Windows are like little doors and are vital for the passage of air. As a result, they are crucial openings that every house should have. Nonetheless, do you think they’re so important that they should be in bedrooms?
Yes, bedrooms need windows. Not only are they vital for air, but they also allow natural light into the room. Yet, despite this, you’ll find apartments and houses whose bedrooms are devoid of windows.
If you’re planning to buy, or you already live in an apartment whose bedrooms have no windows, this article is for you. Here, I’ve provided options to make your room comfortable without these openings.
Is it Legal for Your Bedroom to be Windowless?
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For a room to be termed a “bedroom,” it must meet specific standards. In other words, they must have certain items apart from a bed. In other words, one of the components that make up a bedroom is a window.
Thus, a windowless bedroom is not legal, even if it has other attributes of a standard room. Despite this, several regions have a different say on bedroom specifications.
In New York, a bedroom leading outdoors must have a window. These windows must be at least 25 square feet and be as large as 8% of the floor area.
Chicago has a more confusing system. Here, a bedroom should have a source of natural light, either from a window or from an adjacent room.
What Are the Requirements for a Standard Bedroom?
Many believe that a “bedroom” has to have a bed in it. Though this might ring true, it’s only partially correct. A bedroom should be a habitable place for any person.
It must be comfortable and have the following features:
Space: A bedroom can be as wide as you want it to be but not smaller than a specified floor plan. Regardless of how tiny an apartment is, a bedroom should have at least 70 square feet of floor area. In addition, the distance from the floor to ceiling should be at least 7 feet, giving individuals enough room to stand.
Indoor temperature: Every living thing has a temperature suitable for its survival. That said, your room must have the perfect temperature that would cause no health complications.
A windowless room might have a balanced temperature during cold weather, but sunny days might be extreme. An air conditioner could efficiently serve as a cooling system, but that’s nothing compared to natural air. Thus, every bedroom must have a window that helps air circulation.
A means of egress: This refers to a medium of escaping the house during an emergency. Every bedroom must have at least two means of egress – the door and the window.
What Are the Requirements of a Window?
If you decide to stick to the International residential code, at least one of your room windows should meet their standard. In this case, the window must be 44 inches above the ground, a suitable height that prevents children from jumping over. In addition, the window coverage must be at least 8% of your floor plan to provide enough space for ventilation.
Its height should be 24 inches and width, 20 inches. In simpler words, a standard window should be wide enough to allow an adult to pass through easily.
How to Compensate for a Windowless Room
Though it’s standard to have a window in your bedroom, there are several cases where there are no windows. The lack of natural light might be discouraging, but it doesn’t stop you from making something good out of it. Below are some ideas to incorporate into a windowless room to make it feel more comfortable.
Use Ample Lighting
In the absence of natural light, you have to create artificial lighting. Therefore, while you may require a few bulbs in a windowed room, you’ll need a lot more in a windowless one.
Creating the perfect lighting system is a straightforward process. Notwithstanding, you should employ the service of a professional to do the job for you.
Use Light Colors
Aside from lighting, using light-colored paints makes the room look brighter and more spacious. Colors like white, yellow, and beige can serve this purpose.
If you like dark colors, you should opt for darker furniture shades. Still, use light-colored accents to compliment dark furniture.
Your bed frame can also be darker, but your bedding should be a lighter shade. With such a combination, you can achieve fantastic room decor, compensating for the absence of a window.
Use Mirrors
Mirrors are perfect for bouncing off light, creating a lighter atmosphere in your room. One large dressing window is usually enough, but you can choose to use more than one.
In addition to lighting, the mirror is a fashionable accessory for your room. Aside from beautifying your space, mirrors make them look bigger and less cluttered.
Make Use of Drapes
The absence of a window doesn’t mean that you can’t use drapes. On the contrary, these curtains help create the illusion of having a window, though there is none.
It would help if you placed drapes at the side of the room where a window should have been. However, remember there’s no window, so your drapes should remain drawn.
Your curtain’s materials should be thick as lighter ones allow you to see through them. Lighter ones also ruin the thought of an illusion as you’ll be able to see the wall through it.
Remember that drapes contribute to the room’s ambiance, so pick a color that’ll sit well with your decor.
Install a Skylight
Skylights are like windows, except they’re on the ceiling. This is the best option to let in natural light, giving you a glimpse of the sky above. However, you can only use skylights if your room is on the top floor of the apartment.
A skylight is not a simple project; therefore, you should employ the service of a professional for installment.
Benefits of a Windowless Room
A windowless room has several advantages, which include:
Cheaper Than a Regular Room
If you’re getting a house that has a windowless room, there’s a higher chance that you’ll get it at a cheaper rate. However, since some rooms have no windows, you won’t consider it an actual bedroom.
Creates More Space
Assuming you purchase a house with two bedrooms and large storage space, you could convert the storage to a bedroom. Several homeowners do this to create more space instead of rendering the storage useless.
Disadvantages of a Windowless Room
A windowless room has several cons regardless of its advantages. First, a room without windows is technically not a bedroom but a space. This reduces the house’s value and may pose a disturbing factor when selling.
Despite having a lot of artificial light, natural light is still necessary. As a result, it might be unhealthy to stay in a windowless room, especially if you’re the type that stays indoors.
Finally, windowless spaces are unsafe. There’s no means to get out in emergency cases except through the door. Therefore, install enough smoke detectors to detect issues like fire emergencies.
Though you can make a windowless room attractive, it’s still nothing compared to a room with windows. No amount of lighting or decoration can make up for natural light. I’m willing to bet that you would prefer a room with windows to one without.
