Opens in a new tab

Light before layout: how we read a site

September 24, 2026 · by Mara Halden
Angled roofline of a modern house with planting below

Every project starts with a site visit at different times of day. We note where morning light falls, where the garden is shaded in the afternoon, and which views are worth framing.

Rooms follow the sun

Kitchens and breakfast spaces face east, living rooms south or west, bedrooms wherever they will be calm. Only then do we start arranging walls.

It is a slow way to begin, but it is the reason our clients say their homes feel right.

Keep reading

More from the journal

Thinking about a project?

Tell us about your site, your brief and your budget. We reply to every enquiry within two working days.

Book a consultation