I keep my curtains closed in a heatwave, but my home never feels cave like – this is how I’ve found the balance between temperature regulation and light ingress

Red bathroom with large bath and bamboo blinds.

This summer has been a test on the majority of our homes. Unlike previous heatwaves which can be over in a few days, the prolonged 35+º heat for weeks on end really has been something else.

However, without the infrastructure to cool our homes, we’re all stuck with the windows closed and the curtains drawn during the day to keep the hot air outside and the solar gain to a minimum. These passive cooling strategies have been tried and tested for centuries and are a good way to keep energy usage down while limiting the use fans or air conditioners. But, in a prolonged heatwave like we've seen this summer, saving energy and keeping your house cool can also mean it feels like you live in the dark.