Global Interior Design London - Blog

Air moisture content is a major factor in determining comfort indoors during the winter. Even in temperate London, interior design professionals need to design for winter indoor comfort because this directly influences both our health and our electricity bills.

Interior design teams will often install underfloor heating in order to guarantee gentle warmth for the winter. But temperature only makes sense when combined with relative humidity readings. For example, an interior design team may set the thermostat to 20˚C. But this temperature would only be comfortable for a short time period under very dry conditions. Some London interior design professionals will recommend a humidifier for the winter – boosting the relative humidity to at least 50% guarantees that more than 4 in 5 averagely-dressed individuals would feel comfortable.

Recently our interior design consultancy was contacted by a homeowner whose London residence was so dry this winter that she started having nosebleeds. She had bought a humidifier to alleviate her symptoms, but the result was a major buildup of ice on her windows – so much ice that she often couldn’t see out! She called our consultancy for some professional interior designer advice on whether she needed to replace her windows or consider a refit.

I wrote back to explain that a relative indoor humidity of 40 to 60 percent is desirable, but that maintaining such humid air over an entire winter would be too much for most London homes. At our London interior design consultancy, we often warn clients of the danger of mould growth as a consequence of water collecting in wall and attic cavities in situations such as these. I told her that repairs can be costly, but that there are also serious health implications if she doesn't remedy the problem swiftly. The solution? I offered her a free interior design consultation to consider fitting some higher-quality double-glazed windows and also performing other renovations around the home.

Back to Blog