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Let the Sunshine In: Enhancing Your Home with Natural Light

Photo by Eli Sommer

None of us try to make our homes darker, our natural tendency is to seek out and enhance natural light. This is reflected in how daylight and sunlight affect our mood. So it is not surprising that many people consider letting natural light in to be one of the most important factors when renovating their homes. 

Install New Windows

The most obvious entry point for natural light coming into our homes is our windows. However, in years gone by glass was expensive so the glazed parts of windows were small and dominated by chunky wooden frames. This effectively excluded a lot of the natural light. 

Even with the advent of uPVC windows frames were still sizeable although this was now to support the weight of the double glazing. Fortunately, with the development of aluminium windows, the frames were slimmed down while still retaining their strength and allowing larger glazed areas. 

If you are renovating your home or changing your windows opt for slim profiles to maximise the amount of glass and flood your home with natural light. 

Internal Glazing

Glass is not just for your windows and can be used to great effect internally to light up the inside of your home. If you have solid timber doors you can replace them with glazed doors to spread the light from room to room. 

Older glazed internal doors may have obscured or coloured glass which can also prevent enough light from penetrating. This is easily resolved by swopping the old panes for new clear glazing, significantly increasing the amount of light that can get through. 

Fit a Sun Tunnel

Some rooms are naturally dark purely due to their position within the home or the way they were constructed. If there is no option to install a window to increase the natural light a sun tunnel could be the answer. They will only work on upper floors or single-storey properties but they are a straightforward solution for dark and poorly lit areas of the home. 

A sun tunnel is a metal tube that reflects daylight coming in from a clear dome which sits on the roof of the property. They can be installed on a flat or pitched roof and provide natural light where you may only have previously considered artificial light as a solution. 

Glass Extensions

One of the easiest ways to introduce more natural light into your home is by adding a glass extension. If you’re thinking traditional conservatory think again. Glass extensions today are contemporary, stylish and minimalist with more of a focus on outdoor living than trying to create an extra room for your home. 

Modern glass extensions provide unobstructed views of the garden and with frameless panels, they allow natural light to flow unimpeded into the property. If you prefer something more traditional an orangery provides a balance between functionality and luxury. While orangery costs may be higher than a modern glass extension they are more of a permanent structure. 

Fanlights 

Solid timber front doors are excellent security features giving you peace of mind in your home. However, a solid door does not allow any natural light in.

If you don’t like the idea of a glazed or half-glazed front door for safety reasons you have to option to install a fanlight above the front door. This will let some natural light into the hallway without compromising the security of your home.

Fanlights can also be fitted above internal doors to increase the amount of natural light in the property, particularly in hallways or windowless areas.

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