Maximising natural light with VELUX roof windows #ad

This post is part of a sponsored project for the BritMums #VELUXdaylight project, sponsored by VELUX.

So, spring is officially here – hurrah!

For me, this time of year goes hand-in-hand with an overwhelming urge to make the most of all that lovely daylight and fresh air that I’ve longed for during the winter months.  Obviously you can do this by getting outdoors more; so far this month we’ve been busy tidying up the garden, exploring signs of spring in the park, and enjoying family bike rides in the sunshine.  But given that we all tend to spend way more time inside our homes than outdoors, there’s lots of potential to use our indoor spaces to maximise daylight and really influence how we feel.

Think about it: how does a room that’s flooded with natural light and fresh air make you feel?  It has the same effect as being outside in a bright, open space on me: it’s an instant mood lift.  Now think about how a dingy, stuffy room makes you feel.  Words like low energy, demotivated and gloomy spring to mind.  Daylight – or lack of it – has such a huge impact on our mood, and bringing as much of it as possible into our homes is a great way to help everyone feel energised, lively and positive.

We’ve experienced first-hand the effect of maximising daylight in our open-plan kitchen renovation.  We knocked two rooms into one, and built a single storey extension onto the side of the house.  With neighbouring houses very close by, we wanted to maintain privacy while still bringing as much natural light as possible into the room.  Deciding to install VELUX roof windows was an absolute game changer.

Here’s how it looked before:

We went from two small, dingy rooms with windows that were overshadowed by neighbouring properties, to one large, airy space flooded with natural daylight.

By putting in VELUX roof windows (as opposed to on a wall), you’ve done the interiors equivalent of turning your face up to the sun.  The angle of a roof naturally exposes the window to really strong daylight, and allows that daylight to be directed straight into the room without encountering any obstacles on the way. So simple, but so effective!

Using VELUX roof windows also solved our problem of being overlooked, making our living space much more private without compromising on daylight.

The other thing I love about my VELUX roof windows is just how easy it is to pop them open and get lots of fresh air into the room.  The amount you can open them is really flexible, I love leaving all three just slightly open to create a gentle air flow and bring the sounds of the birds into the room.  I’m a huge fan of the trickle vents too; these allow fresh air in without actually opening the window, which means you can keep the room nice and fresh overnight and even on rainy days.

Our open-plan kitchen is now the absolute hub of our home, and I’m sure the fact that it’s a bright, airy space plays a huge role in how much time we spend there.  All that lovely daylight definitely works as a mood booster, and I think it helps us feel more connected with the outdoors too.  Using VELUX roof windows to fill the room with daylight and fresh air has transformed it into a positive, happy place where we come together as a family and enjoy each other’s company.  It’s definitely my favourite room in the house, can you tell?!

If you’re looking to fill a single storey extension or loft conversion with daylight and fresh air, you can learn more about how VELUX can improve light and mood in your home at www.velux.co.uk/extensions and www.velux.co.uk/lofts.

Check out my #VELUXdaylight Pinterest board too for more inspiration.

WIN with Britmums & VELUX

Now it’s your chance to win with Britmums and VELUX roof windows. All you need to do is create your own Pinterest mood board showing how VELUX roof windows bring daylight and fresh air into homes.  This could include pictures of your own home, ideas for a renovation project you are planning or inspiration from elsewhere.

There are £800 worth of prizes available (1 x £200 John Lewis voucher and 8 x £75 John Lewis voucher). The competition will launch on 23rd April on BritMums website and Pinterest.

To spark your imagination you can check out these Pinterest boards full of ideas for kitchen design and loft conversions from other interiors bloggers:

Roof windows in a kitchen extension

Chrissy from Organise My House has used VELUX roof windows in multiple places on her kitchen extension.  You can really see just how much daylight is flooding through them in this picture, and she has cleverly positioned her spotlights to complement the natural light. Check out her Pinterest board here.

Jenni from Chilling With Lucas has some impressive VELUX roof windows in her kitchen’s flat roof – look how well they direct the daylight right into the workspace. There are lots of lovely ideas on her Pinterest board too.

Becky from A Beautiful Space has been looking at the benefits of using roof windows in a kitchen and the effect of light on our mood.  Wouldn’t it feel lovely and energising to sit in this room? See more of the ideas that have inspired her on her Pinterest board here.

Roof windows in a loft conversion

The clean lines and Scandi style in this loft bathroom have inspired Laura from SideStreetStyle. She has transformed her small loft bathroom into a space filled with natural light, using VELUX roof windows to create a spacious, calm place to relax at the end of the day. Check out her Pinterest board here.

Sarah from Extraordinary Chaos has used floor-to-ceiling VELUX roof windows in her loft conversion bathroom.  I love the way she’s tucked the windows into a narrow space, they look so neat. Here’s her Pinterest board.

Emma from Mummy…Mummy…MUM! has converted her loft into a playroom and used VELUX roof windows to create a lovely airy space.  The bright white walls are doing a great job of bouncing all that natural light around aren’t they? There’s lots more inspiration on her Pinterest board here.

Gill from A Baby on Board has used VELUX roof windows to flood her loft conversion with light – I love the way she has made maximum use of the space with a corner desk just under the windows too. Check out her Pinterest board.

Clare from Maybush Studio has big plans for adding roof windows to her loft conversion – I like the way she’s going to work around the feature beams while still using as much of the sloping roof as possible. You can see what else she’s using for inspiration on her Pinterest board here.

So many fab ideas!  How would you use VELUX roof windows to bring daylight and fresh air into your home?

Pin this for later:

This post is part of a sponsored project for the BritMums #VELUXdaylight project, sponsored by VELUX.