Installing a skylight is an excellent investment because of the wide variety of benefits they offer. Skylights provide abundant natural light that instantly brightens dark areas in your home, such as hallways and bathrooms, without the need for light bulbs. Imagine taking a bath under the gorgeous morning sun or stargazing while lying on your bed.
Another benefit of a skylight is it can also help improve the ventilation of your home, allowing air to circulate – especially in the kitchen and bathrooms where musty air tends to build up.
If you are not sure where to start or how you can incorporate a skylight in your home, there is a wide range of skylight examples you can draw inspiration from on the internet. Skylights are very versatile – they are perfect for either new construction or home renovation projects and complement all kinds of home designs. They are not only functional but also help increase the value of your home as well as elevate the design of your interiors.
There are different types of skylights, and depending on your need and preference, you’ll definitely find some great skylight examples that you can integrate into your home design.
What Are the Best Types of Skylights?
There are different types of skylights you can choose from – depending on the kind of use, materials, and the type of roof you have. Below are the various skylight examples available in the market:
- Fixed skylights: This type of skylight is preferred by most homeowners since, as the name suggests, it is fixed and cannot be opened. It is sealed securely to your roof. These square skylights are commonly used in areas of the house where there is no access to natural light, such as stairwells and attics.
- Operable skylights: Also known as ventilated skylights, these are multi-purpose skylights as they can be opened for ventilation purposes. They not only provide natural light but also improve the air circulation in rooms, removing excess moisture and preventing mould build-up. This is perfect for kitchens and bathrooms where a constant flow of fresh air is needed.
- Tubular skylights: The latest type of skylights, tubular skylights have several components – a rooftop dome, a tube-shaped duct, and a diffuser. If your goal is to get as much natural light into your living space, this is not the best option as the shape only allows this to highlight a small area in your home.
Flat Roof Skylights
Skylights are very flexible and easy to install. Metal roof skylights and tiled roof skylights are both feasible. They are also ideal for different roof pitches even if you have a low pitched or flat roof, skylights can be seamlessly integrated, but custom flashing needs to be installed by a registered roof plumber.
Flat and very low pitch roofs pose the additional challenge of ensuring that the surface of the skylight is set at a minimum slope. Most major manufacturers of skylights require 3-in-12 or 4-in-12 slopes, so make sure to consult an experienced construction worker or roof plumber before you decide to install a skylight on a flat roof.
Residential Skylights
Skylights were initially only used in commercial and industrial buildings. But nowadays, residential skylights are increasingly gaining popularity. This is because more and more homeowners are realising the functional and aesthetic benefits that skylights offer.
With how skylights instantly brighten and uplift the look of a home, it’s no surprise that more people are incorporating them into their homes. Imagine a modern design home with huge windows and minimalist designs perfectly complemented by skylights or a traditional design home with a wood finish ceiling adorn with skylights.
Installing skylights in strategic areas in your home allow you to maximise their benefits. Your electricity bill will go down thanks to the abundant sunlight they provide. And if you choose to install operable skylights, you also don’t need to turn your AC on as often.
Hallway Skylights
Hallways are parts of the house that are often neglected. Usually dark and bleak, hallway skylights are a great way to illuminate this part of the house to make it look more inviting. If you love art and display paintings on your hallway walls, you can emphasise this space with a skylight.
Another great example is placing a skylight above your staircase since this area usually doesn’t have access to windows. A long hallway with multiple skylights is also ideal, especially if you have a narrow space, as skylights can make any room appear bigger.
Kitchen Skylights
Like the bathroom, the kitchen is another area in your house that can use some skylights, particularly operable skylights, to allow air circulation when the kitchen is busy. They are an excellent practical inclusion that provides another layer of light that is needed in the kitchen to serve as ambient and task lighting. And anyone who loves to get busy in the kitchen knows that an ample amount of natural light help gets the job done.
Install kitchen skylights above your workstation or kitchen island to ensure that you have enough natural light during the daytime, while canned lights and pendants can be the source of light at nighttime.
Kitchen skylights also help turn a tiny or cramped kitchen into a bright and lively space, making it look more appealing and inspiring to cook or bake. This is a more efficient and effective way of enhancing a kitchen than wall windows since the flood of light coming from the ceiling is spread evenly in the entire kitchen area.
If you have a dark kitchen design, skylights can also help brighten the space so it will not look heavy on the eyes. Alternatively, if you wish to bring in subtle natural light only – understated skylights are the way to go.
Bedroom Skylights
Although skylights are more commonly installed in living rooms and attics, they can also be a great addition to the bedroom, providing aesthetic and functional benefits. The view of a clear sky with twinkling stars helps create a more relaxing atmosphere and helps get you a good night’s sleep.
Bedroom skylights also help set the ambience. Artificial light alone is not enough to cover the dark corners of a room that make a space look dull and dreary. Adding abundant natural light into your bedroom will transform it into a tranquil, bright space during the daytime, which is especially helpful if you work from home in your bedroom. Add accessories like skylight blinds with remote control to block the intense heat from the mid-afternoon sun.
Skylights are also much needed in the case of bedrooms where installing wall windows is not possible. It gives small rooms a spacious and opulent appeal.
Modern skylights are not just roof windows anymore. From expansive skylights to corner skylights on a bedroom attic, there is a vast collection of architectural inspiration you can check to transform your bedroom into an elegant space.
Bathroom Skylights
The bathroom is also another area in your house that could use a skylight. Choose operable bathroom skylights to allow the stale air out, preventing mould growth while also enjoying a brighter bathroom. Place it on top of the sink area to provide abundant light as you do your morning routine. You can purchase skylight blinds if you’re concerned about your privacy. Small bathrooms will greatly benefit from skylights, especially if wall windows are not possible.
Installing bathroom skylights will also negate the need for exhaust or electric fans as skylights provide both light and ventilation without using electricity.
Skylights do not need to be front and above the ceiling – slanted skylights are also ideal specially for very small and narrow bathrooms.
Small Skylight Examples
If you’re not ready to commit to a ceiling completely adorned by skylights, try installing a small skylight first and notice the big difference it gives a small room. They are great for highlighting a specific area in your home, like a bookshelf or providing more light to your workstation.
Small skylights also perfectly complement the posh modern kitchen, giving it a cheerful vibe. A couple of small skylights blend well with a rustic vibe, giving new life to a very traditional design.
There are many small skylight examples on the internet that you can draw inspiration from, and the possibilities are endless. Skylights provide a dreamy elegance as they bare your home to the sun and the stars. Get it right, and you will achieve a truly charming home.
Contact Vivid Skylights to Make Your Project Our Next Example
If you want to purchase skylights but don’t know where to start, contact Vivid Skylights today. We offer a free consultation to help you decide how you can incorporate skylights into your next home project.
If you prefer to buy skylights online, we deliver in Melbourne and the surrounding suburbs. Our premium skylights fit almost all residential units and are made of strong aluminium frames that can be installed to have either a frame or frameless finish internally. Browse our products and give us a call if you have questions.