Skylights can add a lot of interest to a space, and they're a godsend in sloped attic rooms that might otherwise feel horribly small and cramped without any natural light. They're often a pain to dress, though; they're no good with conventional blinds or curtains, after all, and it's not like there's a windowsill you can leave ornaments on! There are ways that a skylight can be worked into the look and feel of a room, however, making everything feel more cohesive and planned out.
Use the ceiling space surrounding your skylight to good effect.
Sloping walls and feature ceilings can be wonderful when decorated, but not all wall dressings are appropriate. Most hanging art, for example, is obviously unsuitable for a slope; you'd have a hard time getting it to hang straight and stay put! The trick is to work with your space rather than against it. Fabric and drapery, when properly secured, can look wonderful on a slope--look out for intricate tapestries and anything made of light fabrics that will billow prettily in the breeze of the open window. Children's bedrooms look great with a scattering of glow in the dark stars surrounding a skylight window, while anyone with a bit of artistic flair might want to consider creating their own mural and turning the whole area into a gorgeous feature wall.
Think carefully about what's underneath your skylight.
Skylights let in more light than ordinary windows, because they're looking directly at the sky. A south-facing skylight will brighten up a room considerably all day long, while a skylight in an east-facing wall will drench your room with sunshine almost every morning as the sun rises. You can make a feature of this by thinking about what will be in that beam of direct light: if it's aiming at the middle of the room, for example, a decorative rug underneath it will be all the more noticeable. A dining table underneath a skylight can make a beautiful spot to eat dinner in on a summer evening. You might also want to avoid putting certain things in the direct line of the skylight, like a workstation or desk (bright light can be distracting for many people while they're trying to work)--or a bed, unless you're an early riser who likes to wake with the morning sun every day!
Look out for a set of skylight-specific blinds.
If you'd like to be able to cover your skylight--if it's in a room that is to be used as a bedroom, for example--you'll need to buy a blind that has been designed specifically for skylight use. These blinds fit entirely into the recess of the window, and generally have metal frames. Most are operated by hand, and often come with special poles to help you reach up and close them should your skylight be too high to access otherwise. Most of these blinds are bespoke and it's important to ensure you buy one that's a perfect fit, so if you're worried about taking your own measurements accurately you can look for a company who offer an at-home measurement service. You'll find that many of the available options are quite plain, so give some thought to the block colour you'd like to choose to complement the rest of your room.
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