How to Stylishly Bring More Sunlight Into Your Home
Design pros are turning to a chic alternative to the roof-puncturing skylight: the interior window. Here’s what you need to know.
2 min
THE OPEN floor plan lost considerable appeal once the din of WFH video calls began echoing through it. As Americans have grown more interested in walls, but no less interested in airiness, a new-old solution has emerged: interior windows. These apertures let light jump from room to room while creating a soothing sense of separation.
When renovating her historic 1902 home in Grand Rapids, Mich., interior designer Jean Stoffer found 100-year-old storm windows there. As part of a new wall pierced by a wide doorway, they proved a handy way to introduce a distinct but not too darkening division between her grand living room and kitchen-seating area. She then painted the windows’ wood sashes black, in keeping with the home’s exterior windows. “The style of an interior window should be the same as or complementary to the home’s exterior windows,” Ms. Stoffer advised.
Other designers stress the importance of visually quiet portals. Max Worrell, an architect in Brooklyn, recommends windows with slight frames that “go away as much as possible.” In a South Carolina home, interior designer Barbara Westbrook also wanted an interior window to disappear. Atlanta architecture firm Historical Concepts installed nearly floor-to-ceiling glazing between a living room and a reading room (which has windows overlooking the outdoors), making the reading room “look like a porch,” she said. She matched the trim work around the interior windows to the colour of the reading room’s walls so that “your eye does not stop at the window but looks through the window.”
Vintage windows have advantages. Designers in search of handsome frames have more leeway when they needn’t factor in heat retention and element resistance. Retrouvius, a salvage company and design studio in London, often repurposes exterior windows no longer up to code, to add “an instant historical reference” in older buildings, said co-founder Adam Hills.
Wedging even a small transom window above a door frame can brighten darker spaces like laundry and powder rooms. Assuming the doorway is a standard 80 inches tall, you need a ceiling height of at least 9.5 feet, said Stephanie Sabbe of Sabbe Interior Design, in Nashville, Tenn. Any lower, and your transom will look squished.
Costs for an interior window vary greatly. On one end of the spectrum, explained Ms. Stoffer, is a simple wooden-sash window with minimal millwork set into a non-load-bearing partition wall that’s, say, 6 feet wide in a room with an 8-foot ceiling. A skilled carpenter can turn such a project around for roughly $1,500. Ditto for a standard transom.
Meanwhile, if you’re planning to install a custom steel window with complicated moldings into a bigger existing wall with mechanicals in it, you’ll need an engineer and other tradespeople. Cost: in the tens of thousands of dollars.
If all this glass seems like an overshare waiting to happen, know that light and modesty can coexist. To brighten a windowless bathroom in a Brooklyn home, Mr. Worrell cut an aperture in the wall between bed and bath, then filled it with a translucent but not transparent glass. “In the bath, you get daylight from the bedroom’s windows, while in the bedroom, you see only a shadowy figure,” he explained. The result is less edgy than it sounds, he said. “There’s a bit of play with voyeurism, but it’s discreet.”
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Chris Dixon, a partner who led the charge, says he has a ‘very long-term horizon’
Americans now think they need at least $1.25 million for retirement, a 20% increase from a year ago, according to a survey by Northwestern Mutual
Lamborghini Esperienza Giro 2024 in Langhe, Piedmont
3 min
A three-day super sports car driving experience immersed in authentic Italian culture, the Esperienza Giro brought together Lamborghini super sports car owners from across Europe for an exclusive tour celebrating the picturesque region of Langhe in Piedmont, northern Italy. Participants enjoyed luxurious accommodations, exceptional authentic dining, and an immersive experience of the region’s culture, traditions, and landscapes, during the exclusive VIP experience all organized by Automobili Lamborghini.
Il Boscareto Resort and Spa, nestled between the hills of Serralunga d’Alba, provided a luxurious setting for the guests. Upon arrival, Lamborghini clients were treated to a two Michelin-starred dinner crafted by chef Michelangelo Mammoliti at the Rei Natura restaurant, which embraces the natural elements of the region in both its interior design and cuisine.
The tour covered a total of 488 kilometers over several days, beginning with a drive to the medieval Castello di Prunetto, where guests enjoyed a specially curated hazelnut tasting experience, a regional delicacy. The super sports cars then proceeded to Pico Maccario winery, known for its innovative winemaking techniques, picturesque vineyards, and the historic Cru Cannubi wine: a bottle of which is recognized as the oldest in Italy (dated 1752), and considered one of the most important vineyards in the world. Set in rolling vineyards punctuated with the famous Pico colored pencils, denoting the different varieties of grapes and wines, the Lamborghini owners enjoyed a private tour of the production facilities and a lunch before heading back to Il Boscareto. The day ended at the remote 11th century Castello di Grinzane Cavour, a site of significant importance in Italian history and owned over the centuries by several noble Piedmontese families where guests attended a dinner in a medieval setting entertained by flag-throwers and a falconry performance.
The following day featured an exhilarating drive through mountain scenery with a coffee stop at BAart in Agliano Terme, a village renowned for its Barbera grape winemaking and gastronomy. BAart, located in the deconsecrated Chiesa di San Michele, is a community project that blends contemporary art with traditional regional flavors. The group then visited Castello di Razzano, a historic estate dating back to the 17th century, for a private lunch featuring local products, including the estate’s own olive oil. The day ended with a private dinner at Winery Cecilia Monte, where guests savored typical Piedmontese dishes and participated in a unique workshop using wine as paint.
Heading off on day four the Lamborghini owners arrived at Santuario dei Piloni for a mid-morning stop, in a craggy, rural area famed for its history and traditions; here, participants engaged in a truffle hunting experience with dogs, culminating with a tasting of the finest truffle. The tour concluded with a drive to Pollenzo, an ancient city on the banks of the Tanaro river and the home to the University of Gastronomic Studies. Reflecting the university’s dedication to culinary excellence, guests experienced a private lunch of Piedmontese specialities next door at Scuderie Sabaude, where the king of Italy’s stables once stood. Like each edition of Esperienza Giro, Lamborghini guests in Langhe enjoyed a holistic journey incorporating the exceptional and emotional performance of Lamborghini super sports cars, while celebrating the enduring allure of local cultural experiences, exceptional cuisines and Italian heritage.
Chris Dixon, a partner who led the charge, says he has a ‘very long-term horizon’
Americans now think they need at least $1.25 million for retirement, a 20% increase from a year ago, according to a survey by Northwestern Mutual
