Using Interiors to Create a Comfortable Home
Much as you might love living in Nevada, there’s no doubt it has a climate that can be unkind. In fact, Las Vegas weather varies more from month to month and from season to season than many people realize. For instance, during the year, you can experience uncomfortably roasting hot August afternoons at well over 100 degrees, warm and sunny weather in the spring and fall (around the low 80s), as well as the occasional dusting of snow in December. Creating a comfortable home that can adapt to these extremes is therefore something of a challenge. Here are a few tips to help you get started.
Control heat
To create temperate weather conditions inside your home, it’s important to balance the atmosphere and to make your air conditioning work for you, not against you. If you’re lucky, the orientation of the building will allow you to benefit from summer breezes. You can insulate your home to minimize heat gain during the really hot months of the year, and also add a reflective roof. Find out more about the possibilities from the Cool Roof Rating Council in Las Vegas.
Direct natural daylight
When it comes to natural light in your home, this can be very beneficial, however, in hotter months too much bright sunlight can be too fierce and uncomfortable. Installing shutters is a great way to allow just the right amount of daylight in. Maneuverable louvers on shutters allow you to reduce or increase brightness according to the season, and to tailor incoming light differently if necessary for every individual day. You can also make the most of natural daylight through your windows in cooler weather, if they are uncluttered by blinds and curtains. Added advantages are that shutters can reduce external noise as well as light, and improve your privacy.
Optimize appliances and artificial lighting
Artificial lighting and appliances are responsible for introducing a lot of unwanted heat into your home. For instance, when you switch on a standard incandescent light bulb, only about 10 percent of the electric current is converted into light and the rest is emitted as heat. Switch to fluorescent lights if you can, as these are less wasteful, while LED lights are even better.
Seek out the best major appliances, for instance refrigerators, freezers, washers, dryers and dishwashers, to make sure these are energy efficient and produce a lot less unwanted heat. You’ll save on your utility bills as well as reducing the amount of heat in your home’s internal atmosphere.
Eat well
Comfortable seating is recognized as important in living areas but sometimes overlooked when it comes to rooms or spaces reserved for dining, which are often more formal and therefore less relaxing. Top designers today have a different take on this, however, and will happily mix and match dining chairs and create cozy nooks using a banquette, all with the aim of encouraging your dinner guests to unwind and enjoy a welcoming, friendly ambience. Use plenty of bright scatter cushions and pillows on dining room seating to heighten the effect.
Go green
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the air in your home could be more polluted than the air outdoors – even in Las Vegas. That’s because an accumulation of dust and bacteria found in, for example, carpets and some household cleaners, can cause a buildup of toxins. The strategic use of plants indoors can counter this effect by actively cleaning the air, removing potentially harmful chemicals in the process. Plants also look fabulous when grouped together and attractive displays are known to promote comforting feelings, reducing blood pressure and lowering stress levels.
Design for comfort
With the benefits of going green in mind, interior designers are increasingly turning to plants of all descriptions to complement preferred color palettes in the home. Vertical green walls are becoming ever more popular as the benefits of cleaning the air, introducing a calming ambience and presenting a stunning focal point become clear. In the same way, introducing terrariums and collections of little plants as design staples have gained ground.