Get Better Daylight Without Glare in Building Design
Natural light improves comfort and energy performance in buildings, but glare and heat gain often force occupants to close blinds and lose those benefits. This article draws on expert recommendations to show how architects and designers can maximize daylight while controlling solar heat and visual discomfort. The strategies outlined below address glass selection, shading devices, window placement, and interior solutions that work together to create bright, comfortable spaces.
Prioritize Daylight With Smart Solar Control
When designing a space, I prioritize natural light in the areas where people spend the most time—primarily the kitchen-living room and, at times, a home office. These zones should receive as much natural daylight as possible. When a room is illuminated naturally, it feels more welcoming and alive, and everyday tasks just seem easier to handle.
For south-facing windows, I recommend using multifunctional glass, often referred to as selective, solar-control, or smart low-E glass. It keeps the room from overheating in the summer and reduces heat loss in the winter. This isn't just a trend—it's a practical solution. During hot months, the glass reflects a portion of the solar energy, blocking excess heat. In colder months, it acts as an extra barrier, helping to keep the warmth inside. Ideally, every window should feature this type of glass, but for large-scale projects with budget constraints, it makes sense to focus on the south-facing facades first, as they receive the highest solar exposure. Given how frequent extreme heatwaves have become lately, this approach is especially relevant: managing solar gain effectively can significantly cut down the need for air conditioning and, as a result, lower bills.
To boost the amount of light and make the space feel more open, I like to incorporate additional glass partitions and windows into the interior design. One of my go-to techniques is to terminate interior partitions short of the ceiling and install a stained-glass panel along the upper part of the wall. This way, privacy is maintained at eye level—preventing lines of sight into the next room—while the glass section near the ceiling adds a sense of airiness. The structures end up looking lighter and don't feel bulky. In practice, this trick works perfect even in relatively small spaces; the feeling of openness and connection between zones makes a home feel more comfortable without sacrificing personal privacy. Plus, stained glass comes in various levels of transparency and patterns, which adds a decorative touch and lets you fine-tune the lighting scheme in the room.
Tame West Sun With Low-E and Shades
When I'm dealing with daylight and glare, the first thing I look at is which direction the building faces and how the sun moves throughout the day. I want people to enjoy the view, but I also don't want glare to compromise their ability to see a computer screen. I lay out each side of the building and observe how much sun it gets at different times. For west-facing windows, I use quality low-E (low emissivity) glass, which blocks the heat but still lets in the light.
In one project, we installed a wall of floor-to-ceiling glass on the west side, along with automatic roller shades. We recommended that they also use soft, matte flooring to reduce glare bouncing in the room. This kept the space bright and comfortable without using dark window tints that would block the view.
Let Views Lead, Pair With Operable Windows
I run Matera Builders in Ocean City, NJ, and after 37+ years on coastal renovations, I look at glass as part of the building envelope, not decoration. With Andersen Certified Elite installation work, the question is always: view, heat, water, wind, and how the room is actually used.
My rule is to put the biggest glass where the view earns it, then control comfort with the glass package and install details. Low-E glass, the right SHGC, tight air sealing, and a stable frame like Andersen Fibrex matter more than just adding blinds after the room overheats.
One choice that works well in shore homes is using a large Andersen door or picture window for the view, then pairing it with operable casements or awnings nearby for breeze instead of making every unit huge glass. You keep the wide-open feel, but the room does not rely on one giant opening for light, air, and comfort.
On finishes, I avoid shiny surfaces near big glass. A soft matte wall or ceiling finish spreads daylight better, cuts glare, and lets the window do its job without making the room feel harsh.
Favor North Glass, Shrink Harsh Afternoons
Start with orientation, because it decides everything else. I put the biggest glass on the north, where a properly sized eave lets low winter sun in and blocks the high summer sun, then keep west-facing glazing small, since that afternoon sun is the one that turns a room into an oven.
The part people miss is finishes. Glare gets blamed on the window, but it is usually bouncing off a glossy floor or a polished benchtop. My go-to fix is a matte finish near big northern glass. Same light flooding in, none of the squinting.
Use Overhangs, Louver Hot Facades, Prioritize Function
It's all about balancing indoor-outdoor relations.
Start from the function of the main spaces and their positioning on site.
If an indoor space function requires a lot of daylight, plan it fully glazed and orient it towards the best views. If neighboring buildings obstruct it, you can elevate it above the ground.
If an indoor space does not require daylight, plan it with minimum openings and position it on the north side. You can also orient it towards obstructed views, place it underground, or close to the less appealing BOH area.
For facades exposed to constant sunlight, consider deep horizontal louvers on south facing facades. If the project is in a hot climate zone, consider designing extra long roof overhangs.
If your space has privacy issues, but still needs a lot of daylight, consider vertical louvers. Slightly rotated louvers will help to adjust the privacy level of the interior spaces.
For small scale building, consider manual window shutters. Shutters allow for easy control of light and privacy. Perforated shutters are an elegant way to elevate the interior spaces. Meticulously designed shadow patterns can create a truly unique and cozy space.
If the building is in a warm climate area, consider cooler interior tones and metal finishes. Blue toned materials and sleek finishes will visually cool down the space. If the space is in a cold climate zone, consider warm tones and matte, textured finishes.
When I worked on designing 8 luxury villas in Costa Rica, daylight, views, glare and heat were topics I had to address along with strong winds and rain. The best design choice was to have full height open glass that was pushed back behind extreme roof overhangs. The glass facade opened the main spaces towards ocean views. Extreme overhangs allowed me to design outdoor terraces, which were perfect for relaxation or sunbathing.
Layer Sheers, Move Seats, Keep the Vista
The honest answer is you can't fully solve this at the design stage without picking a compromise, so we ask clients early which one matters more to them because glare-free doesn't always mean well-lit, and well-lit doesn't always mean comfortable.
One approach that's worked well for us: instead of controlling light only at the window (blinds, curtains), we treat the interior finishes as part of the light strategy too. A matte, warmer wall tone near a west facing window absorbs a lot of the harsh glare that a bright white wall would just bounce straight back into the room. It sounds like a small thing but it changes how a room feels at 4pm dramatically.
For shading itself, we have moved away from permanent fixed shading and toward layered options: sheer curtains for daytime glare, blackout only where truly needed (bedrooms), and letting the glazing itself do more of the work on facades that get harsh afternoon sun.
The choice we are proudest of is on a west facing balcony to living room opening: we used a light sheer layer plus repositioned the main seating out of the direct glare path, rather than blocking the view. Client kept the full view of outside without ever needing to draw a heavy curtain during the day.
Cellular TDBU for Flexible Privacy
As a window treatment manufacturer, the change I see improve comfort most consistently is switching from single-direction shades to top-down-bottom-up (TDBU) cellular shades on larger windows. Traditional shades force a binary choice: cover the window for privacy and glare control, or leave it open for daylight. TDBU shades split that decision — the top portion can be lowered to cut glare and heat at eye level, while the bottom stays raised to keep natural light coming in from below, or vice versa depending on the room's orientation. We see this used most often in home offices and living rooms with large or floor-to-ceiling windows, where full coverage would otherwise trade away most of the daylight.
