Let more light into your house

Making the most of natural light is a primary concern for many renovators and home builders. Terrace or heritage homes, in particular, can be quite dark, but there are clever ways to allow more light into these kinds of dwellings.

The most common way to get more light in is by installing larger windows. In older homes, the original front windows are often quite small, but depending on how you approach it, it's not overly expensive to replace them with larger ones. Many people worry that their windows could end up too big, but this needn't be a concern, says architect Anne Webb.

"If you think they're too big you can always have curtains that come in a little bit over them to make them look smaller. When in doubt about the size of the window I would tend to make it a bit bigger."

Another way to gain more light inside is to install glazed doors. These are solid doors with a couple of glass panels in them. Light flows from the window of the room through the glass door panels and into other areas of the house. You can also think about installing a 'highlight' panel above the door to allow more light in, as used to be done in Victorian houses.

Skylights are a sound option if you want to let more light into the home, and they are quite reasonably priced. "There are good skylights that are very waterproof – you can open them or not open them; you can also have blinds in them if you want to block out the light," says Anne. "There's a bit of messing around with the installation, but if you're in a situation where you need more light they're a good way to go."

These days there are also small skylights that have a mirror in them. "They are quite good for expanding more light, particularly when the light source for the roof is at an angle. They're quite inexpensive," says Anne. 

Another, though more expensive, way to bring in more light is to install a glass roof. These work particularly well for kitchens and bathrooms, and are best used in rooms facing south. (North-facing rooms would be become too hot with such a roof.) It should be noted that more heat and cold is lost in rooms with glass roofing.

Victorian-style light wells (vertical light 'tunnels') are good for letting more light into those dark spaces in the middle of houses that have a party wall. One light well can serve two houses and light up two or three rooms. 

Dark rooms in an old house that cannot be altered due to a heritage listing will benefit from a coat of paint in a lighter colour, or you could even add more light by installing a large mirror that reflects the sky outside to give the impression of a lighter room.