“In general, there are two main impressions you can create with natural light. The theatre stage effect plays with the contrast between the lighter and darker areas, meaning less is more when it comes to rooflights. By reducing the amount of overhead light coming in, you
increase the focus to the garden – the stage – and bring the outside in. You are creating a gradient of light across the space: brighter near the rear doors and glazed windows, and darker further back in the room.”
We were asked to provide advice and ideas when it comes to how you should approach lighting, natural and artificial, for your kitchen diner extension project.
Some of this advice was then published in Build It magazine in February 2023, Kitchen Diner Extension Ideas by Lucy Keech. Read more…
Below we have included the rest of the advice we offered that includes tips, ideas and advice based on our experience of working on similar projects. Also see our Kitchen extensions London architect guide for more ideas and inspiration for your home project and CONTACT US if you have a project in mind and you need more specific advice on your requirements.
Natural lighting for kitchen diner extensions
When it comes to natural and artificial lighting you generally use it alongside other design elements to create and define and organise spaces in the context of how these spaces are used.
For extensions to houses or flats you need to accept that there will always be parts of the kitchen and dining area with limited access to natural light and this tends to be the existing part of the house.
And this is fine.
What you need to do when you organise the kitchen, dining and living functions is to make a decision on what you would like to have in the “darker” part of the floorplan and what you would like to have in the “brighter” part of the floorplan.
Different people will make different decisions on this and they are all valid choices depending on your personal preferences and lifestyle.
For example, you might want to create a cosy seating area in the part of the floorplan with less natural light to avoid glare and the, rather common, unsettling feeling of having an opening and a rooflight right above your head.
You might also want to have the utility areas + cloakrooms + WC + full height cupboards in the “darker” part of the plan when this is possible.
A lower ceiling kitchen area also works for some people if you do not tend to spend too much time in the kitchen and you would rather have the dining and seating areas adjacent to the garden instead.
For most properties this 2-out-3 rules tends to apply: you will be able to have two out of three of the kitchen, the dining and the living functions next to the garden and you need to decide which two work best for you and for the property.
Once you have made this choice, and depending on the shape of the available space, you can place the rooflights accordingly to create the effect you want to create.
Generally speaking there are two main effects you can create when it comes to have to use natural light:
a. The theatre stage effect – in this case you play with the contrast between lighter and darker areas, and this means that less is more when it comes to rooflights.
By reducing the amount of the top light coming in the internal areas you increase the focus to the garden, the “stage”, and you bring the outside in in terms of lights, colours and textures. For the theatre stage effect you create a gradient of light across the space, brighter near the rear doors + glazed windows and darker further back in the floor plan and you accept this variance for the dramatic effect it creates as you move across the room towards the garden which becomes the focus.
b. The outdoor effect
The other way you can go is to use top natural light as a signal to the brain that you are in fact outside.
This is because the only time you get direct daylight and sunlight coming from the top is when you are outside, and this creates a strong mental association between top light and being outdoors.
In this case you end up with a pretty uniform spread of light across the internal spaces; rooflights and glazing of any shape and type are great in providing this.
Once you decide on what effect you would like to create then it becomes easy to know where to place the rooflights and glazing strategically to create this effect.
“Alternatively, the outdoor effect uses top-down natural light as a signal to the brain that you are in fact outside. Aim for a uniform spread of daylight across the internal spaces, and roof windows of any shape and type are great in providing this.”
Artificial lighting for kitchen diner extensions
Artificial lighting can be used in a similar way.
During daytime artificial lighting can supplement the natural light and it can potentially bring balance to the darker areas of the floor plan (top tip: use the right colour / temperature of artificial light to mimic natural light in this case for spotlights, under cabinet lights, pendant lights, surface task lights, etc) if you want to create a rather uniform light environment across the space.
The same thing applies to night-time effects and occasions. In this case you can either recreate the brightness and cold-coloured light of daytime (5000K Kelvin temperature) or you might want to create a cosier, warmer feel with a light colour temperature of around 2700K Kelvin.
But where artificial lighting comes on its own is in its ability to create instant zoning and instant layering of the space as your eye and mind perceive and read your space.
For detailed design you will need the input of a lighting specialist who will discuss with you what you hope to create with the space and what opportunities the space itself offers and offer insight about options and ideas.
But given that you are likely to use the space at different times of the day, for occasions of different types from mundane to festive around the year, you will need artificial lighting that can be practical, effective, and decorative all at the same time.
You start by thinking about the background light that could create a uniform spread of light when necessary, and you will want to zone it across the floor space to reflect the use of the space. Spotlights and perimeter ceiling lighting are good for this effect.
Then you need to make sure you provide enough light in areas you use the most and you are active in. This could be directional spotlights to kitchen work surfaces, pendant lights above dining tables and island units, backlit splashbacks along worktops, or LED lighting at the underside of wall units.
Finally, there might be elements in the space you want to highlight, bring to the foreground, and to transform with a light beam on them to bring out textures, shapes and colours.
This could be a piece of art or a textured wall that changes how it looks depending on the direction and type of light on it. Gallery type and directional lights can provide this highlight function and add another dimension to how you experience a room.
Contact us
Do you live in London? Do you look to carry out home improvement works? Then the chances are that your home is of traditional construction and you need to make sure that your architect understands that.
What sets us apart from other residential architects is that we have the relevant qualifications, knowledge, skills and experience to work with older and traditional buildings like yours.
We understand the chronology, building styles, age and characteristics of traditional (pre-1919) buildings.
We also understand the condensation risks when you carry out any building work, which happens because the thermal performance and energy efficiency of traditional (pre-1919) buildings is affected by extensions, repairs and retrofit refurbishment works.
This is what we are passionate about and this is what we are experts in.
Contact us with your ideas and your requirements and we will get back to you with advice on how we can assist and the next steps.
Since 2009 we have designed for some amazing transformations of properties across London. As expert London residential architects we are often asked to help homeowners create their “forever” home or a home they simply look to grow into until they are ready to move again.
We know that home can mean many different things to different people and we also know that properties in London come with their own unique character, challenges and potential. We enjoy the journey and we enjoy finding potential in every single project we are involved with.
GOAStudio London residential architecture and interior design is an award-winning practice, specialising in offering architectural services for residential projects across London.
As your local residential architect our team aims to provide a friendly and professional service for your home project.
Our approach is based on carefully considering the particular aspects of each scheme before coming up with a creative way for you to instil your unique stamp on what we do and how we do it.
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HOME DESIGN – Find ideas for your project.
- Side extensions London residential guide
- Rear extensions London residential guide
- Kitchen extensions London residential guide
- Roof extensions London residential guide
- Residential renovations London guide
- Mansard roof extensions London residential guide
- Contemporary extensions London residential guide
- Flat extensions London residential guide
- Garden flat extensions London residential guide
- House extensions London residential guide
BOROUGH SPECIFIC ARCHITECT AND PLANNING GUIDES FOR YOUR HOME PROJECT
Your local Council will have in place design and planning requirements for your home project and you will need to obtain planning approval for a wide range of extensions and alterations to your property.
When you get in touch we will offer you detailed advice about what is likely that your Council will approve and in the meantime we have prepared the following architectural and planning guides that include extracts of the relevant planning policy and examples of our projects in our Borough.
Barnet architects | Planning and design homeowner guide, Camden residential architect and planning guide, Enfield residential architect and planning guide, Hackney residential architect and planning guide, Hammersmith Fulham residential architect and planning guide, Haringey architects | Planning and design homeowner guide and planning guide, Islington residential architect and planning guide, Kensington and Chelsea Conservation architects, residential and planning guide, Lambeth residential architect and planning guide, Lewisham residential architect and planning guide, Newham residential architect and planning guide, Tower Hamlets residential architect and planning guide, Waltham Forest residential architect and planning guide, Wandsworth residential architect and planning guide, Westminster residential architect and planning guide
We provide architectural services for residential projects in the following London Boroughs:
Barnet, Camden, Enfield, Hackney, Hammersmith and Fulham, Haringey, Islington, Kensington and Chelsea, Lambeth, Lewisham, Newham, Tower Hamlets, Waltham Forest, Wandsworth, Westminster
We specialise in
- Greener homes
- Retrofit and energy efficiency for older and traditional buildings
- Conservation areas
- Listed Buildings
- Homeowner architectural services
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GOAStudio London residential architecture limited.
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