AIBU to ask for your layout advice (pic attached)

[FelineFoxy]

So here's the issue:
Downstairs footprint is pretty much a square.
Upstairs is the same square with a bite taken out of it - basically you can walk on the flat roof of almost 1/4 of the downstairs, we call it the 'balcony/terrace'.
See attached photo to clarify my rubbish explanation!

We'd like to extend onto that flat roof. Sounds simple. But then the landing would have no natural daylight (currently the door to the flat roof/'balcony' is a glass door. But if that became a room, the only light source would go).
What to do?
Does anyone else have a galleried landing with no windows?
Advice please from you good people!!!

The en suite bathroom won't have any light either?

We added a double storey extension to side of house and lost our landing window. The issue of light was very important to me. We compensated by putting a roof light/tunnel velux over the new landing in the extension. Downstairs, we fitted new internal doors with glass panels in the upper half to our back sitting room and kitchen/diner. We added a new hall window in the extension. Even though our hallway is north facing it is always bright and welcoming in daytime, the stairs is well lit and the landing is bright too. It was definitely worth spending money on.

You haven't said what you plan to use your extension for, if not for a bedroom then you can still have an internal window wall.

Surely no natural light in hallway, except coming from the rooms with doors open, is quite usual? I have that and it’s no problem - I don’t even turn the hall light on usually!

There seems to be a lot of wasted space and separation of areas between beds 3 and 5. Could you lose the separate toilet, shower, cupboard into the existing large bathroom? Would open out your landing and the toilet window would then be direct onto the landing. Not sure it'll add mega amounts but it's something.

As others have said though, having doors open will allow light in.

This was a previous house with two 300 dia light tubes, they could have been bigger. www.lightwaydaylight.co.uk/
They are a much underused product IMO.

sun tube from the loft down to the landing.

I would prefer the balcony though.

Our landing is quite long, and has no window.

never used to be a problem until kids reached teens and now shut their doors all the time!

If it bothered me enough, I'd change the bathroom door and put a window above it, so that the light comes through on to the landing.

I would never ever put windows above bedroom doors. My SIL has this and it is so annoying, every time anyone goes ot the loo the light from the bathroom shines on to landing and in through the bedroom above the door window. Same with bedroom lights or landing lights. When I read after they have gone to sleep I feel guilty as I know my light can be seen by them. Very irritating.

We have a light tube on our landing. It is served by a south-facing roof and gives a brilliant amount of daylight.

My landing hasn't got any windows. There's a window above the bathroom door to let light in.

Not an issue.

Thank you all for all your messages - loads of really good ideas here!

It's interesting to hear that lots of people don't have windows on landings. I guess part of the problem is that, like Steppemum, I have teenagers so the doors are permanently closed!

We have a light tube - works really well.