When Brian Hickling purchased his new home, there was one part of the property that immediately stood out – the kitchen. Despite being the centre of the home, it felt dark, flat, and disconnected from the rest of the space. Even during the middle of the day, the kitchen relied heavily on artificial lighting, taking away from what was otherwise a modern, open-plan home.
The challenge was creating natural light in an area with limited options, while still keeping the finished look clean and balanced. After assessing the roof layout, we designed a custom Suntrenz solution that would maximise natural light capture throughout the entire day. By positioning the roof flashing and dome on the north-facing side of the roof, we were able to capture consistent sunlight from morning through until late afternoon.
Internally, the placement of the ceiling diffusers was just as important. Using the existing truss layout to our advantage, the diffusers were carefully balanced between the existing downlights, creating a symmetrical finish that looked like it had always been part of the home. Sometimes the best results come from a combination of planning, experience, and a bit of luck with the framing layout.
The transformation was immediate. What was once the darkest and least enjoyable area of the property became one of the brightest and most welcoming spaces in the entire home. The kitchen now feels open, vibrant, and alive with soft natural daylight filling the room throughout the day.
This installation perfectly demonstrates what makes a properly designed tubular skylight system so effective. It is not simply about cutting holes in a roof – it is about understanding roof orientation, light paths, diffuser positioning, ceiling layouts, and how natural light changes the feeling of a space.
With the right placement and design, even the darkest areas of a home can become spaces people genuinely enjoy spending time in.
At Suntrenz Skylights, that is what we focus on every day – transforming homes through natural light.
