Internal Window Design & Glazing Ideas – Here’s How to Get Internal Windows Right

Looking for internal window ideas or different ways to get natural light into your home? From doors and windows to striking atriums, Erika Chaffey showcases a range of solutions for maximising light flow and sightlines throughout your house

by Erika Chaffey

10th March 2025

If you’re after a bright, light-filled and open house, it’s likely you’ve considered an internal window or interior glazing features – but what are the different options and where do internal windows work best? From glazed sliding doors to fixed picture windows, walk-on glazed roofs and glass balustrades for staircases, there are plenty of different ways that glazing can be used around the home to ensure a light, airy space.

So, what’s the best way to incorporate an internal window or glazing feature into your project? Whether you’re building a bespoke home from scratch, renovating an older house and looking to get more natural light into the different rooms, or even adding an extension to your current property, here I’m looking at a collection of 11 great internal window and glazing ideas to inspire your project plans.

1. A walk-on internal window can help flood your whole home with natural light

Low-maintenance, extremely durable and capable of withstanding heavy foot traffic, glass flooring can create the illusion of space and provide a stylish feature. Anti-slip finishes are available for added convenience, too.

Internal Window Design & Glazing Ideas – Here's How to Get Internal Windows Right

Photo: French + Tye

This double-storey rear extension project features a pair of structural glazed floors, flooding the whole home with light and adding a contemporary edge. The project makes use of IQ Glass’ impressive Invisio flooring as an overhead internal window.

2. Make your space feel bigger by pairing internal windows with glazed doors

In rooms with high ceilings, using glazing or installing an internal window above your doors is a clever way to avoid dark corners and ensure light can reach into each corner of your home.

Photo: Emanuelis Stasaitis

For areas where fully-glazed doors or walls may not be appropriate for privacy reasons, an elevated window enhances light flow while preventing direct sightlines into your space.

Photo: Emanuelis Stasaitis

Part of an extension project by Yard Architects, this design includes a courtyard suntrap with an added glazed panel above the sliding doors to maximise light from above.

3. Incorporate your internal window ideas into your overall interior design scheme

Internal windows offer excellent sightlines through your home. They help to divide up different open-plan areas while maintaining a strong connection between them, and making your floorplan feel more open.

Photo: Megan Taylor

Double-glazed options bring the added benefit of great sound insulation to help establish separate zones, without sacrificing that visual link.

Photo: Megan Taylor

Designed by Nimtim Architects, this quirky curved window connects the kitchen and living room areas, while the soft plywood structure provides a clear distinction between the two uses.

4. Get light into your house with glazed internal doors

Particularly useful in family homes, glazed internal doors enable you to keep an eye on what’s happening in the next room, while working, cooking or relaxing in another.

Photo: French + Tye

Part of a complete renovation project, Bradley Van Der Straeten Architects designed these full-height glazed doors that run over two storeys on both sides of the stairwell.

Photo: French + Tye

Complete with warm timber frames, they provide cross views through all the living spaces and help to create the illusion of a fully open-plan layout.

5. Use internal windows as part of a glazed atrium design

Adding a touch of luxury, an open-air glazed atrium serves as a stunning centrepiece, bringing sunlight into the core of your home. It can strengthen that sought-after indoor-outdoor connection and create a bright, open and airy atmosphere internally.

Photo: Clive Sherlock Photography

Opting for a rooflight or overhead internal window can provide a snug courtyard space to enjoy, whatever the weather. Paired with fixed frame glass, the SF75eco aluminium bifold doors from IDSystems start at £850 per m².

6. Divide up your interior spaces with sliding glazed doors

Glazed sliders are ideal for maintaining an effective flow between rooms while saving on space. Frosted or tinted glass options can also help to ensure privacy where necessary.

Photo: Hormann

This eye-catching design from Hormann is made with a steel frame and features a statement exposed track and rollers for an industrial look. The glazed doors are available in a single or double leaf option.

7. Section off an open-plan layout with internal windows & heritage-style glazed doors

Paul Archer Design masterminded this family home renovation and extension, which involved excavating to create a spacious, bright and open basement living area and cinema room. The zone is sectioned off with heritage-style glazed doors and fixed internal windows, ensuring natural light can reach the full, open-plan zone without feeling cut off.

Photo: Rachael Smith

A striking glass infill connects the ground floor to the basement zone, establishing a double-height void over a new staircase leading from the kitchen, dining and living room, down to the new space.

8. Pair your internal windows with glazed room dividers

Fully-glazed room dividers serve as an eye-catching focal point in your interior scheme, and offer a practical solution for incorporating built-in flexibility. Pair them with an internal window to maximise light flow and create wow factor.

Photo: Tradephotographer.com

They allow you to section your rooms off or open them up into one large open-plan area when needed, all without cutting off light flow between the two zones and beyond. With slim-line black frames and glazing bars, this six-screen centre-opening SF22 glass partition is from IDSystems.

9. Specify a wow-factor glass balustrade for your staircase

A glazed staircase balustrade helps to maintain the flow of natural light through your floorplan, without your staircase creating a visual barrier. Opting for invisible fixings on your banister, treads or structural elements, creates an ultra-sleek, seamless finish that gives the appearance of a floating flight.

Photo: Bisca

This elegant design by Bisca features a glass balustrade with timber treads, allowing sunlight captured via glazing at the rear of the property to diffuse through to the front of the house.

10. Transform a basement space with internal windows & glazed doors

Designed by Yard Architects, this four-storey terraced home, situated in a north London conservation area, has been completely transformed with a rear and basement extension. The subterranean zone adds substantial living space to the house in a location where the possibilities for lightwells are fairly limited by conservation area planning rules.

Photo: Emanuelis Stasaitis

The design uses vertical glazing to draw light and views into the basement, complemented by internal windows and glazed partitions that make the underground space feel as bright and functional as the rest of the house.

11. Add a glazed link to your house design to maximise natural light

This extension project by Paul Cashin Architects is a lesson in creatively combining old and new. Suetts Farm is a listed, timber frame and brick home near Winchester, which dates back to the 17th century.

Striking Modern Window Design for a Linking Extension

Photo: Lance Mcnulty

The contemporary addition juxtaposes the original dwelling and has been designed as an independent structure, connected to the historic home via a sensitive, frameless glazed link by IQ Glass. A glazed link can be used when connecting two structures, allowing plenty of natural light to reach both zones.