Author – Autumn (Janette)
Are you familiar with a solar tube? They is a light source that works like a sky light but can fit in areas where a sky light won’t. There is a small circular glass dome installed on the roof. That dome is connected via an aluminum tube to a round, flat covering installed in a room’s ceiling.
In our last house, we had solar tubes in our pantry, laundry room, and shower. And I promise you, so many times I walked past those areas, opened the door, and reached in to turn off the light. But it wasn’t a light. It was glorious sun shine.
In this place, we installed solar tubes in two windowless bathrooms, and they make a huge difference. However, after living here for three months, we admitted to ourselves that our upstairs foyer needed some enLIGHTenment, also.
Unfortunately, I did not take any before photos because they would have been totally dark. That white glow you see there is our new solar tube. We centered it in the hallway so that the natural light floods both the second floor hallway and the first floor foyer.
These random shots of our upstairs hallway were taken with just the light from the solar tube.
This frosted pocket door is on one end of the hallway and goes into our bright laundry room. Originally, we thought enough light would shine through the glass to light the area, but we were wrong.
The layered mirrors on the dresser I wrote about here also help reflect all of the sunshine.
The larger mirror is a repainted/distressed/sanded flea market find, and the top mirror is from Home Goods.
Even though we installed four ceiling lights, this cute lamp that I found greatly discounted in the damage bin at Home Goods provides our mood light at night.
We are thrilled with our solar tubes. I have read some negative reviews about them, but my best advice is “don’t believe ’em.” I hope this has shed some light on any questions you might have had concerning installation of a solar tube.
Take care.
We were not paid to mention this product.
Totally agree. Solar tubes are fantastic. I don’t have any in my home which was built in the late 1970s but I have sky lights all over my house. The only problem is thinking I’ve forgotten to turn off a light! When Don designed my home I told him I wanted to feel like I was living outdoors. He gave me floor to ceiling windows overlooking the city, windows running all along my north wall, and clerestory windows.
I truly feel that I’m living outside surrounded by incredible stands of saguaros and desert plants.
Oh I love the idea of these. I saw them for the first time a few years ago on the Planet Green show Living With Ed. I have been wanting us to install them ever since! They look like they have worked wonderfully for you all.
How neat is that! I love natural light!
Sherry