Want to brighten up your bathroom or kitchen using natural lighting but don’t have the budget for a major window or skylight installation?
Consider small skylights, such as tubular daylighting devices or TDDs to brighten dark interior spaces. They could easily be installed in between sections of wooden structural frameworks.
Below are some practical ideas on where you can place small skylights in dim spaces in your abode.
The Kitchen
Most kitchens lack sufficient natural light due to walls needed for appliances and cabinets. But even if you already have a massive window in the kitchen, another source of daylight could help decrease glare and balance available light.
Consider installing small skylights on the ceiling in strategic locations so that some natural light reflects off or washes over vertical surfaces. This will liven up your kitchen, especially if the vertical surfaces, like your countertops, are made of light-colored material.
The Bathroom
Not all huge bathrooms have huge windows. If this applies to your bathroom, small skylights can enliven and brighten it. Place skylights in places where they won’t cast shadows when you’re looking in the mirror or where they can highlight a key feature of the bathroom, like your tub for instance. But don’t go overboard, as too many skylights will deliver too much sunlight that even when filtered out will look harsh, instead of cozy and inviting.
The Laundry Room
One of the greatest candidates in your home for small skylights is your laundry room. Since laundry rooms usually occupy small rooms, even closets, natural lighting is usually overlooked. But having a brighter laundry room will make sorting laundry and hunting down socks so much easier. Even if the room has a tiny window, an extra light source could balance out the light and reduce glare.
The Powder Room
In general, small bathrooms or powder rooms don’t have windows and rely on artificial lighting to illuminate the space. Having skylights in this space will keep you from needing to turn on a light at daytime and make the room feel bigger. You can install the small skylight right in the center of the room or near a wall to direct light to reflect off the wallpaper, stone, or tile for a subtle dramatic look.
The Hallway
Hallways are typically dim, particularly in single-story and ranch style homes that are low and long. Installing even one small skylight in the hallway’s middle or end portion could make a huge difference and make it feel wider.
Positioning small skylights in the middle of the hallway is great, but for a more dramatic effect, particularly if you have light-colored walls decorated with interesting art, consider placing small skylights near the walls. This will enable sunlight to subtly highlight your art and reflect light onto them.
There’s no doubt that having ample natural lighting is among the best features of a home. But if knocking down a wall or two to let in more natural light into your abode isn’t an option, small skylights in strategic positions could make a significant difference.
