House Progress: Skylights (Before and After)
Hi Guys!
After months and months of struggling to get my home out of demolition mode (thank you renovation nightmares!), I finally have the kitchen of my dreams: ) I can’t wait to show you more of my home and all the details I put into making it my own!
Back when I was looking for homes, natural light was one of my absolute non-negotiables. I was really spoiled living in my old apartment with huge windows filling the walls. I loved that I never had to turn on a light during the day because the light just flooded right in, making the space feel airy and spacious. That’s why I didn’t care how good of a deal I was getting on a home, if it didn’t have natural light or the potential to add in skylights, I walked right out.
So rewind to last June 2018, I walked into the open house of my now-home and saw so much potential. It was situated in a nice neighborhood and wasn’t a flip home. It required light remodeling and that was exactly what I was looking for.
My one concern was how dark the kitchen and bathroom was… so it was a no brainer for me that the first thing I was going to do was figure out how I was going to get natural light in there.
Here is a picture of my kitchen before I remodeled it… it was taken in broad day light with all the lightsturned on, making the space have a yellow/ greenish vibe even on a sunny day.
I looked into the idea of skylights and thought that would be the perfect solution, so after I got the clearance from the installer, I chose the size and brand (I went with VELUX) and VOILAAA!
Light floods into the kitchen and bathroom now and I rarely have to turn on the lights during the day. Not only has that saved me energy, the brightness lifts my mood and makes me more productive!
I installed the largest VELUX Fixed Skylight and WHAT A IMMEDIATE DIFFERENCE IT MADE…. As soon as the roof was cut open, light flooded in and I remember feeling like the space OPENED up and FELT BIGGER too.
I was told by my installer that I would want to be able to control the sunlight coming in through the skylight in the summer, so I opted to have two shades installed just in case - one light filtering VELUX solar powered skylight blinds and one blackout blind.
Here’s a picture of my kitchen with the black out blind closed- which gives you an idea of how it looks with no skylight ; )
I have been LOVING waking up to natural light in the mornings and having the option to close the light filtering shade when the sun is directly above.
Also with all the rain LA has been having, I can confidently vouch that these VELUX No Leak Fixed Skylights have not leaked one bit! They have upheld perfectly with this weather and I couldn’t be happier.
Having ample amounts of natural light is so so important to me! Not only for photos (of course) but for my mental and emotional health!
Natural light has a whole lot of benefits including:
BETTER SLEEP
I find that moving around in a bright kitchen (where I spend most of my morning) actually helps me feel more awake! Research also says that natural light helps our bodies stick to a natural circadian rhythm, so it knows when to feel awake and when to wind down.
IMPROVED MOOD + INCREASED ENERGY
Natural light makes me HAPPY! It releases serotonin (happy hormone) and makes me feel more focused and energized throughout the day.
INCREASED PRODUCTIVITY
My kitchen is where I get a lot of my work done. Whether it’s computer work in my kitchen nook, or shooting a new recipe- I’m in there day in and day out being productive. Natural light acts as stimulation for the mind and body, which for me- increases my alertness!
ENERGY SAVING + FRESH AIR
The VELUX No Leak Solar Powered Fresh Air Skylights for the bathroom is solar powered, so they help with overall energy efficiency. It’s great for saving on my utility bills when I can opt to crack open the skylight in the bathroom (instead of using a fan) to get fresh air. It also gives my bathroom a nice warm breeze in the summer which is so nice!
BEFORE:
AFTER:
And there you have it! Adding these two skylights have been one of the best decisions I’ve made and with my now finished kitchen, I can enjoy them even more!
