Reimagine Winter with Skylights

Posted by: Ken Mariotti

HGTV 2015 Smart Home

The success of HGTV is that it stretches our imaginations. For years now HGTV sponsors a contest and selects one home that best represents the design and building trends for the year. This year’s 2015 Smart Home features a modern farmhouse in the very hip Austin, Texas. It’s “modern” in that it’s a fresh take on the classic traditional farmhouse style. The architect’s use of skylights to reimagine the space caught my attention as we slip into the annual winter darkness.

In the last decade, builders installed recessed lighting in ceilings in an attempt to brighten the dark corners of a home. Now with technological advances like solar power, built in shades, and always clean “Neat®” coated glass, VELUX® skylights are replacing artificial lighting with natural lighting.

As the winter turns the skies darker, windows barely capture light depending on the time of day, whereas skylights provide balanced daylight that fills even remote corners of a room.

Natural light bath

2015 Smart Home Children's Bath Skylights

How common is it to see windowless interior bathrooms in homes? Take a look at the Solar Powered Fresh Air Skylight by VELUX in the HGTV’s Modern Farmhouse children’s bath. These solar operated skylights don’t require wiring, which is a real advantage over the traditional manual or electric models. Small bath ventilation can be a real challenge, especially in winter and this remote controlled skylight can easily be opened to release unwanted condensation.

Master bedroom privacy

Today’s homes are built closer together than ever before, making privacy a key concern for homeowners.  Likewise, homes are shrinking, leaving less wall space for windows. The use of skylights in the HGTV’s Modern Farmhouse incorporates new shade technologies that keep out the light for better sleep and keep the bedroom private. The factory installed blinds operate by remote control to easily open and close the blinds to keep out light. You can also program the control to draw the shades during the heat of the day to keep the room cool or to open the skylights to manage temperatures throughout the day.

2015 Smart Home Master Bedroom Skylights

Powered by the sun

The skylight uses the power of the sun to open and close. A small solar panel resides on the exterior of the skylight to capture available daylight and charge a small, concealed battery. Even on cloudy days, the solar panel will continue to charge. If your skylight is open and it begins to rain – the rain sensor will automatically close your skylight.

Sensor control

VELUX KLR 200 Intelligent Touch Remote Control for skylights and blinds - comes standard with every electric and solar powered skylight. You can open or close your skylights at your convenience. Or program them to open and close during scheduled times of the day to refresh or protect your home.

Velux Remote Control

Installation

Woodland installs skylights using a variety of different installation methods that vary based on your particular home’s location. Depending on your needs VELUX offers products that make the installation process as easy as possible. The three most common installation methods are: deck-mounted, curb-mounted and self-flashed.

Tax Credits

The revolutionary No Leak Solar Powered "Fresh Air" skylight is eligible for a 30% federal tax credit, which according to VELUX, is saving eligible homeowners an average of $850 on product and installation.

Check out the HGTV 2015 Smart Home and reimagine what winter could be by adding VELUX skylights in your home.