Top tips on using natural lighting to change your room

Transform your space with architectural glazing and glossy surfaces and go from gloomy to glowing. Here's how...

Before you start
Mood Booster
Nothing enhances a home, or your mood, quite like natural light. When the sun is shining, most of us are keen to welcome as much of it as possible indoors. And a light-filled house is not only more attractive and uplifting to live in, but more eco friendly, as it requires far less energy-consuming artificial light. Plus, of course, a bright and airy space goes down well with prospective buyers, too.

Anything Is Possible
'Glass is the magic material when it comes to transforming spaces,' says Piers Smerin of Eldridge Smerin Architects. Whether the glass is used internally, externally or simply as a decorating feature, modern construction techniques mean there is nearly always a way to illuminate those dingy rooms and dark corners.

Visual Illusion
Even if an expanse of glass is beyond your budget, there are plenty of clever ways to open up your home with mirrors, internal windows and reflective surfaces. We've asked the experts for all the architectural advice and style tips you need to transform your home.

Walls and staircases
Toughened glasses, and the silicones used to glue them together, have developed enormously over the past few years. Plus there are now many more reputable engineers who can design and make up complete structures that are fixed together almost invisibly. This means you can create walls, floors and even staircases (including the risers, treads and a screen) entirely from glass.

Partitions
When compared to the cost of more standard building materials, glass can seem expensive, but it makes an incredible difference to a space. Use a glass wall to section off a home office in an open-plan area, or an opaque panel to bring light into a gloomy bathroom. Interestingly, it's also a more efficient sound barrier than a regular partition wall. Make sure, however, that you add soft fabrics and colours to offset the hard lines of the glass.

Glass Flooring
This is one dramatic design idea that has trickled down from commercial buildings and architecture into the domestic arena. Using glass that's strong enough to walk on means you can create a light channel between two levels. 'In a recent project, we excavated a basement and installed a glass ceiling so you could look up into the dining area,' says Tony de Witt at GlasSpace. 'It was supported by low-iron laminated glass beams, which meant that they were clear and the view was totally unrestricted.' This is a great way to shift light through a number of storeys and can be done on a reasonable budget. If you want to retain privacy between rooms, or if you are dubious about walking on a transparent floor, use frosted glass.

Staircases

'Glass is a fantastic material. Its light, ethereal quality means you can create staircases that appear to float,' says Richard McLane, co-director of glass staircase company Bisca. 'Always remember, though, that glass staircases are a feat of engineering. The type of glass used, the way in which it's supported and how it's connected to other materials such as steel or wood are all factors that require highly specialist knowledge, so always consult an expert.'

Privacy
If you choose to use glass, also consider that you sometimes need privacy. Fortunately, there are lots of modern ways to make glass opaque. Sand blasting, etching and films are a world away from old-fashioned patterned glass, and can be used internally or externally to create privacy.

Windows and Doors

Traditionally, external windows were kept small in order to prevent precious heat escaping. Now, double or even triple glazing means windows can be made larger. 'If you're thinking about adding or expanding a window, it's better to do this at the rear or the side of the house,' advises architect Piers Smerin. 'Even if it isn't your intention, a small alteration can dramatically change an entire façade, so you'll have a freer hand to be creative at the rear of the property.' If you want to make an existing opening wider, always speak to a reputable builder or structural engineer first, and seek advice from your local planning authority, particularly if you live in a conservation area or a listed building, in case you need permission.

Skylights
If there's no room for vertical glazing, roof windows may be the answer. Light from above is much stronger, so even the smallest skylight can flood a dark space with uplifting rays. Glazing Vision and National Domelight Company provide 'off the peg' solutions, such as sliding roof lights that can be installed quickly and easily.

High Tech glass
Solar control glass has a special coating that helps to regulate heating in glazed areas. In summer, it reduces indoor temperatures by reflecting the heat back outside, while in cold weather it works in the opposite way to trap warmth, making it ideal for use in skylights, extensions and large expanses of glass. Try Pilkington Activ Neutral, which is self-cleaning, or Saint-Gobain Solaglass. Twice as energy efficient as conventional double glazing, Pilkington Energikare glass reduces the amount of heat lost through windows while also allowing in more heat from the sun. Compared to a regular single-glazed window, it can cut heat loss by 90 per cent.

Check out glass that turns from clear to opaque at the flick of a switch, providing instant privacy without the need for blinds. It can be used on vertical and horizontal panels, inside or out. Try PRIVA-LITE by Saint-Gobain or Blink LCD by Glass UK. New developments in heated glass mean you can actually use your window as a heat source in itself. Head to IQ Glass for more information.

Frameless Skylights
Glass technology means that large, frameless roof lights can now be manufactured. Clean and minimal, these create the illusion of a sizeable hole in the roof, and provide an uninterrupted view of the sky.

Internal Windows

These are another way of helping light travel through a building. To let light into a dark hallway or corridor, or between a bedroom and bathroom, use clear or opaque panels.

Sun Pipes are a great way of feeding light into dark areas, such as windowless hallways, internal bathrooms and basements. They can illuminate an area of up to 230 sq ft by drawing light down from the roof, using super-reflective metal tubes. Relatively easy to install, they usually don't require planning permission.

Internal Doors
Doors don't have to be solid - you can use glass to gain an instant open-plan feel. 'The advantage of glass is that it's very thin and therefore lends itself to sliding into a wall pocket. You can also buy discreet mechanisms that mean the door slides back and is hardly noticeable against a wall,' says Piers Smerin.

External Doors Use full-height sliding or folding glass doors onto a garden or patio to bring the outside in. Choose flooring that runs from inside to out to create continuity and increase the feeling of space and light.

Mirrors and Surfaces
Whether fitted, wall hung or freestanding, mirrors positioned next to a window will help to maximise natural light. Consider using mirrors as bath panels, kitchen splashbacks, or even as kickboards under kitchen units to give the impression they are floating, and increase the feeling of space and light.

Opaque glass, with its amazing shiny surface, reflects the light beautifully.

Use opaque, back-painted glass in a bathroom as an alternative to tiling - it can be cheaper than marble, and is less fiddly than tiles to install. In a kitchen, glass makes an easy-care splashback. Try Deco Glaze or Firman Glass.

To increase the feeling of light, try incorporating reflective surfaces into your scheme. 'This could be anything from polished granite worktops, silk-finish wall paints, an iridescent wallcovering, or polished wood or lacquered furniture,' says Mary Barber Fray from the British Interior Design Association (BIDA).

About the Author

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