Where to Hang Your New SunRain Prism Suncatcher
The best place to hang a SunRain Prism Suncatcher is wherever direct sunlight can strike the crystal prisms and project the resulting rainbows into a room you enjoy using.
That sounds simple, but window direction, tinted glass, trees, buildings, roof overhangs, furnishings, and the earth's changing seasons all affect the result.
A little observation can help you find the best location in your home.
Direct Sunlight Comes First
The most important requirement is direct sunlight.
A bright room is not necessarily a good suncatcher room.
If the sun itself never reaches the prisms, the crystal will not produce the strong rainbow spectra SunRain is designed to create.
Before choosing a permanent location, watch your windows on a sunny day and notice where direct beams enter the house.
South-Facing Windows
In the Northern Hemisphere, south-facing windows often receive useful sunlight for long periods of the year.
They can be especially productive during fall, winter, and spring when the sun travels lower across the southern sky.
Winter sunlight entering a south-facing window may reach deep into the room and project rainbows high onto walls and ceilings.
If you have a good unobstructed south-facing window, it is often an excellent place to start.
West-Facing Windows
West-facing windows can produce dramatic afternoon and evening rainbow displays.
They receive strong sunlight as the sun moves lower in the western sky.
This can be particularly effective in living rooms, dining rooms, studios, and other spaces where you spend time later in the day.
West-facing windows may also become especially productive during summer afternoons.
East-Facing Windows
East-facing windows are ideal if you enjoy morning sunlight.
They can fill breakfast areas, kitchens, bedrooms, offices, and other morning spaces with rainbows while the sun is still low in the eastern sky.
If you are rarely home in the afternoon but enjoy your house in the morning, an east-facing window may actually be more useful to you than a west-facing one.
North-Facing Windows
In the Northern Hemisphere, north-facing windows usually receive the least direct sunlight.
They may work at certain times of year or in unusual architectural situations, but they are generally less dependable for prism suncatchers.
If you have other choices, start with east-, south-, or west-facing windows first.
Look Beyond Window Direction
Compass direction is only part of the story.
A perfect south-facing window may still perform poorly if a large tree, neighboring building, porch, awning, or roof overhang blocks the sun.
Meanwhile, an east-facing window with an unobstructed view of the sky may create beautiful morning rainbows.
The real question is not simply:
Which direction does the window face?
It is:
Does direct sunlight actually reach the prisms?
Watch for Trees
Trees can create constantly changing light.
In summer, dense leaves may block most of the sun. In fall and winter, the same window may suddenly receive much more direct light after the leaves drop.
Even during summer, sunlight may pass through gaps between leaves for short periods and create striking rainbow displays.
If a tree partially blocks a window, watch it at several different times before ruling that location out.
Watch for Buildings and Roof Overhangs
Nearby houses, apartment buildings, garages, porches, balconies, and roof overhangs can all block direct sunlight.
The effect can also change with the seasons.
Because the winter sun is lower, a building that does not block summer sunlight may cast a long shadow during winter.
Conversely, a roof overhang that blocks high summer sun may allow lower winter sunlight to enter freely.
Think About Where the Rainbows Will Land
The best window is not only the one receiving sunlight.
It is also the one that sends the rainbows somewhere interesting.
Good receiving surfaces include:
- Light-colored walls
- Ceilings
- Floors
- Doors
- Furniture
- Cabinets
- Curtains
- Bedding
A prism display can be especially dramatic when the bright spectra land on a surface that is otherwise in shade.
The contrast makes the colors stand out.
Living Rooms
Living rooms are excellent locations because they often contain large walls and ceilings where rainbows can travel.
A west- or south-facing living-room window can create a display that changes continuously through the afternoon.
Because living rooms are places where people gather, this is also one of the best rooms for sharing the effect with visitors.
Bedrooms
Bedrooms can work beautifully, especially with east-facing windows.
Morning rainbows can move across walls, ceilings, bedding, and furniture as the sun rises.
A bedroom also gives you a chance to enjoy the changing light in a quieter, more personal space.
Dining Rooms
Dining rooms often have large open walls, polished furniture, and windows positioned to receive afternoon light.
A west-facing dining-room window can create strong late-day rainbow displays.
The moving color can be particularly striking during meals or gatherings.
Kitchens
Kitchens can work well when a sunny window is available, but keep the suncatcher away from grease, cooking residue, steam, and areas where it could be bumped.
Crystal stays brighter when it is kept clean.
If you choose a kitchen window, expect to clean the prisms more frequently.
Offices and Studios
A sunny office or studio is a great location if you want moving color throughout your workday.
The changing rainbows can provide visual interest without electricity, batteries, or screens.
Choose the window based on when you use the room: morning workers may prefer east-facing light, while afternoon users may benefit from west-facing windows.
Nurseries and Children's Rooms
Rainbow light can be delightful in a child's room, but remember that SunRain is a substantial glass decoration rather than a toy.
Hang it securely and out of reach.
Make sure children cannot pull on the chain, mounting hardware, or prisms.
The projected rainbow light itself can be enjoyed safely on walls, ceilings, floors, and furnishings.
Skylights
A skylight can be an excellent location because it may receive direct sun when ordinary wall windows do not.
A longer chain can lower the suncatcher into the path of the sunlight.
Use secure mounting hardware appropriate for the location and make sure the crystal cannot strike nearby surfaces.
High or difficult-to-reach locations may warrant professional installation.
Do Not Forget the Sun Moves
The sun's position changes constantly.
It moves across the sky during the day and follows a different path throughout the year.
That means your best location in December may not be the best location in June.
Fortunately, SunRain hangs from a chain, so small adjustments in height can help compensate for seasonal changes.
You may even decide to move the suncatcher to a different window at certain times of year.
Summer Placement
In summer, the sun is higher in the sky.
Direct sunlight may enter windows at steeper angles.
Rainbows often land on floors and lower walls, and west-facing windows can be particularly effective during long afternoons.
Roof overhangs can also block high summer sunlight.
Winter Placement
In winter, the sun is lower.
Sunlight can enter windows at shallow angles and reach farther into the room.
Rainbows may climb walls and even appear on ceilings.
South-facing windows often become especially useful during winter.
Spring and Fall
Spring and fall provide moderate sun angles.
These seasons are good times to experiment with placement and find a position that works well through several months.
Around the equinoxes, the changing sun path can make it easier to see which windows will remain useful as the season progresses.
Try More Than One Window
You do not have to choose one permanent location forever.
Try different rooms.
Move the SunRain from one window to another on a sunny day and compare the results.
You may discover that:
- One room produces longer displays
- Another creates brighter rainbows
- One window works best in winter
- Another is spectacular in summer
- Morning light is better in one part of the house
- Afternoon light is better somewhere else
Experimentation is part of the fun.
The Simple Rule
If you remember only one thing, make it this:
Put the SunRain where direct sunlight hits the prisms and where the resulting rainbows can travel into a room you enjoy.
Everything else is fine-tuning.
Real Sunlight. Real Rainbows. Transform a Sunny Window.