaged in photography, painting, programming, design.

The problem of increasing the illumination of the apartment, if necessary, can always be solved by the correct selection of wallpaper and artificial lighting.

Apartments with east windows

The most versatile window arrangement. The rising sun sets you in a good mood in the morning. In the evening, the sun no longer disturbs. An ideal indoor climate is created - not hot in summer, not cold in winter.

With eastern windows, there may be a lack of sunlight in the afternoon, but for a bedroom where people relax after work, solar lighting is not relevant.

An apartment with eastern windows will be appreciated by flower growers - the plants will grow beautifully, because. sunlight will be enough for them.

Apartments with western windows

The sun's rays fall at an angle smaller than in the south, and therefore illuminate the rooms better. The room does not heat up in the heat, moderately darkened. After work, you can enjoy a beautiful view of the sunset.

Well, when the kitchen windows face west, after work until late in the evening you can not turn on the light until the sun sets over the horizon.

The best option is when the windows face all sides. The north and west sides are suitable for working rooms, kitchens, cabins, bathrooms and offices. In bedrooms, it is better to have windows facing east or west. A large number of windows on the south side - a guarantee of good natural light and heat. Place a nursery or living room in this room.

Choice features:

• Keep in mind that sometimes the view from the window is more important than which side the windows face.
• Take into account the number of floors. The lower the apartment is located, the less it is illuminated. The shape of the room also matters - square ones are considered the most illuminated, and “pencil cases” rooms are usually more darkened.
• The number of windows is also important. Many modern two-room apartments have three windows, which increases the illumination.
• So that the windows do not obscure neighboring large objects.
• It is good that the windows have extended window openings in width and height. Panoramic windows are also interesting. Glazing of balconies and loggias from floor to ceiling will add illumination.
• It is desirable that there are no busy roads, tram or railway lines, shopping centers, supermarkets or nightclubs near the house. Noise from parking and air conditioners do not contribute to a good rest. It is desirable that the windows overlook the river, lake, forest or park.

Therefore, each individually chooses for himself the view from the window, depending on the needs and possibilities.

Video: How to choose an apartment: cardinal points

Video: No. 1. Orientation of the house to the cardinal points and shading

When buying a home, you should think about an important parameter, such as insolation (natural light). By law, the developer must comply with SanPiN (sanitary rules and norms) for lighting residential premises during the construction of an apartment building. According to these requirements, studios and odnushki cannot face north, and in 2 and 3-room apartments, at least one room must be south.

Sanitary and epidemiological services are closely monitoring compliance with all standards, but it should be noted that apartments, although suitable for long-term residence, can be built without taking into account the "requirements for insolation of residential premises."

Regardless of what you plan to buy - housing or apartments, you should figure out where it is preferable to place an office or bedroom, because the lack of light directly affects the mood and health of a person.

North direction

In the "northern" room it will be comfortable for people who cannot tolerate heat. Here you can enjoy the coolness at any time of the year. A properly selected design will help to visually enlarge a poorly lit room: light wallpaper, a minimum of furniture, a large amount of artificial light. It is not uncommon for a developer to design non-residential rooms suitable for short stays on the north side - kitchen, bathroom, closet/storage room, etc.

“Direct side of the world may not affect the cost of the apartment. Today, the situation is more common on the market when an apartment with windows overlooking the courtyard is more expensive than one that overlooks, for example, the roadway. Or an apartment on a high floor with a panoramic view is more expensive than exactly the same, but located on the second. The cardinal direction is rather the next factor, because there really are people for whom it is important where and at what time the sun will be. But here, as they say, the taste and color. Someone likes to wake up with the first rays of the sun and is looking for an oriental bedroom, while someone, on the contrary, is categorically against a bedroom with the morning sun, but admiring the sunsets is his dream. Traditionally, people always feel good about sunny apartments.”

South direction

"Southern" rooms are suitable for those who like to enjoy the sun. Heat-loving plants grow well in such rooms. The sun's rays light up the room all day, so you will definitely save on your electricity bills. In the summer, this amount of light can be inconvenient - the room will heat up. In this case, the heat in the room will stand all day. But if you remember how many sunny days a year are in Yekaterinburg, then the south side is suitable for a living room or a nursery.

Western direction

If you are an "owl", then the bedroom in the west will allow you to sleep, because. the sun illuminates these rooms from noon until sunset. A good place for an office, here you can not use artificial light for a long time.

“Traditionally, the cost of an apartment is affected by its location relative to the cardinal direction and floor. Apartments on high floors with south-facing windows are more expensive. However, I note that such a vision of marketers is not always confirmed by the realities of life. More and more people are choosing a new apartment based on their current rhythm of life. Those who work from 10 am until late in the evening feel great in eastern apartments, where there is a lot of sun in the morning. For people who are accustomed to getting up very early and starting their working day, apartments with windows to the west will suit, you can enjoy the sunsets in the evening. "Southern Sun" is especially relevant for those who spend the whole daylight hours in the apartment - mothers with children, pensioners. But we must not forget about the view characteristics - the view from the window sometimes means much more than the cardinal direction on which the windows face.

East direction

The east side is considered the most versatile. There will be no constant hot sun here, and you will not notice a shortage of light. East is the right place for a bedroom if you have to get up early every day. Otherwise, either take care of blackout curtains in advance, or choose the west.

Our experts confirm that many apartment buyers pay attention to the direction of the world, where the windows of their future home go. But there are several other factors related to the lighting of the room: the choice of floor, the view from the window (are there trees or buildings opposite), the size of the window openings and the presence of a loggia or balcony are also important.

“At the design stage, we provided for some options that increase the amount of light and sun in the apartments. Firstly, these are extended window openings. Both in width and height. Agree, when the window is "to the ceiling", the perception of the world is completely different. Secondly, this is the presence of the upper panoramic floors, when the balconies and loggias are glazed from floor to ceiling. This, of course, further increases the value of such apartments, people are willing to significantly overpay for them. Thirdly, this is work with lighting the space of small apartments. For example, the format of studio apartments is now very popular, where the cooking area is located in a single living space. At the same time, there are a huge number of studios on the market, designed as elongated "cars", where the light at the end of the tunnel enters the room through one small window on the far wall. AT "Astoria" everything is regular, almost square in shape, and each has two windows. Thus, the studio rooms are well lit.

Residential building "Astoria"

“In our projects, we pay great attention to architecture and design, including thinking through interesting windows that residents will appreciate both from a practical and aesthetic point of view. So, for example, in the first house there are apartments with large-format panoramic windows 5.2 m wide. Window sills in all apartments are at a level of 70 cm from the floor (a standard window sill is 90 cm from the floor). In apartments on high floors, we installed window sills even lower - at the level of 40 cm. It is very convenient to enjoy the view from the window - the view does not rest on the window sill. The second house has even more different windows in terms of location and design. There will be floor-to-ceiling French windows, apartments with panoramic windows in the kitchen, with a window in the bathroom, double narrow and high New York-style windows.”

The illumination of an apartment is one of the most important parameters when choosing a property, which a person evaluates almost on a subconscious level. If you come to inspect the apartment during the day, and it is semi-dark, this is an occasion to think about how comfortable such housing will be. There are even special standards that clearly stipulate how much light living rooms should receive daily. It is also important which side the windows face. About how to choose an apartment where there will be enough light, experts of the MIC Group tell. It is difficult to overestimate the importance of sunlight in our life. Natural lighting is involved in the formation of our daily biorhythms and metabolism, is a catalyst for the synthesis of vitamins, stimulates mental activity and directly affects our mood. It will not work to replace natural light with lamps, therefore, for modern residential real estate, there are special lighting standards that differ depending on the latitude of the area. So, in the middle lane, continuous insolation of residential premises should be at least 2 hours in the period from March 22 to September 22. This period of illumination can be divided into several parts, but then at least one of them should be at least an hour, while the total duration of insolation should increase by half an hour. Such requirements are set out in SanPiN 2.2.1 / 2.1.1.1076-01 "Hygienic requirements for insolation and sun protection of residential and public buildings and territories." Of course, it is impossible to determine by eye at the first visit to the apartment whether it meets all these requirements. In addition, there are other documents, in particular, regulating the measure of illumination in the rooms, and it is simply impossible to take them all into account when inspecting an apartment. Therefore, it is best to rely on your own feelings and knowledge of some rules or enlist the support of a realtor. When buying primary real estate, the issue of apartment illumination is not so acute, but when choosing housing in an old housing stock, this moment should be taken as carefully as possible. It is very important to find out how the house is oriented relative to the cardinal points. It is desirable that the apartment does not face the north side with all windows, otherwise it will be very dark in it in winter and autumn. It will be a little lighter in a room whose windows face the northeast, here the sunlight will appear in the morning hours. Realtors call the most successful option rooms facing east and southeast: in winter there is enough light, and in summer this side of the house does not “bake” as much as, for example, in the west or southwest. Apartments with windows facing different sides are also very much appreciated: in brighter rooms you can arrange a living room or a nursery, in more shaded rooms - a bedroom or an office. “If you choose an apartment with a realtor, be sure to tell him about your preferences regarding the illumination of the apartment,” they say in the MITs-Nedvizhimost company (MITs Group). - Sunlight in the apartment, of course, is very important, but not everyone wants to live on the side, where it is light almost all day, someone will have enough sun only in the morning or evening hours. And someone, on the contrary, will choose windows to the hot southwest.

In modern apartments, there are usually not so many rooms to choose their purpose depending on the direction of the world. But it is necessary to pay attention to where the windows of the apartment “look”: not only mood, but also health depends on this. AiF.ru tells you what you need to know about the cardinal points when choosing housing.

Lighting standards

Before building a new house, insolation (natural light) calculations for future apartments are always carried out. “The insolation coefficient is calculated taking into account the geographic latitude at which the house is located (the angle of incidence of direct sunlight at the zenith depends on it), the parameters of the apartment (latitude and design of light openings), the presence of shading objects (the distance between neighboring houses), etc.” , — told AiF.ru Director of FGC "Leader" Grigory Altukhov.

According to sanitary norms and rules (SanPiN), the standard duration of insolation should be ensured in living rooms. For Moscow, which is part of the central zone, it is at least two hours. The duration of insolation in residential buildings must be ensured in at least one room for 1-3-room apartments, and at least two rooms for multi-room apartments. “For each specific object, the restrictions on the location of apartments are different. But there is one thing in common - windows in apartments cannot be oriented only to the north, ”says Ekaterina Fonaryova, Commercial Director of Barkley Corporation.

The fact is that north side— the darkest and coldest. In rooms with windows facing north, special attention should be paid to the insulation of windows and walls, as well as artificial lighting, which should compensate for the small amount of sunlight.

The rest of the world also have their own characteristics. East side warms up well in summer and cools down a lot in winter. In the morning, the room is filled with light, and in the afternoon it is in the shade. South side lightest and warmest. The sun warms and illuminates the room well both in winter and in summer. West side the most windy and exposed to the sun. If possible, during the construction of houses on the western side, barrage tree plantings are made.

Sunlight and health

It is extremely difficult to overestimate the importance of natural light. Low insolation negatively affects vision, growth, and metabolism. In addition, the lack of sunlight is a powerful stress-forming factor - the lack of light can cause a decrease in mood and depression.

“Illumination is one of the main issues raised by buyers,” says Ekaterina Fonareva. - Someone prefers apartments with the morning sun, someone with the evening. However, dark apartments do not suit anyone.”

Photo: RIA Novosti / Ruslan Krivobok

Cardinal directions and purpose of premises

For kitchen, pantries and other utility rooms are best suited north, northwest or northeast side. They are not residential, which means that a large amount of natural light is not needed here. Also on the north side it is good to have non-residential, utility rooms.

Bedroom best located on the east or southeast side. This arrangement will allow you to wake up with the first rays of the sun.

Cabinet location(workshop) depends on what time of day it will be used. If you need to work in the morning, it is better to place it in a room on the east or southeast side: the morning rays will illuminate the room well, and the hot midday sun will shine from the west. If you are supposed to work in the evening, then it is better to locate the office in the west or southwest: evening sunlight is not as hot as daylight, but at the same time it will illuminate the workplace well.

How to determine the cardinal points

Even if there is no compass at hand, you can easily determine the cardinal directions in the apartment. The easiest time to do this is on a sunny day. At the latitude of central Russia, the sun is in the east at 7 am, in the south at 1 pm, and in the west at 7 pm.

If there is an Orthodox church near the house, then you can determine the cardinal directions by the location of its construction. The lowered end of the lower crossbar on the dome of the church always faces south, and the raised end always faces north. The altar is always located on the east side.

Ordinary clocks with arrows can also help to find out the cardinal points. To do this, you need to position the clock horizontally and point the hour hand at the sun. After that, you need to divide the angle between this arrow and the number 1 if it is winter outside, and 2 if it is summer. The bisector will point south.