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Architecture: Skylights to Bring Sunshine Into Your World
Clever glazing can completely transform a space, bringing light and style into your home. Things are looking up…
Jo Leevers
5 July 2014
Houzz contributor. I also write about interiors and houses for leading UK magazines and newspaper supplements. Recent work at www.joleevers.com
Houzz contributor. I also write about interiors and houses for leading UK magazines... More
If you are about to extend a space or open up a loft, the type of skylight you install can make a dramatic difference, depending on its shape, design, position and glazing. Here’s how to take a walk on the bright side.
Hit a high point
This high, pitched roof draws the eye upwards, aided by vertical panelling that emphasises the height. The skylight is glazed with bold, black frames that link with the doors below. The result is a striking design that feels expansive, despite the relatively narrow width of the pitch.
Learn how to design around a pitched ceiling
This high, pitched roof draws the eye upwards, aided by vertical panelling that emphasises the height. The skylight is glazed with bold, black frames that link with the doors below. The result is a striking design that feels expansive, despite the relatively narrow width of the pitch.
Learn how to design around a pitched ceiling
Have a bit on the side
Glazing set into a side wall still lets in lots of light, but means the sun won’t beat down directly into the room. It leaves the ceiling feeling contemporary, with an almost space-age appeal.
Glazing set into a side wall still lets in lots of light, but means the sun won’t beat down directly into the room. It leaves the ceiling feeling contemporary, with an almost space-age appeal.
Team with colour
This extended kitchen benefits from two skylights, but also shows an original way to approach the RSJ. It’s painted in sunshine yellow, illuminated by the skylights, adding a contemporary strip of colour that grows or shrinks, depending on where you stand. It’s a bright idea that makes a feature of the change of ceiling level.
This extended kitchen benefits from two skylights, but also shows an original way to approach the RSJ. It’s painted in sunshine yellow, illuminated by the skylights, adding a contemporary strip of colour that grows or shrinks, depending on where you stand. It’s a bright idea that makes a feature of the change of ceiling level.
Go linear
This slender work space feels clean and streamlined thanks to a glazed ceiling that runs the length of the extension. It’s worth researching effective blinds to suit your style before you settle on a skylight or lantern light shape – some are more practical than others.
This slender work space feels clean and streamlined thanks to a glazed ceiling that runs the length of the extension. It’s worth researching effective blinds to suit your style before you settle on a skylight or lantern light shape – some are more practical than others.
Make a centre point
This high-ceilinged garden room has the feel of a soaring tower, thanks to the central skylight. The actual surface area of the glass isn’t huge, but the structure makes the most of the light. Painted tongue and groove cladding is a nice touch, the pale surfaces helping to further reflect the light.
This high-ceilinged garden room has the feel of a soaring tower, thanks to the central skylight. The actual surface area of the glass isn’t huge, but the structure makes the most of the light. Painted tongue and groove cladding is a nice touch, the pale surfaces helping to further reflect the light.
Link to the windows
The skylights do a great job here, but what makes a difference in this space is how the ceiling glazing is linked to the doors onto the garden. That triangular panel at the top of the right-hand doors is a masterstroke, uniting windows and skylights into a cohesive feature.
The skylights do a great job here, but what makes a difference in this space is how the ceiling glazing is linked to the doors onto the garden. That triangular panel at the top of the right-hand doors is a masterstroke, uniting windows and skylights into a cohesive feature.
Open up a shower room
This wet room extension opens out onto the world, letting sunshine in and revealing a view of nature while retaining privacy. This is a great way for a skylight to help link inside and outside spaces. It would be a wonderful place to have a shower, even in torrential rain!
Discover what to consider when planning a wet room
This wet room extension opens out onto the world, letting sunshine in and revealing a view of nature while retaining privacy. This is a great way for a skylight to help link inside and outside spaces. It would be a wonderful place to have a shower, even in torrential rain!
Discover what to consider when planning a wet room
Pitch it right
This loft conversion skylight makes use of the full length of the roof and maintains the spirit of the original structure, rather than adding a bolted-on dormer. As a result, the room feels light but well designed. Clever blinds ensure the space doesn’t get too hot in summer, a common problem with loft rooms.
This loft conversion skylight makes use of the full length of the roof and maintains the spirit of the original structure, rather than adding a bolted-on dormer. As a result, the room feels light but well designed. Clever blinds ensure the space doesn’t get too hot in summer, a common problem with loft rooms.
Raise it up
This large skylight enables maximum light to flood down, thanks to the extra surface area provided by the high sides of the glass box shape. Along with doors onto the garden, the deep ceiling opening makes this room feel airy and spacious.
This large skylight enables maximum light to flood down, thanks to the extra surface area provided by the high sides of the glass box shape. Along with doors onto the garden, the deep ceiling opening makes this room feel airy and spacious.
Think in threes
A trio of long, frameless windows makes this loft work space feel balanced and open to the sky. Without the glazing it could feel quite closed in, so the extra expense of planning three large openings has paid off.
TELL US…
Do you have a skylight in your home? Share your experiences in the Comments below.
A trio of long, frameless windows makes this loft work space feel balanced and open to the sky. Without the glazing it could feel quite closed in, so the extra expense of planning three large openings has paid off.
TELL US…
Do you have a skylight in your home? Share your experiences in the Comments below.
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