The VELUX roof balcony and roof window combination has flooded this family home with much needed daylight, fresh air and stunning views
Bringing the vision to life
From the moment they first viewed their four bedroom Northampton home, Katherine and her husband Antony Yiannaki saw how big the loft space was and realised the potential it had to become an extra bedroom.
Katherine, a 38 year old wedding photographer and Antony, a commercial director, also 38, knew instantly they wanted to convert their loft into a master bedroom and ensuite with lots of storage but the reality of it has led to so much more than that.
The couple had already decided they wanted to have VELUX CABRIO balconies and enlisted the help of loft conversion specialists DJ Moore Lofts to help bring their vision to life.
Katherine said: “Maximising the amount of daylight we could bring into the space was high on our list of priorities, which is why we wanted to install two VELUX CABRIO balconies. Not only have they brought a ‘wow’ factor but the amount of natural daylight and fresh air they bring in to the space is just unbeatable.
We decided to install a roof window on the other side of the bedroom and one in the en-suite and combined they make it such a beautifully bright and airy space to be in. The double layered VELUX blinds we opted for are also ideal for giving us privacy but still letting in light and providing a total blackout for when we’re going to sleep at night.”
"It’s definitely re-balanced the house which was previously quite bottom-heavy and created a lovely space we can hang out in as a family."
Re-balancing the home
Katherine and Antony live with their daughters Mila and Bella, aged six and four, and 10 year old Shih-Tzu Bichon Frese cross, Bailey, and wanted to make the space in their home more evenly spread to accommodate their growing family.
“The amount of additional space we’ve gained from the loft conversion is fantastic because as well as the bedroom and ensuite we created a large airing cupboard that’s perfect for storage,” explained Katherine.
It was important for Katherine and Antony that the style of their new master bedroom and en-suite remained consistent with the rest of their home and the area they lived in. To maintain the period features of their Edwardian home they opted for a conservation roof window in their bedroom and en-suite to blend with the roof of their home, while maintaining that all-important period charm.
Decorating with daylight
Katherine said: “We mainly looked to Instagram and Pinterest for inspiration when considering the design and style of our loft conversion and tried to complement the rest of our home with a lot of modern elements but also reflect the age of the house. This is why we went for aspects like the patterned bathroom tiles, crittall shower screen and painted furniture. We also decided on Farrow and Ball’s Railings for the back wall because it echoes the colour scheme in the rest of our home and wouldn’t be overpowering due to the amount of white space from the sloping roof and the daylight brought in by the roof windows." Within just six short weeks and without any real hiccups, the Yiannaki family were able to start enjoying their new bedroom, en-suite and family space at the top of their house. "The only problem we had was the bath we bought that was too big, trying to return a bath is a nightmare!”