Decorating Guides
10 Ways Designers Have Sneaked Extra Light into a Home
If you’re renovating, consider some of these clever ideas to pull in more spirit-lifting rays
It’s amazing how much of a difference even a very small opening can make to the light levels in a home. Here, designers on Houzz have added everything from a glass-brick shower wall to a tiny courtyard, both to bring in bonus light from outside and share it throughout the home. Could any of these ideas work for you?
Widen a window
Turning a whole wall into a window has given this wetroom a lovely, energising atmosphere, thanks to masses of diffused light.
The steel-framed windows are made from toughened glass, with opaque panels bottom and centre and a transparent row on top. “The room isn’t overlooked and it’s lovely to gaze out from the shower,” designer and homeowner Mel Massey says.
The glazing takes up the whole wall of a second-floor rear extension, but enlarging an existing window could be an option for bringing more light into your home if an extension isn’t on the cards.
Turning a whole wall into a window has given this wetroom a lovely, energising atmosphere, thanks to masses of diffused light.
The steel-framed windows are made from toughened glass, with opaque panels bottom and centre and a transparent row on top. “The room isn’t overlooked and it’s lovely to gaze out from the shower,” designer and homeowner Mel Massey says.
The glazing takes up the whole wall of a second-floor rear extension, but enlarging an existing window could be an option for bringing more light into your home if an extension isn’t on the cards.
Strategically position a skylight
We’re used to skylights in kitchen and loft extensions, but they can be used to great effect elsewhere in the home, too.
The staircase in this Victorian semi was pretty gloomy, so designer and owner Beth Dadswell of Imperfect Interiors fitted a large roof window above it, flooding light down to the ground floor. “Pulling light through the house was a real challenge,” Beth says. “The corridors were incredibly dark.”
Beth also replaced two panels of a classic Victorian door with glass on the ground floor to allow some of this bonus light to brighten up the living room, too.
We’re used to skylights in kitchen and loft extensions, but they can be used to great effect elsewhere in the home, too.
The staircase in this Victorian semi was pretty gloomy, so designer and owner Beth Dadswell of Imperfect Interiors fitted a large roof window above it, flooding light down to the ground floor. “Pulling light through the house was a real challenge,” Beth says. “The corridors were incredibly dark.”
Beth also replaced two panels of a classic Victorian door with glass on the ground floor to allow some of this bonus light to brighten up the living room, too.
Shower in the sunshine
Here’s another well-placed roof window. This time, a small pane was all that was needed to open up the narrow shower space and highlight the graphic tiles.
“We’re always looking for ways to optimise natural light,” designer Brian O’Tuama says. “When the sun is shining, you get that nice blue-sky moment above you.”
Ready to renovate? Find the perfect professional for your project on Houzz.
Here’s another well-placed roof window. This time, a small pane was all that was needed to open up the narrow shower space and highlight the graphic tiles.
“We’re always looking for ways to optimise natural light,” designer Brian O’Tuama says. “When the sun is shining, you get that nice blue-sky moment above you.”
Ready to renovate? Find the perfect professional for your project on Houzz.
Open up your splashback
Though you’d typically have tiles, stone, quartz or back-painted glass behind a worktop, the area can provide the perfect opportunity to boost light levels, and offer a further link to the outdoors.
This ribbon of glazing is in the home of designer Denise O’Connor of Optimise Home. “I really wanted to get some secondary light into the space,” she says. “As the rest of the glazing [in the room] is in the form of doors, it was also a chance to have a window you could just pop open.”
What about keeping it clean? “The counter is a little bit deeper, so [the window] is a little bit further back, but it’s pretty easy to keep clean [anyway],” she says.
Though you’d typically have tiles, stone, quartz or back-painted glass behind a worktop, the area can provide the perfect opportunity to boost light levels, and offer a further link to the outdoors.
This ribbon of glazing is in the home of designer Denise O’Connor of Optimise Home. “I really wanted to get some secondary light into the space,” she says. “As the rest of the glazing [in the room] is in the form of doors, it was also a chance to have a window you could just pop open.”
What about keeping it clean? “The counter is a little bit deeper, so [the window] is a little bit further back, but it’s pretty easy to keep clean [anyway],” she says.
Work your pantry
Large rear extensions can often leave the back of the room quite dark, but for this project, architect Kieran Hawkins of Cairn had a brilliant solution.
In the far corner of the kitchen he created a pantry. So far, so standard, but the clever part is that he made the little room taller than the kitchen, so he could insert a slim window in the extra section of wall (seen here on the far side of the pantry space).
“We used the pantry as a way of bringing light into the kitchen,” Kieran says. “It’s a top-lit little space and acts almost as a lightwell, because it’s flooded with natural light.”
He also added this internal Crittall window, so the living room could benefit from the extra light, too.
Large rear extensions can often leave the back of the room quite dark, but for this project, architect Kieran Hawkins of Cairn had a brilliant solution.
In the far corner of the kitchen he created a pantry. So far, so standard, but the clever part is that he made the little room taller than the kitchen, so he could insert a slim window in the extra section of wall (seen here on the far side of the pantry space).
“We used the pantry as a way of bringing light into the kitchen,” Kieran says. “It’s a top-lit little space and acts almost as a lightwell, because it’s flooded with natural light.”
He also added this internal Crittall window, so the living room could benefit from the extra light, too.
Create an internal window
This bathroom in a renovated 1980s house was difficult to light. The exterior wall (behind the camera) is directly above the home’s entrance, so, for privacy, there’s only a slim window.
This wall of glass bricks borrows light from the hallway, and is a perfect solution for bringing in soft illumination while offering privacy.
“It would have been a gloomy room without them,” designer Adam Penton of Penton Architects says. “The bricks really help to lift the bathroom – they glow and sparkle, and are quite a feature in the space.”
This bathroom in a renovated 1980s house was difficult to light. The exterior wall (behind the camera) is directly above the home’s entrance, so, for privacy, there’s only a slim window.
This wall of glass bricks borrows light from the hallway, and is a perfect solution for bringing in soft illumination while offering privacy.
“It would have been a gloomy room without them,” designer Adam Penton of Penton Architects says. “The bricks really help to lift the bathroom – they glow and sparkle, and are quite a feature in the space.”
Fit a glazed internal door
The side return extension at the rear of this house made the kitchen-diner gloriously light. Unfortunately, it also made this middle reception room much darker.
The space has been turned into a study area for when the couple work from home, so natural light was important. Designer Fiona Duke’s solution was to fit an almost completely glazed door between the two rooms, through which light can flood unimpeded.
The side return extension at the rear of this house made the kitchen-diner gloriously light. Unfortunately, it also made this middle reception room much darker.
The space has been turned into a study area for when the couple work from home, so natural light was important. Designer Fiona Duke’s solution was to fit an almost completely glazed door between the two rooms, through which light can flood unimpeded.
Double up
This little walk-in wardrobe was carved out when Josie Harris-Taylor of Kia Designs reconfigured the layout of a Victorian family home.
Light was important in such a small but storage-packed space. Having these stacked skylights, rather than just one, fully illuminates the whole area, shedding light on all the shelves from top to bottom. Josie also chose not to add a door, so the room can borrow light from the stairwell, too.
This little walk-in wardrobe was carved out when Josie Harris-Taylor of Kia Designs reconfigured the layout of a Victorian family home.
Light was important in such a small but storage-packed space. Having these stacked skylights, rather than just one, fully illuminates the whole area, shedding light on all the shelves from top to bottom. Josie also chose not to add a door, so the room can borrow light from the stairwell, too.
Venture above your bifolds
A wall of bifolding or sliding doors is common in rear extensions, but this project took that idea a step further with this glazed gable.
The large, fixed-glass panel massively increases the light, as well as making the space inside feel roomier. “It accentuates the height of the room,” James Bernard of Plus Rooms says. “There’s a great sense of being free and open.”
Read more:
Do You Know About the Different Types of Glass?
Tell us:
Which of these ideas appeals to you? Share your thoughts, and any ways you’ve increased the light in your home, in the Comments.
A wall of bifolding or sliding doors is common in rear extensions, but this project took that idea a step further with this glazed gable.
The large, fixed-glass panel massively increases the light, as well as making the space inside feel roomier. “It accentuates the height of the room,” James Bernard of Plus Rooms says. “There’s a great sense of being free and open.”
Read more:
Do You Know About the Different Types of Glass?
Tell us:
Which of these ideas appeals to you? Share your thoughts, and any ways you’ve increased the light in your home, in the Comments.
The layout of this flat was “back-to-front”, with the living room and kitchen cut off from the garden. Martins Camisuli Architects switched the rooms around, so the owners could enjoy an indoor-outdoor connection from the living spaces. Unfortunately, that left the bedroom at the front rather dark.
The team’s solution was this 2 sq m courtyard, which brings in masses of light and fresh air. Unlike a simple skylight, it also allows a view of the garden from the bed and introduces a decorative element through the brickwork and the herringbone clay floor tiles, which echo the parquet in the living area.