General provisions about windows
Located in a wall opening or on the roof, the window plays the role of:
- communications with external space;
- natural light;
- ventilation;
- protection from atmospheric and noise influences from the outside.
The lack of windows or their small size makes the room dark and gloomy. Overly large windows can sometimes make you feel like you're in an aquarium for everyone to see.
Windows of various sizes and shapes, but the most acceptable option: rectangular with a width equal to 55% of the width of the room. A spacious room with two windows and one terrace, filling its inhabitants with love of life and optimism is the best architectural solution.
The shape and location of windows in the house
Circle shape
The ideal window has a round shape - it is an “invitation” for positive energy and magical protection against negative energy. Since the layout does not always provide for such a solution, you can safely choose a window opening in the form of a rectangle. The main thing is that the lower part of the frame is located at a sufficient distance from the floor and does not resemble a door.
Study
According to Feng Shui, a window behind the back in the office is not welcome. The rear should be protected with something stable, related to the energy of the Earth (it is best to have a blank wall behind). If the workroom is located correctly (in the northern sector), then it is advisable to close the existing windows with roller shutters, curtains, and blinds - this will smooth out the possible negative effect.
Doors and mirrors are prohibited
A door or mirror opposite a window is prohibited according to Feng Shui. This layout helps to “wash out” positive energy and mirror it. A window opposite another window has a similar effect - the resulting “energy draft” will not allow success, harmony and well-being to linger in the room for a long time.
Tips on window condition
According to Feng Shui practice, windows are the eyes of the house. They must be kept clean and tidy. Dirty or dusty openings can negatively affect your health and business success. They prevent life-giving energy from entering the house, attracting negative Sha energy.
Many home owners install large windows, believing that this way more air and sunlight will penetrate into their home. But the teachings of Feng Shui warn that large openings contribute to the leakage of Qi energy. This is especially true for those windows that are located close to the floor. Positive energy rushes towards them, leaving the house.
Absolute purity
Dirty and cloudy glass prevents the penetration of light and life-giving energy Qi into the apartment. A lack of it can cause a decline in vitality, deterioration of well-being, apathy and a decrease in the body’s resistance to various viruses and infections.
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A dark room accumulates negative energy that can affect the health of residents. To avoid this situation, you should regularly clean the glass from dust and dirt.
Without knots
The presence of cracks in glass can also cause health problems for home owners, since through these cracks the destructive energy of Sha penetrates into the house, which provokes conflicts, illnesses and troubles in all areas of life. Cracked glass can lead to the development of eye diseases such as cataracts and glaucoma.
The glass in the frame must be firmly fixed. In no case should it move away or rattle during the wind: these sounds will attract a flow of negative energy.
Peeling paint on windows and the walls around them, as well as the presence of cracks and other defects can cause illness and failure.
Shape and size of windows according to Feng Shui
The size and number of windows in the house are of primary importance. It is recommended to install medium-sized windows, since high and long openings can release a large amount of positive energy outward. Small ones, in turn, prevent the penetration of sunlight, heat and air into the room.
It is believed that the most suitable for residential premises is the round shape of windows.
As for windows facing loggias and verandas, these rules do not apply to them, because they serve as a door. It is believed that when we go out onto the balcony, we leave the confines of our home.
Dependence of illumination on window position
Good light level:
- the amount of serotonin increases, which increases tone;
- surge of vital energy;
- Plants develop perfectly.
Insufficient lighting has a bad effect on:
- vision;
- children's growth;
- metabolism;
- mood.
The sun moves across the sky along an elliptical path. The solstice depends on latitude and time of year. The closer to the equator, the higher it is. As the seasons change, the length of daylight hours changes. In summer, the sun rises high and its trajectory above the earth is greater than at the winter solstice. Accordingly, summer days are longer than winter ones.
Other factors influencing lighting in apartments in city houses:
- on what floor is the home - the higher, the more time the sun is visible;
- which houses are located opposite or next door - low ones are better;
- the configuration of the building itself – the worst thing – is shaped like a “P”.
It is normal when the room is flooded with sunlight for at least 2 hours a day.
The degree of illumination directly depends on the orientation of the windows to the cardinal points.
General architectural standards
Before the construction of any residential building, authorized services carry out calculations of insolation (natural lighting) of the interior premises. According to current standards, regardless of the location of the openings, they must be illuminated by direct sunlight for at least 2 hours a day. At the same time, it is allowed to orient windows to the north only in cases where the apartment or house also has openings facing other sides of the world. As for the time of direct insolation, it does not depend on the region.
Windows facing west according to feng shui
Through the windows, light passes at a smaller angle than in the south and is therefore more intense. In the west, the sun shines in the afternoon and is suitable for the bedroom for those who like to sleep longer in the morning.
The afternoon strong sun makes the room very hot. In the summer heat, you need to take care of cooling: blackout curtains, a fan and, best of all, air conditioning. But in cold weather this is a plus - you can save a little on heating.
If the external view allows, it is nice to admire the sunset on the balcony in the evening.
Rooms in the northwest are cooler during the day.
With windows facing southwest there is excellent illumination, the longest daylight hours, but in the summer the room will be hot.
Door direction according to cardinal directions
In the works of Feng Shui specialists, the front door has a special name - the Qi Gate. The direction of the front entrance also has an impact on the nature of the incoming energy.
- The eastern part of the world is considered the most favorable for the location of the door. This guarantees the owner of the house success in all areas of life, constant professional growth, and financial well-being.
- The southeast helps eliminate financial problems. Slowly but surely the money will return to your home - you just have to wait a little.
- According to Feng Shui, an entrance door that faces north will provide a calm and quiet home atmosphere. A small crystal on the wall in the hallway will perfectly complement the symbolism. The relationship of a married couple will be improved by the brown color of the door.
- To ensure that your children always have a thirst for knowledge and new things, the door should be directed to the northeast. Information will be absorbed very easily and quickly.
- If the front door is located in the northwest direction, respect and tolerance will always reign in the family.
- The southern part of the world awakens activity and a desire to take initiative. Thanks to a special flow of energy, residents receive a charge that increases internal strength.
- Love and eternal romance will definitely settle in your home if the door is directed to the southwest according to Feng Shui. You will understand your loved one perfectly and will find agreement.
- The Western direction promotes the development of creative abilities, so this option is perfect for young, self-seeking families, as well as those who have small children.
But everything should be in moderation - excessive amounts of unnecessary energy sometimes have a negative impact on a person’s emotional state. Water symbols that can be hung on the door or placed on a shelf in the hallway will help reduce the effect a little.
Which is better to choose windows in an apartment - with a view of the sunset or a view of the sunrise?
For people who are freezing, regardless of the season and temperature in the room, and who are especially sensitive to cold, an apartment with windows facing south is ideal. I am sure that, for example, those pensioners who no longer warm their own blood will appreciate all the delights of such a choice and living on the sunny side of the house, besides, the heat and many pathogens are two things that are often incompatible. Another advantage of sunny apartments can be noted - natural light throughout the day will help to significantly save on payments to electricity suppliers. But in addition to the undeniable advantages, housing with windows facing south also has its negative aspects: owners of very bright apartments incur high financial costs and are forced to make cosmetic repairs and update interior items much more often compared to property owners whose windows face any other direction of the world. - in residential premises, under constant exposure to direct sunlight, planes quickly lose their rich colors: wallpaper and walls, furniture upholstery, plastic and even the screens of LCD monitors and TVs fade.
For people who are nocturnal, who like to sleep in the morning or just lie in bed longer, an apartment with windows facing west is best suited. Until noon, sunlight will not irritate or disturb owls and those residents who do not need to rush anywhere in the morning. Among other things, property owners with west-facing windows have a unique opportunity to admire picturesque landscapes with sunsets every day.
For potential clients who cannot stand the heat, an apartment with windows facing north is ideal. Twilight and invigorating, life-giving coolness are faithful companions of housing on the north side of the house. Interior designers recommend decorating shady rooms in light bed colors and wisely distributing sources of artificial lighting in them - it will not be so dark, and the rooms will visually increase in volume. However, there is also a flip side to the coin: due to poor natural light, dampness often appears in residential areas, which can ultimately develop into a more serious problem - fungus and mold on the walls.
For early risers, clients who are accustomed to getting up with the first rays of the sun, when nature awakens naturally, I recommend choosing an apartment with windows facing east. The soft morning sun raises the emotional state of the residents to the proper level and charges the tenants with positive energy for the whole day. How you start the day is how you will spend it!
In general, from my experience as a realtor, I can say that in reality, few clients on the market choose an apartment so one-sidedly - strictly on one side of the world. Still, more often than not, clients try to approach their choice more practically and try to combine several cardinal directions in their apartment.
Some of the most popular liquid options on the market are apartments with windows facing southwest and east. And yet, it is extremely difficult to provide uniform advice and general recommendations on choosing an apartment based on the location of the cardinal points. Some people like it hot, others love it cold. Each specific case of purchasing a home from the point of view of choosing cardinal directions must be considered individually, taking into account not only the personal wishes and preferences of the client, but also the physiological characteristics of his body - age, gender, ability to tolerate different temperature conditions and general medical contraindications .
Where should the windows go?
According to Feng Shui, windows facing east and south contribute to the accumulation of the energy of the rising sun in the apartment, which gives strength and energy for the whole next day. The ratio of window locations to cardinal directions affects many aspects of life. Their incorrect location can lead to loss of vitality, depression and failure.
Successful Variations
The most favorable option are windows that face southeast and east. Thus, Qi energy fills the house, cleanses it of negativity and heals the owners from various diseases, drives away evil spirits who are afraid of the rising rays of the sun.
Failed exit
In Chinese culture, it is generally accepted that windows facing west absorb the rays of the setting sun, which symbolizes the fading and decline of activity. Exiting to the north side is also unfavorable.
During sunset it is not recommended to stay near windows. They need to be tightly curtained to prevent negative energy from entering the home.
What should the view be like?
The energy that comes into the room from the outside should be bright and positive. A beautiful view from the street can contribute to this: a well-kept yard, beautiful vegetation, natural landscapes, etc.
It is undesirable for windows to look out onto busy highways, factories, factories, city dumps, cemeteries, etc. Unfavorable is access to the end of a neighboring house, pillars and intersections.
An important factor is the view from the window in the kitchen, as it affects the digestion of food and the mood of the owners of the house. Bad energy tends to accumulate in liquids and food. Once ingested, such food can be harmful to health.
Tinted double-glazed windows with various effects negatively affect not only vision, but also the perception of the surrounding reality. Through them, daylight and, accordingly, solar energy enter worse. Preference should be given to simple glass without sputtering or other effects.
Windows facing east - pros and cons
With an eastern direction, the sun illuminates the room in the first half of the day - from sunrise to lunch.
It would be appropriate to place a bedroom or nursery there. The dawn will illuminate the room and charge you with energy, creating a working mood for the whole day. In summer, after lunch it is a good place to take a break from the bright sun.
Universal window exit to the northeast. Illumination in winter is similar to summer in the north, but daylight hours are longer.
With a southeastern location, the sun warms from dawn until almost evening.
Choosing a room for a children's room
Finding the perfect room for a nursery is not an easy task. On the one hand, the room should be as bright as possible, but on the other, the child must be protected from overheating during the daytime. Children should not be awakened too early by the rays of the rising sun, but at the same time they need to wake up quickly. Most often, when choosing a place for a nursery, parents give preference to rooms with windows facing northeast or southwest. Moreover, in the first case, the room must be well insulated and sources of artificial lighting must be added for comfort in the evening hours, and in the second, care must be taken about ventilation and air conditioning of the room.
Windows facing south
The sun shines from morning to evening. This is the sunniest window arrangement. Even in winter, the sun consistently illuminates the room, although to a lesser extent than in summer. For northern latitudes, the south side is the best option, but for southern latitudes, not really. In summer, the scorching sun, which shines all day long, creates an uncomfortable environment. In this case, an air conditioner is required.
In the southern rooms it is good to set up a living room or office, because... Lots of light is most conducive to creative activity.
Windows facing north and northeast: pros and cons
On the north side there is no sun, so very little solar energy comes in. In winter, daylight hours are shortest here. Only in the summer, early in the morning and at sunset, is it possible for the sun's rays to penetrate inside. It’s better to give this place to the kitchen - it’s already hot when cooking. It is advisable to arrange a pantry or dressing room - you can do without natural light.
If the room matches the direction of the windows correctly, no problems arise. If the purpose of the room is inappropriate, it is easy to compensate with the help of design. For example, “cool down” the southern children’s room or “warm up” the northern living room.
It is possible to correct deficiencies with suitable design using:
- color finishing;
- different textures;
- modern form;
- Sveta.
The designer will suggest the correct option.
How to determine Feng Shui zones in an apartment
To change your life for the better, Feng Shui advises activating certain zones (sectors) in your home. But in order to activate them, they must first be found. And Passion.ru will help you with this
There are three approaches to this process, they are all simple, but Feng Shui experts prefer to create fog and present this action as something extremely tedious and confusing. Moreover, it is believed that ordinary people cannot cope with searching for sectors in their home, and therefore it is worth paying a specialist.
Feng Shui sectors
To begin with, let us recall where the sectors are located and what each of them is “responsible for”.
- the career sector is in the north;
- south – sector of fame and self-realization;
- children and creativity sector - West;
- east – family and health sector;
- northwest – sector of assistants and travel;
- in the northeast is the sector of wisdom and knowledge;
- southwest – sector of love and marriage;
- the southeast is the wealth sector.
Some of these sectors may be on doors and windows, in which case they need to be given special attention.
Now let's move on to the calculations.
Method 1: Ba Gua
This is perhaps the easiest way to determine how the sectors are located in your home. Simply draw the Ba Gua grid on construction paper and cut it out. It looks like this:
How to determine Feng Shui zones in an apartment
Then, on the same scale as the grid, draw a plan of your apartment with all the actual rooms. Don't forget about the bathroom, toilet and storage room. Balconies and loggias do not count.
Now remember which side of the world your windows face. And turn Ba Gua as if in a mirror image: that is, if your windows face east, connect the wall with windows on the house plan with the west on the Ba Gua grid. Actually, that's all. Now you know which sector is located.
Method 2: compass and protractor
This method is suitable for distrustful people and for those who love accuracy in everything. If you cannot say with complete certainty where your windows face, that is, if you, for example, doubt whether it is south or southeast (southwest), use measuring instruments.
As in the first method, draw an accurate and detailed plan of your home and cut it out along the contour. Now you need to find the center of your house. To do this, take a sharpened pencil and place your plan on the tip. You need to ensure that the paper does not fall off the pencil. As soon as complete balance is established, consider that the center has been found. Tag it.
For the next step you will need a compass. Find a place in the room where there is nothing “phonic”, that is, there is no TV, refrigerator, computer, and there is no forgotten magnet lying around - all these objects affect the accuracy of measurements.
In principle, for the purity of the experiment, you can go outside. And there you can get the data you need. Just don’t stand under the wires, otherwise the effect may be unpredictable - your compass can easily confuse north with south.
Determine the cardinal directions and plot them on your plan. Just remember that mirror reflection works, that is, where the real south is, you write north, where east is west, and so on. It is difficult to say with certainty what the Chinese meant by shifting the cardinal directions on the Ba Gua diagram, but if you paid attention, then on it the south is at the top, and on all real geographical maps it is at the bottom.
For the third step, you will need a protractor. Connect its center with the center on your plan. And just divide your apartment into 8 sectors (each of them is equal to 45 degrees). Now you know absolutely exactly where the sectors are.
Feng Shui talismans for the front door
Energy accumulates before entering and only after that it enters the room. Therefore, it is important that there are no obstacles to its passage. The space in front of the door should not be cluttered with unnecessary objects. To attract energy, you can hang Chinese lanterns or a horseshoe above the door. It is not advisable to place the remaining talismans on the street side; they will act as a reflector.
Bell or "chime of the wind"
The bell, from the point of view of Feng Shui, is nothing more than a “wind catcher”. It is believed that this talisman gives the inhabitants of the house pleasant emotions and cleanses the home of negativity. The correct bell has an internal cavity and a long tongue. It is attached to a pendant made of red thread. Often bells are combined with Chinese coins. Such talismans can be used by those who want to attract wealth.
Bells made from several tubes, which are commonly called “wind chimes,” are also well suited for the front door. The compositions differ in the number of pendants that determine their purpose. “Wind music” with five tubes dispels negative energy, while a six- or seven-tube one enhances the effect of a geographic zone and attracts positive flows.
Wind chime for the front door
Horseshoe
As already mentioned, this talisman is placed on the outside of the door. It is designed to bring good luck and happiness into the house, and also serves as a talisman. The Slavs generally believe that only a found horseshoe has this property. However, Feng Shui experts assure that this is not so. The souvenir can be purchased in the store. The main thing is that it pleases the eye and pleases the inhabitants of the house. A horseshoe placed with its ends down attracts success. Hanging with its horns up, it will become a protection against negativity.
Indoor lighting standards
Before construction of a new house begins, the architectural agency must necessarily calculate the level of natural lighting of future apartments (insolation).
For each building, the coefficient is calculated individually, depending on the following factors:
- location of the future home;
- geographic latitude, or angle of incidence of sunlight;
- size and shape of window openings.
Experts must ensure that the apartment receives direct sunlight for at least a certain time per day, depending on the region in which the house is being built.
Regardless of whether the apartment is on the north side or the windows face northwest, the rooms should be illuminated by direct sunlight for at least 2 hours a day. Placing windows on only one side, for example, all windows facing southeast, is prohibited by architectural and building codes.
The north side is considered darker and colder; almost no sunlight reaches it. Such rooms may be in the house.
Particular attention should be paid to the arrangement of rooms with windows facing north, namely:
- insulate well;
- install high-quality artificial lighting;
- the decoration should be in light colors.
Other rooms with windows facing east, west or north also need to be arranged according to their natural light.
Let's find out together how to plan the arrangement of your own home for the most comfortable stay in accordance with the location of the windows in the house on the cardinal directions.
Entrance door and staircase
In a country house with several floors or in a two-level apartment, the correct location of the stairs is important. The staircase opposite the front door is unfavorable according to Feng Shui, since qi, entering the house, immediately goes upstairs without stopping on the first floor. In this case, you can correct the unsuccessful layout by placing pots with large and lush plants between the entrance and the stairs. By the way, according to Feng Shui, flowers can also be artificial. The main thing is to wash the dust off them in time. Plants will slow down qi at the entrance and distribute it evenly throughout all rooms in the house.
LEEROY Agency/Pixabay
You can also hang a crystal ball with many facets in the hallway next to the door. Such a pendant will shimmer in the light and dissipate the flow of energy entering the home through the front door. All these correction recommendations can be used if the door to the apartment is located opposite the elevator, which is also unfavorable according to ancient Eastern teachings.
Little tricks
You should not sit with your back to the window. This blocks the energy flow, resulting in energy not being able to circulate freely in space. If the workplace is arranged in this way, it can negatively affect one's career and relationships with colleagues and superiors.
A mirror located opposite a window opening can reflect both positive and negative energy. Among other things, the light reflected in the mirror will illuminate the reflection, distorting it.
In old buildings you can often find arched openings, rounded at the top. Such window designs will maximize the penetration of positive energy into the room. Having a large opening area, you can experiment with its shape. Rounded lines will have a beneficial effect on energy flows.
Dimensions, material, where it should open
good feng shui of the front door
In feng shui it is believed that the outer door of a house should be solid, massive and strong enough. It should not be made of glass, there should not be glass inserts in the doors and all kinds of windows on the sides of the door. Otherwise, good energy will not linger in the house. To prevent it, hang curtains on such windows or place potted flowers on the windowsill.
Good Feng Shui is considered when the front door opens into a well-lit hall or spacious hallway. If this happens and your door opens outward, then try to reposition the hinges so that it opens inside the house. It is not very good when the main door of the house opens towards the toilet, stairs (especially if there is a double staircase), a solid wall or a small dark hallway.
As for the size of the external door, it should not be too large or small. The best option is the middle door, but larger than the other doors in the house and have such a height that the tallest member of the family can easily pass through the doorway. This will ensure that all conditions are met for the unhindered penetration of good energy into the room.
How to arrange windows in a private house, taking into account the orientation of the building
The intensity of lighting depends not only on the time of day. Much is determined by the orientation of the building relative to the cardinal directions. Due to this:
- Rooms that require more natural light are located on the south side. This is a living room, dining room, office.
- In rooms facing south, the windows are large. To prevent them from heating up too much in the summer, they are covered with roller blinds or blinds are hung.
- Rooms that do not require good natural light are located on the north side. For example, utility rooms, a boiler room, and a bathroom do not need a lot of light. The area of window openings in this case may be smaller. In some cases, glazing can be abandoned. For example, it is not necessary to install windows in bathrooms and storage rooms.
- West-facing windows are a good option in terms of energy savings.
- Windows facing east do not save heat.
Important! When designing, it is taken into account that at different times of the year the angle of incidence of the rays will be different. In summer it is larger than in winter, and the rooms will have more warmth and light. In order to save energy during the cold season, windows should be placed on the most illuminated areas of the wall.
Windows facing north.
What to do in case of incorrect windows
If, nevertheless, the window openings face the “wrong” side, from the point of view of Feng Shui, such a negative influence can be neutralized by using various techniques.
If the window opening and the door are located opposite each other, this adversely affects the energy of the home. Positive energy, entering through the doors, will immediately go out the window opening. You can place a screen or a large vase, a tree in a pot, etc. on the path between them. You can place crystals or hang a bell on the windowsill. This will help keep the Qi energy in the house and keep the Sha energy out.
For the same reason, placing windows opposite each other is considered unfavorable.
Chinese teachings emphasize that small window openings should be present in the toilet and bathroom. Often in multi-apartment developments they are not provided for by building codes. Their absence can be compensated for by hanging bells in these rooms that emit a pleasant sound. With their help, it will be possible to harmonize the energy in these rooms.
A large accumulation of fiery energy from the south side can provoke family quarrels. It is not recommended for a married couple to sleep in a room whose windows face south. In such rooms, it is recommended to hang a wide canopy over the opening to delay the excess penetration of solar energy.
The ugly view behind the walls of the house can be hidden with the help of stained glass, colored double-glazed windows, miniature toys and other types of decor. Care should be taken to ensure that such techniques do not affect the illumination of the premises.
Apartments with east windows
The most versatile window arrangement. The rising sun puts you in a good mood in the morning. In the evening the sun no longer bothers you. 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 well, because... There will be enough sunlight for them.
Where should the apartment windows face: north, south, west, east?
Previously, we didn’t think at all about how important it is to choose correctly on which side the windows in an apartment or house should be located, since no one had a special opportunity to “sort out grub.”
This way of life, when they rejoiced at the very fact of getting housing, inevitably left an imprint on the psyche, and only now, decades later, the new generation began to figure out how much better it is to have windows in an apartment, house, private estate or country house in order to provide themselves with the maximum level of comfort.
After all, if you make the wrong decision, then windows to the north in the living room will turn it into a gloomy crypt where the sun’s rays never peek, and windows to the southeast in the bedroom will turn the summer period, and especially the morning hours, into a pitch-hot hell where it is impossible get some sleep. Therefore, it makes sense to take the issue seriously, consider the recommendations of professional designers, as well as Feng Shui specialists, especially since it has long been proven that this science has some practical meaning.
The location of windows in the house according to the cardinal directions
In any business, you should definitely start to understand it with completely pragmatic things. In exactly the same way, it is necessary to determine where the windows of the apartment should go, not according to some grandmother’s signs, but according to modern indicators of the level of necessary illumination in a particular room.
In the modern apartments of most average citizens, there are not enough rooms to choose where the windows of the bedroom, kitchen, hallway or living room should go, but it doesn’t hurt to try to figure it out.
After all, it may happen that you will be able to make your life much more pleasant and comfortable when you just swap the bedroom with the office.
Indoor lighting standards
Before building a new house, the architectural agency must make a calculation of the insolation of future apartments, that is, the level of their natural light.
The original coefficient is calculated for each building separately, depending on the location, angle of incidence of sunlight (geographic latitude), as well as the size and shape of window openings.
It must be provided that direct insolation occurs for at least a certain period of time per day, depending on the region.
We can cite the example of Moscow with its buildings, where windows facing the sunny side, as well as those located in other directions, must be illuminated by direct sunlight for at least two hours a day.
There is also a special rule: it is not very possible to evaluate the pros and cons of all north-facing windows in an apartment, since placing them all at once in this direction is prohibited by architectural and building codes.
That is, windows can be oriented to the north only if the apartment has other openings facing other directions of the world, for example, to the south, west or east.
The north side is the darkest, therefore also cold. If there are such rooms in the house, then you need to devote as much time and attention as possible to their artificial lighting, insulation and give preference to finishing in light colors.
For all other rooms, the windows of which are directed in different directions of the world, there are also special guidelines, which would not hurt to learn and use for planning your own home.
Let's figure out which rooms are best placed in the available premises according to their intended purpose.
The windows face east: pros and cons
If the windows face east, it makes sense to place the bedroom in this room, since it will have the best lighting for such a functional purpose.
It is difficult to underestimate the pros and cons of east-facing windows, since the rays of the rising sun will penetrate the room early in the morning, raising all the inhabitants from their beds, ensuring a working mood for the whole day.
True, windows facing east mean a lack of daylight after lunch, but in a sleeping area where people come to rest after a hard day, it is not really needed. Therefore, such little things will no longer play a role, and the evening lack of light can be easily compensated for by a variety of lamps.
Windows facing northeast have exactly the same pros and cons, so in this case you can safely place a bedroom in the room. That is, when the windows face east or northeast, it is best to make sleeping quarters in these rooms. In addition, if the windows face northeast, then you can organize a kitchen, living room or dining room in the room.
According to the requirements of ancient Chinese science about the proper organization of living space, known as Feng Shui, windows to the northeast mean good energy in the room for love relationships, that is, a bedroom in such a room is quite appropriate according to these criteria. Thus, these cardinal directions can be safely called family directions, for ease of memorization and understanding.
Pros and cons of windows facing west
You need to calculate and choose differently which room to place in one or another part of the apartment if the windows face west. The light in such rooms falls more intensely and at a much smaller angle than in those with window openings to the south. It is best to place it in a room with windows facing west, where the sun peeks only in the afternoon, in a living room or office, dining room or kitchen.
It wouldn’t hurt to equip large panoramic windows facing west, then you can admire the sunset, of course, if the floor allows, as well as the location of neighboring buildings.
If we talk about the notorious Feng Shui, then it makes sense to place a room for children when the windows are to the north-west, and the pros and cons are obvious.
Harmonious Feng Shui windows and doors
Windows in Feng Shui
According to Feng Shui, windows and doors are one of the most important objects in an apartment or house. According to the teachings of the five elements, the windows of our homes affect the health of the heart and liver. This allows you to take care of your own health every time you wash them.
Windows also act as energy exchangers. By letting in positive Qi, they release negative Sha. Their shape and location are of particular importance. Here we will talk about how to make sure that the life-giving energy of Qi fills your home and never leaves. Therefore, the “eyes” should be shining, and the view from the window should be joyful, so as not to create the energy of obstacles.
So, what should windows be like:
- Excellent condition of windows is the key to your health and an excellent microclimate in the family. They must have an excellent well-groomed appearance. Possible defects, chips, cracks or defects in glass, as well as window frames, can become a source of negative Sha energy.
- Taking care of cleanliness is important, since dirt and dust are powerful absorbers of sunlight and create obstacles to the penetration of Qi into the house.
- Southern and eastern windows, according to Feng Shui, are considered the happiest. The first rays of sunlight fall through them, helping to create particularly soft lighting, which has a positive effect on the mood of each family member.
- Crystals on the window according to Feng Shui
According to Feng Shui, it is better to curtain windows facing west or north.
- If there is a door opposite the window, then bells or crystals must be hung on the window so that the Qi energy does not evaporate and the negative Sha energy does not enter the house.
- The number of windows also plays a role. Their total number in each room, as well as in the apartment as a whole, is important. It is worth paying attention to the size of windows according to Feng Shui. Interestingly, for large one-room apartments there should not be more than seven windows. The total number of windows in any apartment should not be a multiple of ten, that is, not 10, 20, 30 or more. If there are too many of them or they are large, then the Qi energy can leave the home.
- The view from the window is very important, since filling the house with positive Qi energy depends on it. You don’t need to be an adept of secret knowledge to understand that if you can see a cemetery from the windows, this is very bad. According to ancient teaching, it is necessary that there is also no crossroads, corner of a building or pillar outside.
- The arrangement of windows opposite each other is considered unsuccessful. In addition, if they face south, they must have a canopy or cornice, since without this accessory various troubles between family members are possible. According to the teachings of the five elements, Fire is responsible for the south side. An excess of this energy always provokes an unhealthy microclimate for apartment residents.
- The kitchen must have a window with a pleasant view. As you know, this is where a person eats food. The view outside the window creates a wonderful mood, balances the balance of energies, and creates favorable conditions for healthy eating and the perception of food.
- It is worth considering the windows in the bathroom and toilet room. They don't have to be big, but their presence is important. However, as an alternative, if redevelopment seems impossible, it is enough to hang a bell in such places.
- The window should open inward
The type of window opening has a certain meaning. The most successful ones are considered to be casement ones, since they help ensure that as much positive Qi energy as possible penetrates into the house. In this case, the opening should be carried out inward, which symbolically denotes the superiority of a person, his strength and self-confidence, and the ability to influence other people. If windows open outward, it makes a person dependent on others. In addition, harmful Sha energy will begin to penetrate into the house. There will also be a situation where the Feng Shui of the surrounding area will influence the Feng Shui of the room. Windows should not be opened halfway. This creates a distorted picture of the outside world, a kind of negative background. It is best to keep them completely closed or open.
- Particular attention should be paid to what we all forget about, but Feng Shui never forgives. These are components: bolts, handles, locking devices. All of them must be in good condition, open easily and quietly, and close as well. Opening windows completely should not damage the surface of the cornice or window sill. Feng Shui has an ambiguous attitude towards tinted glass. They largely become mirrors, reflecting not only sunlight and negative energy, but also positive energy.
- Safety plays a significant role for every person. Therefore, metal bars are installed on the windows. However, this does not take into account the role of Feng Shui, which has a negative attitude towards such additions. Any bars are undesirable, since they are a natural barrier not only for thieves, but also for Qi. This is especially noticeable when the windows have very thick bars, and if they are also painted a dark color. Even people who are far from Feng Shui feel the painful impression of houses with massive dark bars on the windows. For protection purposes, it is better to use shutters that open outward, as well as roller blinds. But the ideal solution is to install especially strong glass, without unnecessary fencing. This will provide the home with the necessary security, and Qi will be able to enter the house unhindered.
- The shape of windows according to Feng Shui is definitely important. The bottom edge of the windows should not be too low, since the Qi energy may associate this with the door, and then the positive influence will leave the home.
- A round window is ideal from a Feng Shui point of view
Of course, there are no rules without exceptions. And for loggias and verandas there is this exception, since the role played here is that the windows act as doors. In fact, when we go out onto the balcony, we leave our home, being outside of it. At this moment, windows do not interfere with our communication with the world. Regarding the shape, we can say that rectangular and square are considered the most favorable. If it is possible to arrange a round version of the window, it would be just perfect. Such windows not only look great from an aesthetic point of view, but also provide additional protection to the home. They are known to be called moon windows.
- The strong reinforcement of glass in frames is also worth considering. Since they are exposed to wind, testing the windows for strength, they can rattle. Such sounds attract negative Sha energy. In addition, the glass must be installed hermetically to prevent excess moisture from penetrating into the room. Otherwise, there is an excess of the element of Water, as well as Yin in the house.
- Flowers on the window according to Feng Shui
Considering that Qi enters the home through the windows, care must be taken to remove all obstacles in its path. There should be nothing unnecessary on the windowsill. This also applies to your favorite flowers, if there are too many of them. It is permissible to have only one or two plants if they are not tall.
Important! Even if there is only a small scratch on your window, a crack that does not affect the overall aesthetics and has long become commonplace, replace the glass! It has long been known that cracked glass can provoke various eye diseases (glaucoma, cataracts). Therefore, all windows in the house must be in perfect condition. Only this will guarantee that the health and well-being of the people living in the house will always be in good condition.
And a few more tips:
- Windows opened in a certain direction attract the energy of the element that corresponds to that direction. For example, the east direction gives the Chi of the Wood element. If this element is lacking for the mother of the family, a room with windows facing east will be useful. In the south, the house receives Fire Qi, in the north – Water, in the west – Metal.
- If a couple lacks Metal, then windows in the west should be opened more often. In the south or east, it is better to keep the windows closed, since both spouses should not receive too much Fire or Wood.
- Flowers can be placed on the windowsill, but they should not block the penetration of light from the window. Flowers can help with liver diseases. It is also useful if a person lacks the Wood element. However, this needs to be clarified precisely, since the effect on a person of this element, if it is in excess, can be negative. And in this case, growing flowers on the windowsill will ruin your luck and also make your life unbalanced.
And remember, just as a person’s eyes are the mirror of the soul, so your home has its own “view of the world,” in which Qi energy fills life with the light of goodness, health and harmony through the windows. Make sure they are clean, secure and in the correct location. Treat them right and happiness will never leave your home!
Penthouse - an apartment with windows on all four sides of the world
It is not difficult to guess that the most ideal housing option in terms of uniformity of lighting would be an apartment or apartment whose windows face all four cardinal directions at once. A penthouse on the upper floors of buildings fully meets these requirements. Apartments with all-round lighting are a one-piece, exclusive product and belong to the highest division of the real estate market. An elite penthouse, often with a terrace, can be found both in modern premium residential complexes and in façade buildings.
“It’s better to choose a vest - an apartment where the windows face two sides of the world”
And yet, if we consider housing available to the general public, then the best layout on the real estate market is considered to be a vest - an apartment with windows on two diametrically opposite sides of the world, where there is the potential for variability in living space in terms of functionality, or simply - there is the opportunity, if necessary, swap rooms around the cardinal directions depending on the purpose. “Ruler”, in this regard, loses to the vest, of course.
Which rooms do not steal light?
And yet it is worth noting that insolation and illumination are different concepts, says Vyacheslav Kazunin (“MONE Residence”). Insolation relates directly to direct sunlight and depends on the orientation of the apartment, while lighting requirements relate specifically to the proportions of the rooms and the size of the windows. Thus, a number of other factors influence how bright your apartment will be.
First of all, we are talking about the floor. The lower the apartment, the less light it gets. The shape of the rooms is also important, experts say: the most illuminated ones are square ones, while “pencil cases” rooms are most often dark, especially if they also have a balcony or loggia. And, of course, the number of windows has a big impact. “For example, in the Fili Grad multifunctional complex they sell two-room apartments, where the room has three windows at once. This not only increases illumination, but also allows you to install a partition and divide the space, says Maria Litinetskaya (Metrium Group).
Developers often increase the illumination of apartments in their complexes using solutions such as panoramic windows. Bay windows - parts of the room that protrude beyond the plane of the facade - also help make your home brighter.
Apartment arrangement depending on orientation
Those who are just about to buy an apartment are in a more advantageous position - they can choose the most convenient orientation to the cardinal points. The windows of the apartment can face one side or different ones - adjacent or, more often, opposite. You can determine at first glance how the house is generally oriented by looking at the satellite dishes on the roof. Most of them face south if the house is in the northern hemisphere, because... The satellites' trajectory passes over the equator.
Thus, if you turn your face towards the front side of the plates, then north will be in front, south behind, east on your right hand, and west on your left.
● Windows facing south Many people think that the apartment is sunny, i.e. south side is an advantage. But it is not so. Of course, the south side receives the most sunlight - this is a plus. However, this part of the house also receives the maximum amount of solar heat. This means the following. In summer, in sunny weather, the room will be very hot. It will be necessary to think about protection from scorching rays: thick curtains, blinds. You may need to get an air conditioner.
In winter, the sunny side can also become a source of problems. The apartment will also warm up excessively, and if you take into account the good performance of the heating devices, it will be uncomfortable to be at home. But even if you love the heat, interior parts made from natural wood will suffer from dry hot air: parquet and parquet boards, solid wood furniture and doors can crack.
● Windows facing north The disadvantages of the north side are also often overestimated. In hot climates, rooms facing north will be cool, and you can comfortably rest from the bright and hot rays of the sun.
If the apartment is located in northern latitudes, the gloominess of the interior will be smoothed out by finishing in warm colors, bright textiles and accessories, and additional artificial lighting. By the way, orange and yellow curtains on the windows will create a feeling of sunny weather even in the gloomiest autumn.
If the residential area is dense enough, pay attention to the houses opposite. Even if the windows of your apartment are on the north side, there will be a lot of sun in the rooms: the light will be reflected from the windows of the house opposite - you will receive fairly intense natural light without unwanted additional heating of the rooms.
Western and eastern sides Larks will like a bedroom with windows facing east - you can get up with the first rays of the sun, waking up will be especially easy and joyful. Curtains made of blackout fabric will help owls sleep longer.
On the western side it is good to arrange work spaces - an office, a schoolchild or student's room. It’s not bad if the kitchen windows also face west or southwest. These rooms will remain lit in the afternoon longer than others.
What you need to pay attention to when buying an apartment
Many buyers, when searching for an apartment, are more concerned with the view from the window than with other equally important characteristics. At the same time, experienced realtors try to show real estate at an “advantageous time.” That is, an apartment with windows facing south will not be shown during the daytime, but will attract buyers in the morning or evening, and, conversely, apartments with windows facing north will be shown during the daylight hours. This factor must be taken into account and when inspecting real estate, attention must be paid to such points as the location of windows in the room and the apartment as a whole. Recommendations for selecting the best option are identical to the advice that relates to the construction of private houses.
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