Skylights are great: they add interest to any room or space, they're a fantastic way of bringing light into an area that doesn't have a lot of opportunity for sunshine and they give you a unique and refreshing view on the world outside your home. They can be a little tricky to dress, however, and like all windows they have a tendency to look a little spartan when left unadorned. So what can you do to pretty up your skylight and help it to blend naturally into the rest of the room?

Custom-made fitted track blinds

Perhaps the most common way of dressing a skylight is with blinds that have been fitted into a sliding track to keep them in place. These will generally need to be custom made for your window, and come in a huge array of fabrics, colours and styles. They're great if you like a sleek, modern look, but if the minimalist feel isn't really for you it's worth considering some other options!

Double-ended curtains

Many skylight owners who like a more traditional style turn to altered curtains. Rather than having a rod at the top for the curtains to slide back and forth along and then  free hanging from there, curtains for skylights have a rod and tabs or rod pocket at both ends and slide along both of them when opened or closed. Anyone who can make conventional curtains can make curtains for skylights, and they can of course be made up in any fabric you choose.

They're also not the only way to get curtains onto your skylights! The other option is best for skylights on a section of slanted wall that is relatively close to a bottom section of flat wall. Hang your curtains as normal along a pole or track at the top of the skylight, install tiebacks at the bottom of the sloping portion of the wall to keep them in place, and let the rest of the curtains free hang down the flat part from there. If you choose this option, however, it will mostly work from an aesthetic perspective--if you unhook the curtains from the tiebacks they'll fall loose in a way that doesn't do much good, meaning that if you want the privacy and light-blocking benefits of window dressing alongside this method it's a good idea to install a track blind as well.

Sliding shutters

Wooden shutters on the inside of domestic windows have enjoyed a huge resurgence in recent years. They're neat, they're clean, they're versatile, they're customisable and they look fantastic--what's not to like? They're also great for skylights, particularly if you're sure to choose a set that slide or fold to the side rather than opening up outwards! You'll probably need to have your shutters custom made, so get in touch with a local contractor for a quote if you're interested in dressing your skylights in this way.