Stunning Interior Courtyard Designs

How to add natural light to basements whilst incorporating it into your living space

Interior courtyards provide an outdoor space within a property, a space that is private, secure and well-ventilated. These outdoor courtyards are normally intended to provide an extension of internal living space into this enclosed area.

The central parts of homes tend to be the darkest, least enjoyable spaces. To let the daylight, fresh air, and nature in, think about including an interior courtyard or garden to help brighten things up. Here is some advice on how to achieve the perfect interior courtyard.

In modern architecture, glass is the normal way of enclosing these interior courtyards; it allows all rooms adjoining the courtyard to be bathed in natural light. Using moving elements of glazing like full height sliding doors provides natural ventilation as well.

On this  IQ Glass project in Richmond, their large sliding glass doors were used to surround the interior courtyard. For freedom of movement through the narrow home, the doors were designed to open in different configurations, opening the corners, opening centrally by the reading nook or sliding open at each end. The flush floor finishes across the tracks allowing the interior courtyard to become part of the internal living spaces when the doors are open, effectively extending the properties usable living areas.

Interior courtyards can have the most impact on darker, windowless spaces such as basements. IQ Glass provided their minimal windows sliding glass doors to this residential basement creation in West London. The minimal framed sliding doors create an interior courtyard within the basement, creating natural light and ventilation within the sub ground level.

This space can be greatly enhanced by integrating stunning plants and trees. Garden designers who specialise in luxury gardens and outdoor living spaces can create bespoke gardens in these courtyard spaces. Adding dreamy bits of nature to your interior courtyard creates an idealistic atrium design bring the outdoors in.

Exterior Solutions are able to provide you with internal and external flooring, perfect for merging your internal and external spaces together. The continuous design can be enhanced by integrating sliding glass doors onto your interior courtyard. This provides a seamless transition between the indoors and outdoors. With a broad range of flooring available from stone effect to wood, you are sure to find the ideal flooring to perfectly suit your interior and garden design.

Another way the space could be used is as an additional living area with outdoor furniture, extending your internal living spaces could be made even more practical by adding an outdoor fire pit by Urban Fires. This enables the interior courtyard to be used throughout the year perfect for hosting those dinner parties.

Here are some stunning projects Urban Fires and IQ Glass have collectively worked on to help give you inspiration for your interior courtyard:

Contact the Sky House Design Centre to discuss your own project or to arrange a visit to our interior design showroom in Amersham. Call us on 01494 722 880 or email info@skyhousedesigncentre.com .