Bringing light into a narrow Melbourne home

Courtyards, skylights, height and pale materials: how we draw daylight deep into terraces and cottages.

Bedroom opening onto a planted courtyard at Thomas House, Windsor

The short answer

Narrow terraces and cottages are often dark in the middle because light can only reach them from the ends. The fix is rarely one big window. It's a combination of courtyards or side light, skylights over the rooms that need it, a little extra height, and materials that carry light further into the house.

Why narrow homes go dark

Melbourne's terraces and workers' cottages were built close together, often sharing a wall with the neighbour. Light reaches the front and back rooms, but the middle of the house, usually the hallway, stair and bathrooms, can stay dim all day.

Later additions often make it worse, pushing the living areas further from the garden and blocking the light that used to reach the rear rooms.

What makes the biggest difference

Courtyards and side light: even a narrow strip of open space along the side of the house can bring daylight to rooms that had none
Skylights where they count: over a stair, a bathroom or a bedroom, where daylight from above is calm and private
Height: a raised ceiling or double-height space lets light travel further and changes how a small house feels
Orientation: placing living areas to catch northern light, and shading them properly in summer
Materials: pale, matte surfaces carry light further. Soft whites, timber and stone keep it warm rather than stark

Good light is one of the few things you notice every single day in a home.

Two examples

At Glass House in Richmond, a residual strip on the north side of the narrow cottage was used to draw light deep into the plan, and skylights bring daylight into the main bedroom and bathroom upstairs.

At Thomas House in Windsor, a south-facing block, the design draws light into the heart of the home, and a soft white palette keeps it bright and calm.