By Jon Crohill, Sheerline’s Technical & Design Office Manager
By now, it’s well documented how important aesthetics were when we initially designed our S1 Roof Lantern. We knew it needed to be secure, robust, sleek, and stylish.
In the five years since we launched our S1, the fundamentals of the design haven’t changed, but we have added new options in line with our commitment to continuous development.
What this tells me is that we got the initial design correct. We focused on slim sightlines paired with deep internal rafters to create an architecturally refined aesthetic from all angles.
We also ensured the top caps, contoured end caps, and glass closures were all aluminium, which allows us to powder-coat them and colour match them to the lantern profile.
This all adds to the sleek finish. But it’s easy for me to sit here and write my thoughts about the lantern I designed.
So, for this month’s article, I thought I’d try something a little different by sharing what someone else thinks of our lantern.
Ugly Lantern Competition Winner
For those of you who aren’t aware, we previously ran an Ugly Lantern competition. The premise was simple – send in the photo of the ugliest lantern you’ve seen, and you could win an S1.
As you can imagine, there are some pretty awful lanterns out there – with chunky profiles. Bonus points for ugly vents that have clearly been added as an afterthought.
Enough time has passed that we’ve been able to catch up with our lucky winner – [Matt Bye] of [Broadland Windows and Doors] to find out how the S1 has transformed his home.
For background, Matt was familiar with the S1, he’d been doing his research and saw it at FIT Show 2025. Then we launched the competition, and he entered the lantern at his home.
Fast forward a year, what difference has it actually made?
The S1 In Matt’s Own Words
When we moved into our house around 5-6 years ago, we inherited a lantern, and it’s been a bugbear ever since.
It was ill-fitting, the wrong size, heavy sections, blown sealed units, poorly installed, leaking – everything you don’t want in a lantern.
The S1 has totally changed the room, to the point where it’s now the go-to room in the house. It’s light, airy and feels bigger, plus it’s got a really modern look to it.
It’s definitely become my wife’s favourite room. She’s often found relaxing in her chair with a coffee and a book, and sometimes she’ll take her yoga mat in there and do a yoga flow because it’s the most calming room.
The slim roof bars look fantastic. You’ve also got the deep bars inside the roof, to give almost a timber feel and a feeling of strength combined with classic elegance.
Final Thoughts
What this illustrates is the transformative powers of the S1 Lantern – it’s completely changed the look and feel of a key room in Matt’s house.
Instead of being an unloved, unused room, it’s now become a light, bright, airy, calming space. Matt isn’t alone in his desire to create this kind of space.
Homeowners around the UK are driving demand for slim sightlines. That’s why product such as lanterns, bi-folds, patios, and picture windows have become so popular.
For many, this is more than simply an aesthetic trend. This is a lifestyle choice – a choice to connect with the outdoors by allowing natural light to flood the home.
This is something we offer across our product range; stylish yet practical products without compromising on thermal efficiency, security, and in-built innovations.
