Janice’s London terrace home had been thoughtfully extended to create a bright, open return with a striking glass roof. The space quickly became the heart of family life, a shared table for meals, work, study and creative projects. But when summer arrived, the dream space turned into a source of frustration.
Intense heat poured through the three large roof panels, making the room uncomfortably hot. Glare flooded the dining table, washing out screens and making the space difficult to use at any time of day. At the height of summer, the family found themselves avoiding the very room they loved most.
The goal was clear. They needed to restore comfort without compromising the beauty of the glass roof or cluttering the clean interior lines of the extension.
Janice explained, “This is the nicest room in the house. We all fight over who gets to use the table.” The family wanted to reclaim the space they had invested so much care into creating. They needed a solution that:
Controlled heat and glare
Preserved the open, airy feel of the extension
Avoided bulky internal blinds or visible hardware
Worked flexibly depending on where the sun hit the return
The answer had to be effective, discreet and sympathetic to the architecture.
Working closely with Janice, we explored options that would protect the space without intruding on it. Internal blinds were ruled out early because the mechanisms would have disrupted the clean lines of the glazing and felt visually heavy.
The breakthrough came with a non intrusive external shading strategy. We designed a system of three independent electric awnings, each aligned perfectly with one of the three roof glazing panels across the 7.5 metre run.
Exceptional Heat Rejection: Positioned above the glass, the awnings stop the sun before it enters the home. This delivers up to 95 percent reduction in solar heat gain.
Targeted Light Control: With three separate units, the family can shade only the panel facing the sun or all three when needed.
Minimal Visual Impact: Colour matched to the exterior wall, the awnings sit quietly above the glazing and preserve the clean interior aesthetic.
Effortless Operation: A single button brings the awnings out or retracts them smoothly, making the system as practical as it is powerful.
The result is a high performance shading solution that enhances comfort without altering the character of the extension.
The impact was immediate. The once overheated room is now comfortably usable throughout the summer, with glare controlled and the family table restored as the home’s favourite gathering point.
Janice shared, “It has made a massive difference.” The space is bright but no longer overwhelming, cool but still connected to the sky above. And with the awnings tucked neatly out of sight when not in use, the glass roof remains the architectural feature it was always meant to be.
This project shows how thoughtful external shading can transform a challenging glass structure into a truly liveable space without compromise, clutter or disruption.
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