Interest online, customer enquiries and sales at daylighting specialist Whitesales all point to the fact that it’s flat rooflights which are currently setting the trend in the rooflights market. The company has even put a catwalk built entirely of flat rooflights at the centre of its new ‘Flat’s in Fashion’ marketing campaign to emphasise the shift they are seeing amongst consumers towards the sleek and contemporary flat rooflight and away from the more traditional looking roof lantern .

Figures from the Whitesales website reveal a 133% rise in the number of views of its em.glaze flat rooflight range over the past 12 months, and sales enquiries are currently running at 80/20 in favour of flat rooflights over lanterns.

Sioned Yates, Whitesales’ Marketing Director, says it’s largely younger and more affluent customers who are expressing a preference for the clean lines and sleek finish of the em.glaze products: “We’ve seen in the latest round of consumer research from Keystone that younger consumers are more likely to want glazing in the roof, and these seem to be the people driving the current trend.

“No home makeover show or home improvement magazine is complete at the moment without the inclusion of a flat rooflight, and that’s obviously great news for anyone selling or installing our products.”

Karl Grandfield, Whitesales’ Sales Manager adds: “This is a trend which has actually been building for the past 4 or our 5 years in the premium end of the market and now we’re seeing it filtering down to the mainstream as well. A flat rooflight gives a property a minimalist, contemporary look which lots of buyers love. And there’s the big advantage of course that a flat rooflight doesn’t interfere with the view from bedrooms above – and that’s definitely a factor for buyers in smaller homes.”

Whitesales’ customer Will Bull from Rooflights and Atriums agrees that demand is increasing for flat glass: “Whilst contemporary roof lanterns still remain a popular choice in some applications, Rooflights & Atriums Ltd have seen increased demand in 2024 for flat glass from people wanting a more modern feel for their space. Flat glass generally offers more choice with glass specification, options to suit all budgets, better security and the potential to captivate the popular architectural vision of having huge single panes of glass. The ‘flat glass’ solution remains as popular as ever.”

Sioned adds: “If you need any more evidence of the trend, you only have to look at the number of new suppliers trying to get into the flat roof market. When companies who have made their name manufacturing lanterns start developing and marketing flat rooflights, you know that flat’s definitely in fashion.”

Karl Grandfield is keen to point out that, for installers, flat rooflights are actually an easier and lower risk proposition than lanterns. He explains: “Products like our em.glaze flat glass rooflights are supplied pre-glazed, so there’s no on site assembly required. All that fitters have to do is fix the rooflight to the upstand – which we can also supply.  And there’s no chance that they will leak because there are three separate barrier methods in the glazed section, which means no costly remedials.”

Whitesales is helping customers make the most of the trend towards flat rooflights with the launch of its em.glaze Economy rooflight alongside the existing em.glaze Premium. The Economy version, which can actually work out cheaper than the equivalent sized lantern, features CWCT Class 3 glazing rather than the walk-on CWCT Class 1 glass in Premium, and aesthetically the only thing that distinguishes the two options is that the Economy is non-fritted.

The em.glaze rooflight range is available in a range of ventilation and glazing options and up to 18 stock sizes delivered to site in just 3-5 days, backed by the full Whitesales sales and service package.

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