So you’re thinking about getting a skylight installed in your home, but you’re not sure if it’s the right investment? Just like getting your roof replaced or choosing new gutters, there are several considerations.
Rooftop windows and skylights can be a fantastic upgrade to your home. They can increase your property’s overall value (equity), and they can solve certain issues in stuffy, cold, or dark rooms.
Here are some other perks:
- They add natural light (and solar heating) to your spaces
- Letting in fresh air and better ventilation
- Saving on energy costs (electric and heating)
- Aesthetic changes add to the resale value
- Natural views and “adding space” to a room
- Need some inspiration? Here are the most unique and exciting skylights around the world
1. Springdale Public Library in Brampton, Ontario
Springdale Public Library and Komagata Maru Park are located in Brampton, Canada, a suburb outside of Toronto.
The library’s various indoor reading spaces and outdoor areas are enhanced by multiple skylights. The enormous circular skylight floods natural light into the white interiors, while globular pendant lights hang from its center to provide additional illumination. Another, smaller light is installed on the ceiling in the quiet reading area. An inverted skylight also brightens the children’s reading area, carpeted with a mossy green surface that nods to the feature roof.
2. Oculi House, New York City
Two are better than one! Two elliptical skylights puncture the carved, white plaster ceiling over the living areas in this New York City brownstone. The pair of decorative oculi infuse light to connect inside and outside. For the skylights, full-scale cross-sections of the irregular ellipses were designed using a 3D-modelling system that artisans then followed to create the physical framework. The “sculptural voids” were applied to the ceiling using “age-old” plastering methods.
3. Portland, OR
The dark wooden ceiling in this book lover’s living room draws particular attention to the bright box of light overhead. The added natural light from the skylight is perfect for reading and enjoying the sun filtering in from above.
4. Bedfordshire, UK
What skylight? Edge-to-edge glass like this breathtaking bathroom skylight makes a ceiling disappear entirely. It opens up the space to the outside, blending indoor-outdoor perfectly.
5. San Francisco, CA
How about some stained glass to colour your day? Positioning a skylight above a strategic sitting space like this dining nook is savvy, but the coloured glass adds vibrant hues to an otherwise featureless white area.
6. London, UK
Skylights come in many shapes and forms, but this one is a beauty! A rectangular roof lantern will flood a large room in natural light, all the way into its corners. The glazed lantern also makes a stunning architectural feature.
7. Portland, OR
Per the designer: “The window slices through wall and ceiling as though the building itself has been cracked in two.” Suppose you like to stand out from the crowd and have something in your home that no one else has. Take inspiration from the unique angular window design in this modern home office.
8. Northwood, UK
Skylights don’t need to be the only source of light in a room. Even if a room already has a lot of windows, opening up the ceiling in an eye-catching way can still change the dynamics. An octagonal roof lantern brings extra sunshine into the very center of this yellow accent living room.
9. Rome, Italy
Once again, skylights have the power to craft a mood and bring the outside in. Case in point: this reading nook. Everything feels more zen under the sun and trees. This skylight design folds around from a flat rooftop position into a vertical window. The continuous cutout of the wall into the roofline opens up a seamless view of the trees and their overhanging branches.
10. Odessa, Ukraine
One large window would not have had the same breathtaking effect as this design of off-set rectangular panes splashing light across the space. Think in multiples for a real wow factor. Change up the size, shape, and positioning for a truly unique effect.
Feeling inspired for your next home improvement project? As professionals, we understand the pros and cons of having skylights and avoiding the pitfalls — particularly by choosing the right equipment and approaching each situation with the homeowner’s best interests in mind.
Are you looking to install a skylight? Whatever your vision is, No Payne Roofing can help you make it come alive. From choosing the right skylight for your home to getting the installation done in Calgary, we offer reliable, fast, and courteous services along with unmatched quality craftsmanship. Give us a shout today, and let’s work together to make your roofing job a reality.
