Or panoramic glazing, you should pay attention to the projects of houses with second light, developed by our company. This architectural technique “migrated” to private construction from palaces, theater halls, and public buildings.
Its essence is to combine parts of the 1st and 2nd (and sometimes 3rd) floors into a single space due to the absence of interfloor ceilings. Sunlight penetrating from the windows of the walls and attic gives the high room a special flavor, monumentality, and creates a feeling of spaciousness. Stained glass inserts are often used to enhance the effect.
Features of a cottage with second light
When choosing a house with overhead lighting, you need to understand that this will require a rather complex, professionally designed project. The internal layout should take into account:
- that the usable area of the building is reduced because part of the ceiling is missing;
- necessary good insulation roofs so that the rising air does not “evaporate” warm air;
- engineering system heating often involves installing a “warm floor”;
- the choice of double-glazed windows is made based on the calculation of the required parameters to create a comfortable microclimate;
- Thermal convectors are located in such a way as to make the most efficient use of electrical and natural energy.
The planning solution may be different. A two-story building usually has large windows - from floor to ceiling, illuminating the entire room at the same time. Sometimes the emphasis is on attic glazing, especially if they want to place a winter garden there. Very often a large balcony and a surrounding gallery are built at the top - they offer views of the living room and the surrounding landscape
In our catalog you can choose a project for a one-story house up to 150, 200 m2 with a second light, and for the construction of a large building. An example of the first is a house in European style made of brick - No. 57-68K (area 144 m2), the second - a 4-storey cottage of 500 m2. An interesting technique turned spectacular design solution For modern premises in high-tech and minimalist styles.
What happens if panoramic windows make it even bigger on the entire wall? Cottages in which part of the overlap between floors is missing, and in the living room has a height of 6-8 meters, are called houses with second light. This is a rather original and not yet very common technique, which allows you to add more light, freedom and monumentality to your home. Moreover, thanks to the second light, you can create a unique one and enjoy picturesque landscapes at home. Similar decision today used primarily in arranging.
The idea of glass houses is not new; it was embodied in the twentieth century in the form of modernist office and public buildings. and cottages with panoramic views have recently developed; this is the fashion of the twenty-first century. The reasons that hampered the construction of houses with transparent walls in previous periods are not technical, but psychological in nature. A house with one completely glazed wall seemed unprotected and fragile, and therefore there was no demand for such construction. The situation changed when cottage villages with protected areas and large plots began to be built.
From the living room there is access to the premises of the first and second floors. To climb to the second floor, a decorative, screw or marching one is built. Another feature of houses with second light is the need think carefully, because a room with a height of more than 5 meters requires a special approach, and it will not be enough.
Advantages and disadvantages of houses with second light
If we compare all the advantages and disadvantages of such houses, then there are many more of the former, so we can start with them. So, The main advantages of houses with second light include:
- opportunity to create unique design , and sitting in the living room you can enjoy a panoramic view of the beautiful landscapes;
- opportunity to create unique, since in a room with such high ceilings you can use luxurious or a lot of spotlights, or other interesting solutions, with the help of which the house will truly become unique;
- if you like to grow plants, then houses with second light will allow you to create an extensive collection, even arrange one, and at the same time the amount of light will be maximum, and you can afford even the tallest plants;
- huge ones will significantly save on lighting and make the most of natural light;
- the fragility and insecurity of houses with second light has long been refuted. To organize glazing they use durable double glazed windows, which work on the greenhouse principle: Sun rays pass freely through the glass, heat up all objects in the house, and are converted into infrared rays, which can no longer pass through the glass.
But also disadvantages of houses with second light also have:
- loss of usable space, because the absence of part of the floors forces you to abandon a couple of not always extra rooms: bedrooms or utility rooms. That is why “second light” is organized only in houses with sufficient space so that this bonus does not cause discomfort;
- ceiling height in living room- This additional difficulties, since it will be almost impossible to change the light bulbs in a chandelier without outside professional help, and this is an extra cost;
- difficulties also arise when organization of the heating system, because ordinary radiators, even if there are a sufficient number of them, will not be enough - the laws of physics work. That is why it is better to involve specialists in developing a heat supply system. As a rule, you will need a thermal curtain, when a stream of heated air moves along the glass from top to bottom. Walls and roofs will also help, and as heaters it is better to use those that heat objects in the room, rather than the air.
10 interesting projects of houses with second light
If some of the disadvantages of such houses do not bother you, then you can move on to designing and building such a structure on your site. Of course, you can create your own unique project, taking into account all individual requirements, but you can purchase a ready-made one: it is several times cheaper, and all these projects are thought out to the smallest detail so that the built house is comfortable and cozy. Let's look at the most interesting of them.
No. 1. Grace
This is a chic project two-story house with an area of 319 m2. Excellent for a large family, who can not only relax here for several weeks a year, but also live fully - all the necessary premises are provided. The main part of the first floor is spacious kitchen-living room, from which a panoramic view opens. The area can comfortably accommodate a kitchen and dining area, as well as a relaxation area. In addition, on the ground floor there is a bathroom and a lot of utility rooms for storing things, gardening tools and other things. There is a garage for two cars and a terrace where you can have picnics or just sunbathe.
On the second floor, the project involves placing three bedrooms, one of which has its own bathroom, as well as one more. There are enough recreation rooms for a large family, and a house built according to this project will be comfortable and conducive to relaxation.
No. 2. North
A house built according to this project, unlike the previous one, is suitable for a small family, who will not spend very much time here, since it is compact and has a minimum of bedrooms. The peculiarity of the house is a spacious terrace, which can become great place holidays and family holidays. The total area of this two-story house is only 76 m2, so the project is suitable only for a specific group of people.
On the ground floor, as is customary, there is a spacious kitchen with a living room, as well as a bathroom. In that part of the house where there is no panoramic glazing, a children's room and a small bedroom are organized. On the second floor, according to the project, you can place a more spacious bedroom and a dressing room.
No. 3. Optimum
Such a house can become a place of complete and varied recreation, and there is enough space for a large family or a large group of friends. The design of this two-story house boasts an area of more than 530 m2. From the ground floor there is access to a huge terrace that can be used in different ways. Also on the ground floor there is a leading to a spacious living room, the decoration of which is the “second light”. The kitchen is separated from the living room and also has ample space and a separate dining area. The kitchen and living room have access to the terrace, so on fine days you can easily have lunch in the fresh air - all products can be easily and easily taken out.
Also on the ground floor there are a couple of bathrooms, a huge gym, a sauna with a swimming pool, a boiler room, a storage room, utility rooms and space for two cars. The staircase from the living room leads to the second floor into the hall, which also offers stunning views from the window. On the second floor there is a bedroom with a separate bathroom and dressing room, as well as three other bedrooms and two additional baths. Such a project is suitable for those who dream of relaxing in their country house with maximum comfort.
No. 4. Greece
This is a project of another spacious two-story house with an area of 302 m2. Both the external and internal solutions are thought out to the smallest detail. So, on the ground floor there is a living room overlooking the terrace and surrounding landscapes. The kitchen and dining areas are nearby, but separated by a short partition. From the dining area there is access to the terrace, so if desired, everything cooked can be easily taken outside to have lunch or dinner in the fresh air. On the ground floor there is also supposed to be a bathroom, storage room, boiler room, wardrobe, as well as a bedroom, from which there is also access to the terrace.
From the living room, a staircase rises to the second floor hall, from where doors lead to three bedrooms, a bathroom and a dressing room, and another bathroom is provided in one of the bedrooms. The end result is a good project country house for a large family.
No. 5. Finnish house
Enough interesting project, according to which you can build a cozy two-storey house with an area of 286 m2. Thanks to the layout features, this area will accommodate even more useful objects than in the previous version. The basis of the first floor is a living room with second light. Next to the living room there is a dining area with access to the terrace, and the kitchen is located right there. In addition to these rooms, as well as the hallway and hall, on the ground floor there is a bathroom, a bedroom with a dressing room and a bath, but that’s not all. A special feature of the project is that there is space for a sauna with a shower and a changing room.
As in all other projects of houses with a second light, here the staircase to the second floor leads from the living room and goes to the hall on the second floor. It is also used as a relaxation area, because the view is the same as from the living room. There are also three bedrooms, one of which has a wardrobe and a balcony, and one bathroom for all.
No. 6. Arrow
The design of this house is truly unique and interesting, it is suitable for those who want to achieve original solution, but at the same time not deprive the house of comfort and coziness. The area is 370 m2, there are two floors, and the peculiarity is the presence of a gallery on the second floor, as well as a lot of facilities for rest and relaxation. The house has a peculiar shape, and on the ground floor there is a living room and a kitchen-dining room, and they are located so that they form a single room, and two walls parallel to each other are completely glazed. In addition, on the ground floor there is a vestibule with an entrance hall, a bathroom, as well as a hall with access to the bathroom, utility rooms and a gym, next to it there is a passage to the swimming pool, from which you can exit onto a spacious terrace. Best solution For relaxing holiday and it’s impossible to imagine. For convenience, there is space for a two-car garage on the ground floor.
Since the “second light” is actually located on two sides, the second floor is planned using a gallery that leads from the staircase to two children's rooms. Also on the second floor there are two bedrooms and a bathroom.
No. 7. Friends
The name of the project of this house speaks for itself. The rooms here are located and equipped so that there is enough space for a huge group, and so that everyone’s stay is as comfortable as possible. It’s worth noting right away that the house design does not include a garage, but the issue of parking can be solved in a lot of other ways. But on an area of 450 m2 all the necessary rooms are located.
On the ground floor there is a huge living room with second light, it connects to the dining room, which also offers a beautiful view. The kitchen and dining room are combined, and from the latter there is access to the terrace for outdoor dining. Also on the ground floor there is a guest room with access to the terrace and its own bathroom, dressing room, gym with bathtub. The second floor has a spacious hall, a dressing room and four bedrooms, each of which has a separate bathroom - ideal for a large group of friends.
1.What does “second light” mean?
Second light- this is a room in a house without ceilings on the second (third, etc.) floor. In the professional language of architects, this technique is called double-height hall. In educational literature on architecture, this definition sounds like this: “DOUBLE-STORY HALL (see HALL), a main room, a hall with two-story high walls (not separated by a ceiling) and two rows of windows. “Second light” is the name given to the upper tier of walls and windows.”.
2. History of the construction of buildings with second light.
This architectural technique in construction has been known since the construction of palaces and estates of the Middle Ages. Both in European and in the architecture of the Russian Empire there are many examples of the use of double-height halls during the construction of royal mansions of past centuries.
For example, Banquet Hall Banqueting House) at Whitehall Palace (now defunct) in London was built in 1619-1622 in the style of English classicism, where a single double-height hall. From the noble solemnity and magnificent composition of the building, this palace was the first of its kind in Great Britain.
In St. Petersburg stands a magnificent monument of the 18th century - the first building of the northern capital, for the decoration of which 32 types of marble were used. The halls of this palace amaze with their wealth and elegance; a grand staircase led to the upper floors. The main room of which, the Marble Hall, was reconstructed in the 19th century; the interfloor coverings of the second and third floors were removed and the Marble Hall became double-light, as we see it now. The wonderfully beautiful ceiling was raised to the ceiling of the third floor and crystal chandeliers appeared.
In the history of architecture, they are also known from the second world. This was the case with Elizaveta Petrovna, who lived remotely during the reign of Anna Ioanovna in Pokrovskoye-Rubtsovo, which is not far from Moscow. According to legend, Elizabeth lived there cheerfully, organizing holidays, dancing and festivities. The wooden palace was located on the shore of a pond: one-story, on a high basement, with a central double-height hall. This monument of wooden architecture has not survived to this day; it is only known that it was decorated in Japanese and Chinese styles.
Most of our readers buildings with second light known from an early age. After all, many of us in childhood attended various clubs in astronomy, aircraft modeling, knitting, cutting and sewing, or music studios in the Palace of Pioneers or the House of Culture, and went to the swimming pool in the swimming section. It was there that we could first encounter this architectural technique double-height space with tiers of windows in many rows. Of course, the majority did not even pay attention to design features different public buildings, but the spaciousness of the interior space certainly could not be ignored, since these public institutions were very different from our standard apartments.
For example, the Palace of Pioneers on the Lenin Hills in Moscow is the most successful building of the Khrushchev “thaw”, as the embodiment of the ideas of constructivism. The main building is the largest object of the complex, divided into several buildings, adjacent to the ends of an extended volume connecting them, where a spectacular space is created double-light winter garden. You can have different attitudes towards our common Soviet past, but it is worth recognizing that at that time the state did not skimp on the education, development and health of children, therefore, for the future builders of communism, magnificent palaces of pioneers and palaces of culture were erected, in which various architectural techniques were used, the most the most memorable of which was double-height space.
It is no secret that many historical buildings in the Russian capital at one time underwent repairs or reconstruction, and eventually lost their original function, suddenly turning into offices or apartments. But there are still buildings that have retained to this day the purpose for which they were created a century ago. One of them is the former Palace of Pioneers on Vorobyovy Gory with double-light room in the winter garden.
Organization double-light space is also often found in other public buildings: train stations, airports, gyms and indoor stadiums, in establishments of cultural organizations, restaurants, cafes, pavilions, etc.
4.Why do modern developers like a wooden house with a second light?
What is it that attracts the modern developer so much in this rather “official” architectural technique today? Probably, it is precisely this increase in space and the feeling of airiness, freedom, which is so lacking in our rather cramped apartments, limited by a box of walls and ceilings. Second light visually enlarges the room not only due to the absence of ceilings where they usually exist, but also the top row of windows in the second tier gives additional natural lighting to the room with second light.
Each developer, planning his own second light, probably imagines it in the form of an estate, a family nest, secretly dreaming of having something like a palace mansion, in order to feel himself in personal possession as the status owner of a respectable home: if not a marble palace, then at least an estate, second light in which, undoubtedly, it gives representativeness.
In peasant “double-fat huts”, to prevent heat from escaping upward, the staircase opening, along with the stairs leading upward, was tightly covered with boards. Thus, in the lower room, and most often it was big kitchen with a Russian stove, there was a structure in the form of a cabin in which there was a staircase to climb to the upper part of the house. This suggests that in the peasant house they took great care of warmth and such a simple, but effective way We tried to distribute it evenly throughout the house. After all, according to the researcher of Russian architecture M. Krasovsky, two-story huts were built “especially in the northern provinces, where there is still a lot of forest...”(it must be admitted that there is still “a lot of it” in the “northern provinces”, and especially in the Kostroma region), and in the north people value warmth like nowhere else and build wooden houses taking into account the maximum preservation of it in your home.
D) acoustics in a wooden house with second light;
There are still some features in a house with a second light that some may find inconvenient - the spread of sound from below throughout the house. If a wooden house has interfloor ceilings, they significantly muffle the sound coming from below. In a log house with a second light, the sound from the lower room echoes throughout the house. The second light is traditionally made in the living room, where the TV is located, where all family members and their guests gather. Thus, if there are children in the house and they are already going to bed in the evening, and there are sounds from TV or conversations in your living room, then this noise will spread throughout the house, rising upstairs, preventing younger family members from falling asleep. In this case, you need to take care of additional sound insulation in advance, especially in children's rooms upstairs.
D) second light in a wooden house and children's pranks;
With children in the family, there is a danger of having a second light in a wooden house. You can often hear from the owners of such houses that boys and girls sometimes like to play, jumping from top to bottom over the railings of the second floor, come up with parachute descents with an umbrella and other fun - children's ingenuity is inexhaustible! In such cases, injuries to children or breakdowns of various pieces of furniture are inevitable, since it is almost impossible to predict what your child will invent (especially without parental supervision, left alone) in a house with such interesting layout with a second light, where there is space and where children's imagination can run wild.
6. What should you pay attention to first if you decide to build a wooden house with second light?
If the future developer is not stopped by any of the negative arguments given above, he is ready to overcome them, then first of all he should pay attention to heating the house. Very the right decision will install a warm floor, in which the heat will be forcibly retained below. And the larger the area of the heated floor, the greater the effect it will have. Thus, the increase in costs from operating a heated floor in a room with a second light about 6 m high will be 20% higher than in a room with a ceiling about 3 m high.
If you use only convectors for heating a log house, then the increase in costs can be even 80% - it’s up to you to decide whether this is a lot or a little. Based on the efficiency of heating a wooden house with second light, you can make the following rating: warm floors come first, then registers, then cast iron radiators, aluminum radiators, and lastly the convector. If the frost outside is -20 degrees, and the temperature of the heated floors is +24 degrees, then the measurements from the floor will be as follows: 1cm from the floor +21 degrees, 2cm from the floor +20 degrees, 4m from the floor +19.5 degrees, 5m (almost under the ceiling) +16-19 degrees.
Thus, the cost of heating a wooden house with second light requires a significant increase in the budget. And houses made of timber with a double-height room, as a rule, are built large, where, for the sake of a spectacular view of the front room, they sacrifice additional living space on the second floor, therefore, its residents must be wealthy people who can afford the maintenance of such an expensive house. Due to its non-standard layout, a log house with a second light is included in the category of elite houses compared to other wooden houses of the same area.
In any case, if the time comes when you get tired of living in such an elite house or you get tired of overpaying for its expensive maintenance, you are tired of living in a “palace” or “house of culture”, then in a wooden house there is always an opportunity to rectify the situation: contact bona fide construction company with qualified craftsmen who will professionally make inter-ceilings. Then they will appear in your house additional rooms on the second floor and the heat will be more evenly maintained at the top and bottom of the house.
For those who love spacious interiors, very high ceilings and are not used to limiting themselves in anything, second-light windows will not only visually, but actually expand the space.
Second light in architecture- a window through which light enters a dark room from illuminated rooms. However, this term also has a second meaning, implying the presence of two levels in a high room without ceilings window openings.
Initially in classic version these structures were installed in wooden houses without an attic, that is, during the construction of such buildings, no interfloor covering, due to which there were two tiers of window openings on one wall. Today, such structures are very popular in residential and commercial construction and are widely used both for the construction of private houses and in the design and construction of luxury apartment buildings.
To prevent a room with a second light from resembling a well, it is important to correctly calculate the proportions. Otherwise, the positive effect of choosing such a project will be reduced to zero.
Advantages of windows with second light
Almost always, the interior of a house with second light looks more respectable and richer if you compare the furnishings with similar decoration in rooms with insufficiently high ceilings and one row of windows.Using this architectural technique provides several important capabilities:
- combine all living space using a living room or hall;
- hang a large expensive chandelier;
- create the illusion of spaciousness even in houses with insufficient area;
- increase income sunlight;
- perform effective zoning of the available area.
Having received a large number of advantages, property owners are guaranteed to encounter a number of difficulties when implementing such a project. If windows are installed under the roof, the second light in some cases can cause problems associated with excessive and high heat loss. Fortunately, such deficiencies can be anticipated and prevented, but this comes with additional costs.
If the common living room is combined with a kitchen, you must immediately take care of an effective ventilation system, since odors will emanate throughout the house. It is recommended to integrate a sufficient number of micro-ventilation valves into the bindings, which are best immediately connected to control sensors.
What are second light windows made of?
In fact, a second-light window may differ from the main structure only in size and shape of the frame - sometimes on objects you can find absolutely identical products located on top of each other. All available materials are suitable for the manufacture of these products. modern materials and technologies:- profile systems made of PVC, aluminum and wood;
- double-glazed windows of all types;
- skylights if the second tier of openings is located in the roof;
- cornice windows - with combined glazing;
- various systems façade glazing.
For large openings that provide a panoramic view, it is possible to use, but in general this technique has no restrictions and even allows for the combination of panoramic frameless glazing on the first level with other types of windows on the second tier. The basic rules for all cases are the same - the glazing must fit well with the architecture of the facility and be absolutely safe.
If you plan to install structures with window sills in the lower openings, then do not forget about the versatility of these elements and the possibilities they open up when designing rooms.
What needs to be considered when installing second-light windows
Despite the apparent simplicity and lightness, a house with a second light or a two-story apartment should be glazed, taking into account many important nuances, otherwise their owners will, at a minimum, have an uncomfortable life.
When designing, it is necessary to provide:
Houses with windows, in which the second light is the main highlight of the interior, can cause a lot of inconvenience during the cleaning process. Since these structures must always be spotlessly clean, otherwise they will spoil the appearance, they require ongoing care. Sometimes this takes a lot of resources and time. To solve the problem in the best possible way, experts recommend equipping such windows.
If there are bedrooms, a nursery or a study on the second floor, it is recommended to take care of additional soundproofing of these rooms, since houses with second light have excellent acoustics and, accordingly, noise travels well.
Currently under construction wooden houses are engaged in two cases: to live in these houses; surprise others that you are the owner of a wooden house. In the second case, people most often visit such a premises for holidays, weekends or business meetings. There is no need to particularly rack your brains about arranging such a house; it simply must be well built, have the basic elements of everyday life and be well lit. IN residential buildings everything is much more serious, they try to save every centimeter of space to make sure you can and make sure that with limited space every corner is used. But the topic of our article is the second light. You may not yet know what it is, but by the end of reading you will be fully aware of this concept, and also decide for yourself whether it is advisable to build wooden houses with second light or not.
We will look at the following sections in more detail:
What is second light and its positive aspects
Second light is a method of construction wooden house, in which they are not intentionally installed. As a result, you get one large and high room, above which the roof of the building is located. This significantly increases the visible space, but to put it simply, this type of construction consists of combining the first and second floors of a log house.
People would not be people if they did not have adherents and obvious opponents of the construction of the second world. Aesthetes are in favor of its implementation, but rationalists will do everything to install an interfloor ceiling and organize a bedroom on the second floor. Both the first and second are right, and then you will understand why. To understand this, it is necessary to consider the positive and negative sides of the second light.
What are the positive aspects? With the help of the second light you will give yourself a feeling of freedom; we are all used to living in apartments with low ceilings, but here we are invited to feel truly free, since the ceiling will not visually press on you. 
In addition, a second light is very respectable, not everyone can afford it, so guests will appreciate your taste and understand that you are not ordinary person, squeezed into the opinion of the majority, but are ready to experiment and this leads to great results.
Let's add to this the presence of abundant lighting due to the possibility of installation large windows. There will always be so much light in the house that people will be jealous. And green plants that exceed a height of several meters. Could you really afford this in an apartment, but now everything will be different, you just have to try. A huge chandelier will create an additional atmosphere, and exactly the kind of chandelier you saw in films and palaces. If we haven’t convinced you yet, then look at the photo presented above, only it can change a lot, but imagine what it looks like in real life.
Negative sides
But along with the positive sides, there are always negative ones. Since our site strives to bring to the visitor all the information regarding a particular topic, we simply cannot remain silent about the negative aspects of houses with second light.
You will definitely lose a lot of space where you could place cabinets, beds, a kitchen, and maybe even a toilet. You may not have all this, since, in essence, you are giving up one large or two small rooms in favor of one huge and very tall one. Of course, your cottage will number several hundred square meters, then this is not a problem and you can easily build it in the living room, but with budget construction such generosity is not permissible.
But another point is more important. No one has yet been able to break the laws of physics and have it lead to good consequences. What we mean is that there may be problems with heating the log house, which will have a second light. Warm air, one way or another, tends upward, and since a person does not know how to fly, it will always be in the cold part, i.e. at the bottom. It is not rational to heat a space that will not be used. It is this argument that forces many to abandon the second light in the house. Below we will teach you how to solve this problem.
Additional material
While you are still confused and know whether you need it or not, we will give some tips for houses with second light. In order not to lose heat, take care of the thermal insulation of the walls and roof, thus warm air will not leave the room.
In addition to this, we advise you to call specialists who will calculate required amount room heaters. Remember, you need heaters that emit heat, i.e. light They are installed towards the floor of the building and heat objects rather than the air. If you give preference to heaters that circulate air around the room using a fan, this will not help; all the heat will still go up. Therefore, do not make a mistake when choosing a room heater.
A simply chic addition to this would be installing heated floors. If it doesn’t work out well, then he will walk around warm floor and just enjoy the gigantic room with second light. Many people have already confirmed that .
This is how they will fight the cold, although in the summer you won’t have to do this, and people go to such houses to relax most often in the summer, although New Year to meet in it is very good.
This is where we can finish. You can read all the pros and cons of the second light and decide for yourself whether it’s worth building it or not. Remember that it can always be rebuilt, but why ruin a piece of art. It's better to refuse right away. Remember just one thing - it is not necessary to build a second light in the entire log house, you can separate a small space for it, and build a second residential floor in the remaining part, resulting in good bedrooms, but at the same time part of the house will be without a ceiling. This is where he will receive guests and celebrate holidays.
