It seems fairly obvious that introducing more light into the home is something people feel is important and this is quite understandable as who doesn’t feel better on a bright summer’s day than on a rather dingy day in winter? Light is a precious resource and it is natural that we should want to maximise it to enhance our lives, however, building our own home with a wall entirely made of glass is not an option open to everyone, so what can the less fortunate among us do? In years gone by, any aperture even if it was glazed was a sure way to lose heat from the house and before central heating keeping warm was a significant preoccupation for the residents. So the question was how to get more light into a house without compromising the need to keep warm.

One of the darker parts of any home is the upstairs landing as it normally has no natural light being merely a means of access to the rooms leading off it. You might have noticed in older houses that there are often windows above the doors on a landing (known as fanlights) to allow light from the rooms off the landing to be introduced into what would otherwise be a rather dark and unwelcoming space. This was a rather limited way of creating more light but interior designers were constrained by the fact that glass was a potentially hazardous material as when it shattered it was dangerous to the occupants. The development of safety glass which is now used in glazed doors has meant this is no longer a constraint and more light can now be brought in through the glazed panel in the door, which is much more effective than a fanlight!

The creative use of glazed internal doors in many homes has meant that not only is more light introduced but it can be done with style and as part of an overall design theme. Improved production processes mean that glazed doors are within the pocket of most as is the opportunity of using them to enhance a home. The choice of glazing used to be clear or frosted, (usually for the bathroom) but now, there are a variety of glazing options to suit all tastes. Clear glass is still available but there is also bevelled, diamond cut and even etched patterned glass to make a glazed door really be a design feature as well as carrying out its main function of light enhancement.

The modern trend towards having a light and airy living space lends itself to having more glazing as part of the interior design. There are a lot of glazed internal doors in the market and suit both traditional and contemporary settings and can really open up a room and flood it with natural light, so there’s no excuse for sitting in the dark!