One of the many benefits of skylights is the way they can make any space feel brighter and larger with the inclusion of natural light and fresh air. Here are some tips on how to brighten a small room with a skylight.
Tubular Skylights
Tubular skylights can be installed in as little as an hour and a half, making them one of the quickest and least expensive ways to transform your home with natural light.
A tubular skylight works by using a reflective tube to channel light from your roof directly to your room below. Although they provide as much natural light as traditional skylights, their small size and versatility make them ideal for bathrooms, hallways, laundry rooms, and other small spaces.
Color Scheme
The beauty of a skylight is the way that it provides natural light to complement the features and items in a space. When planning your skylight space, make sure you use brighter colored furniture and accents to evenly disperse light across a room. Here are some simple things you can do to your space to make sure that your skylight is bringing your room to life with light.
- Furnish your space with lighter colors or clear furniture. For a small dim room, a large gray or navy sofa is probably not ideal. Instead, furnish your home with lighter color furniture like beige, white or ivory to evenly disperse and reflect the light brought in by your skylight.
- Cover your floors with a large bright area rug. To make your floorspace feel larger, use the light from your skylight and opt for a white, ivory, yellow, or other warm, brightly colored rug.
- White walls. White walls are the best solution for making a darker room feel bigger and brighter because they reflect light the best.
- Curtains. Try a white or beige curtain set to help reflect the light across the room.
Align the Skylights with Windows.
Creating symmetry between skylights and windows is not only aesthetically pleasing, but it helps to draw the eye up and create a sense that the room is brighter and larger. By aligning your skylights with your windows, you are evenly dispersing light throughout the room creating balance for the space.
Place Mirrors Near your Light Source
Weather your light source is a skylight or window, placing a mirror near it will reflect the natural light coming in, transforming the look and feel of a room.
Deep Clean your Skylight
A seemingly obvious but often forgotten tip for letting more light into your home is to clean your skylight’s glass once or twice a year with a soft, lint-free cloth, chamois leather, or nonabrasive sponge. You can also use a clean, non-metal window squeegee. Clean water is typically enough for cleaning the glass, but ordinary, non-abrasive household cleaners can also be used.
Skylight Placement
Where you place your skylight relative to the sun has a massive effect on how much and when natural light is entering your home. Here are some things to think about when determining the orientation of your skylight.
- South-facing skylights provide the most direct sunlight throughout the day. A full day of direct sunlight is great for solar-powered skylights and if you live in a cold environment. But if you live in a warmer climate, you may want to consider a different option.
- North-facing skylights provide the most consistent amount of sunlight without creating a harsh glare or heat. These are great for homes that get all four seasons.
- East-facing skylights will get direct sunlight in the morning as the sun is rising. Installing your skylight facing east is a great option as it stores your solar battery and lets in the soft morning sun
- West-facing skylights are similar to south-facing skylights as they bring in sunlight during the hottest time of the day. This can be ideal for colder climates.
