| It’s not easy keeping a house cool during the | | | | It’s all about air circulation when you are trying |
| long, hot, dog-days of summer, but according to interior | | | | to beat the heat in the summer.” |
| design experts at The Art Institutes, there are steps | | | | Don’t forget lighting. Lewis recommends |
| you can take to not only make your house cooler, but | | | | minimizing overhead lighting. “If you are reading |
| also more environmentally-friendly, energy-efficient and | | | | or doing a task, use a lamp instead of turning on an |
| enjoyable to be in. | | | | overhead light,” she says. Every time you turn |
| Start with windows. Even in the summer, homeowners | | | | on an overhead light, “You not only burn |
| want to experience the long days of daylight the | | | | energy through the light source but the incandescent |
| warmer months bring, but old or inexpensive windows | | | | light bulbs produce heat that your AC must now work |
| can make a house hot by allowing heat to transfer into | | | | harder to cool.” |
| rooms. | | | | Lewis also likes compact fluorescent lighting which has |
| Mishelle Lewis of the interior design faculty at The Art | | | | “come a long way.” Daylight bulbs are |
| Institute of Atlanta explains, “If you want your | | | | bright and white, but there are also soft tones which |
| home to be cooler in the summer, and warmer in the | | | | are closer to the standard incandescent light bulb. |
| winter, good quality vinyl or wood windows can make | | | | Compact fluorescent light bulbs use less energy and |
| a significant impact on your home’s energy | | | | produce less heat. |
| efficiency.” Look for windows that use low | | | | As for fabric and colors, Jerry Van Slambrouck, an |
| e-glazing on the glass, she says, which cuts down on | | | | instructor in the Interior Design department at The Art |
| UV’s and heat transferring from the outside. | | | | Institute of California – San Francisco, subscribes |
| Consider horizontal blinds or shutters on both interior | | | | to the British tradition of using light colored fabric slip |
| and exterior windows, says Christopher Priest, | | | | covers over furniture in the summer. “This is |
| academic director of interior design at The Art Institute | | | | true for floor coverings as well,” says Van |
| International Minnesota. “When using blinds or | | | | Slambrouck. “Wool, oriental carpets are rolled |
| shutters, position them so the sunlight is directed | | | | up in the summer and light colored sisal area rugs |
| upwards towards the ceiling. This imitates the effect of | | | | replace them.” |
| a skylight by providing indirect, natural light indoors with | | | | This follows the basic principle that dark colors absorb |
| little impact on cooling cost,” he says. Wood | | | | and hold heat while light colors reflect heat. Van |
| blinds and shutters make the best choice because | | | | Slambrouck uses this approach for interiors he designs |
| metal blinds can actually conduct heat into a room. | | | | today as well. “I recently designed the interior |
| Fans are another popular way to cool a home when | | | | of a Victorian Napa ranch house, using dark, plush |
| air conditioning is not an option. According to William B. | | | | Oriental rugs on the floors and darker colored mohair |
| Lanigan, chair of the interior design department at The | | | | and wool upholstery fabrics for the seating. I also had |
| Art Institute of Houston, “Fans are a cost | | | | sisal area rugs made in the same sizes as the Oriental |
| effective and efficient way to cool the house. Heat | | | | rugs and white muslin slip covers for the furniture for |
| rises so fans help disperse the heat and circulate air. | | | | summer. |