Designing in 3D: Air, Light, Doors and Windows
Air and Light, Windows and Doors
Bringing the outdoors in also means thinking terms of light and air flow. Windows, French doors and skylights all contribute copious quantities of natural light and a fresh flow of air. If your present kitchen is dark, lacks space for windows or has small or obstructed views, adding even one carefully placed window or skylight can make an enormous difference is the overall feel of the space.
All of our vision is composed of the flow of reflected light. The views outside your kitchen windows and doors can extend the depth of a small room, provide a source of vibrant color and add the illusion of additional space. They can also have a negative effect, reminding you that you’re in a busy city neighborhood or a little to close to a highway. Clever use of window treatments, outdoor plantings and fences and sound proof building materials can turn that noisy din away and turn your kitchen into an oasis of silence and softened light in the city. Windows act as frames for outdoor scenes and can be placed to highlight part of a view or hide an unsightly one.
Air Flow in the Kitchen
Light is not the only element that flows in your kitchen space. Air carries heat, cold, odors and fragrances in, around and through the room. We call an airless room stuffy, yet the same room will feel expansive and open with a good source of clean fresh air. Cooking, trash and building materials all create gases that are smelly and potentially noxious. Modern building materials often contain chemicals that ‘outgas’ over time, resulting in that overpowering smell you encounter in building supply stores. For several months after construction you’ll experience outgassing as your carpets, wood finishes, plastic laminates and other materials complete their long term curing process.
Designing for adequate air flow is the next step on your rough sketch. Heat and air-conditioning ducts and returns must be located, ventilation ductwork for ranges and ovens connected an outside vent and waste lines for water systems located. Water drains do not only go down in buildings, they must also have pipes leading up and outside to break any suction and release sewage gases out of the house. Unless you’re an experienced plumber you may not be aware of this network of large pipes built into your walls and protruding from your roof line. In the next chapters we’ll look at designing around these hidden systems.
With air pollution a fact of life in many areas, air flow may also include filtration systems to remove pollutants, cigarette smoke and animal dander. Allergy sufferers may need filtration to remove pollens and dust particles. Air filtration systems often share ductwork with heat and air conditioning.
Like the flow of natural light, air enters your space through doors and windows. Cross ventilation created by careful placement of windows can save on cooling bills and lend an expansiveness to your kitchen. Placement of doors and windows creates obstacles that must be placed on your drawing and worked around when considering your traffic flow. Doors open into rooms and require space to open fully, windows need to be accessible if you open them regularly and skylights may require powered openers operated by wall switches. The direction your doors open is a critical traffic flow decision. Light switches need to be located on the opening side of a door and the path of the door should not obstruct traffic flow when open.
