The Play of Light

One of my favorite interior design subjects is the play of light. Which as far as I know, is not an interior design subject, at least I have never seen a show on HGTV that mentioned the play of light. Then again, I don't have cable and rarely get to watch HGTV, but they do seem to be more concerned with the putting of the frames on the walls and the placing of the knick knacks on the shelves. I am poorly skilled in these areas, and would rather focus on something I have little to no control over at all - natural light.

Whatever happened to natural light? How come people have stopped talking about it and using it, and designing their lives around it? What could possibly mean more when it comes to the living of life than to maximize your opportunities to bask in, and enjoy the warm golden light of the sun streaming into your home?

Early house builders understood this need for sunlight perfectly, yet today's builders seem not to grasp it at all. More and more homes are built with fewer and fewer windows. I see new homes going up all the time with one tiny window in each bedroom, no windows in the bathrooms, and smaller and fewer windows in all the living areas. I realize windows are not cheap, but I think stupidity and dumbness are just as much to blame for the lack and improper placement of windows as economics are. The same people that refuse to spend a thousand bucks on a big window will go out and spend twice that on a massive flat screen TV to put in their dark, depressing living rooms. Did I just say that out loud??? I predict that in 20 years humans will evolve into rat like creatures with tiny eyes unable to tolerate sunlight, soothed only by the blue light of a televison or computer screen. Oh my GOSH somebody better slap me down before I start saying what I really think! Back to sunshine and daisies...

Not only does sunlight warm and brighten a room. It also brings a less obvious, but I believe just as vital component to any room. It brings magic. That's right I said MAGIC. Fairy dust, herb of miracle, eau de potion. Sunlight brings a room to life. Which is why I think it is necessary to not only have one wall with a window or two or three or FOUR but to have two walls in every well-used room with a nice sized window. The resulting play of light will pour into your room causing a lively, shimmery elegance, a golden glow, a sparkle, a sheen, as if Tinkerbell herself, stopped by for a cup of tea and splattered herself tirelessly all over the place before she left. This mystical play of light ALSO stimulates the hypoetrythalmus gland allowing one to TURN OFF THE DADBLAMED TV and sense the wonders of the universe.


So forget the family room addition or shelves in the bedroom. You don't really need a bigger deck or a swimming pool. You can live without that storage shed, whirlpool tub, entertainment center or that extra bathroom. What you really need are a few more windows. So go grab the chainsaw and cut you some. Before your husband gets home. Quick! Go ahead...well...get on it!