Roof lanterns.....

[drLu]

We're looking to extend our kitchen/diner about 4.5m. We live closely to our neighbours and the kitchen is north facing so we're looking at a roof lantern to maximise light.

Our neighbours have one and on a night you can see in. They seem to have privacy glass or at least it looks tinted in the day but on a night when the light is on you can see in.

Does anyone know how you can make it private on a night?

Also anyone who has a lantern are you pleased? We could go out less and go for pitched roof with velux.

Thanks!

a blind you can pull across or frosted glass and lose the sky view

Velux on a pitched roof will be lighter than a lantern on a flat roof, plus easy to put a blind on it. Lanterns do, however, look nice.

Is it possible to do a vaulted roof with window in the triangle & velux on either pitched side? Lots of air & light.
Depends on having good width.

On grand designs they've had electrically switchable glass which turns opaque (etched look) when switched on - I think i've seen it used on a roof lantern but it must cost ££££s!

We've gone for 6 (motorised) velux windows in our new 6x4m extension and they let in lots of light. Would have liked roof lantern but we were replacing conservatory and paranoid about making it too cold in winter.

We looked at these zip blinds for our roof lanterns but decided against as we are in a bungalow and the light through them hasn't been too much so no need to shade from sun. We have two and they are fab :)