Looking on the bright side – four clever ways to shed light on your extension

There are plenty of things to look forward to as winter approaches. Cosy evening snuggled up with a box set on the sofa. Plenty of good excuses to mainline hot chocolate. The arrival of a certain Father Christmas. But there is a dark side, and that's feeling cut off from the great outdoors.

Sure, you might not miss having to get up at the crack of dawn to water the plants. But if access to your garden is via a side door and it's cold or rainy outside, you might soon crave a better view of your little patch of greenery, or even a glance at the tree tops.

Similarly, if you already have an extension, the arrival of winter and gloomy weather might expose its shortcomings. Perhaps it's not the light, bright space you thought it would be.

That's where a little extra glazing can help. VELUX roof windows mean lighter, brighter extensions. Naturally.

VELUX says, 'It's the outside. Now available inside'. And if you check out the ideas below, you'll see exactly what that means.

1. Approach from all angles

Including VELUX windows angled in different directions can introduce light where you need it the most. Maybe that's over a kitchen countertop, so you can see exactly what you're doing when you are wielding a knife to prep vegetables, or decorating that special birthday cake. And perhaps that's also over a dining table, so Sunday lunches are even sunnier affairs.

In a busy kitchen, VELUX windows can provide precious ventilation for when things get a little steamy or smoky. The white polyurethane roof windows are also maintenance-free due to their moisture-resistant casing, so they’re ideal for humid rooms like kitchens... or indeed, bathrooms.

2. Illuminate a working corner

Did you know that we are more alert and therefore more productive when we sit next to a window? So whether you are trying to get the kids to knuckle down with homework or you're the culprit and you need a dedicated spot for catching up with paperwork or working on that first novel, VELUX can help.

Here, a roof window sheds extra light into a study corner. It's an idea that would work equally well in a loft conversion. A grades, publishing deals and balanced books here we come!

3. Light up the dark

Can you see there at the back? Open-plan living has many benefits, but it you aren't opening up a house through from front to back, you might be concerned that the space furthest from your extension's windows will seem dark and uninviting.

It's a valid concern, but one that's easily resolved with a pitched roof fitted with VELUX roof windows that are angled towards the gloomiest parts of the room.

In fact, a study has shown that VELUX's sloping roof windows can bring in twice as much daylight** as vertical windows of the same size, making both your original space and your extension feel so much brighter by allowing daylight to reach deep into your home.

**Johnsen et al, 2006

4. Make a basement bright

A skylight can totally transform a basement extension, where it might not be possible to accommodate floor-to-ceiling windows. A VELUX flat glass roof light enhances the connection to the garden and will make the space feel bigger. That's all important, particularly where you may have sacrificed a significant part of the garden to gain that extra living space.

The view, like the sky, will change as the day goes on. You will feel immersed in sunsets and can enjoy the tranquility of a rain shower drumming lightly above without getting wet.

You don't even need to worry about appearance of your VELUX roof windows after inclement weather as the glass has a special coating to ensure it will clean up easily and smear-free.

If you're looking to bring your extension to life with light, search VELUX extensions.