The answer is clear

Mitch and Mark come up with the perfect way to bring natural light to their basement

Throughout The Block build, use of natural light has always been a priority.

From building basics like house orientation that optimises northern aspects to more sophisticated solutions, there are multiple ways to bring daylight inside without compromising energy efficiency, sound transmission or privacy.

DecorFloor™ is a statement piece selected by Mitch and Mark to bring natural light to their basement from the kitchen.

LightBridge next™ by Viridian for example, incorporates new technology and materials to take double glazing to the next level.

Introduced in time for The Block 2020’s Brighton build, LightBridge next™ double glazed units feature two panes of glass separated by a non-conductive spacer bar and filled with non-toxic argon gas that can be glazed into frames to fit any size.

Bringing a standard of temperature and sound insulation that’s simply impossible with regular glass, LightBridge next™ double glazed units are three times more thermally efficient, meaning windows can now be up to two and a half times the size of a traditional window without sacrificing comfort.

The Block builders immediately realised this would give them the opportunity to take advantage of light and views in a way they never had been able to before.


Viridian delivering 'daylight' to The Block. Viridian's range of innovative glass provides solutions around energy efficiency, sound transmission, privacy or security.

With the glass featuring prominently in both the Brighton and Hampton builds, this year Mitch and Mark set out to find solutions that bring daylight to their basement level and once again, Viridian was there to solve the problem.

“We wanted our basement to not feel like a basement, if that makes sense!” says Mitch.

“I’d seen something on a UK design show where they had a basement level in a home as their living and kitchen area, and that kind of inspired me to think well how can you get that feeling of not being underground? The answer is to bring in light, but how?”

One option was to leave a void over the staircase, but that would have meant losing valuable floor space next to the kitchen where access to the rear bedrooms and bathroom was needed.

“That’s where Viridian came to the party,” Mitch says.

“Going subterranean is a great way to increase space but it does come with some drawbacks, lack of natural light is one of them,” says Anthony Gunther, Marketing Manager, Viridian Glass.

“That might be great if you’re a vampire but for the rest of us the challenge is how do you get natural light into these spaces and make them ‘liveable’ during the day,” continues Anthony.


Mitch and Mark set out to find solutions that bring daylight to their basement level and once again, Viridian was there to solve the problem.

Working with Mitch and Mark’s builders and The Block’s engineer, Viridian’s answer was their DecorFloor™ range.

“DecorFloor™ is a structurally engineered glass floor product, in a way it’s like how a skylight in a roof works, essentially allowing more light into a room but the difference here is, it’s also a floor that you can walk on,” Anthony says.

A bespoke product engineered to the unique requirements of the location, DecorFloor™ typically has a glass thickness between 30 and 40mm and is available in a variety of colours and non-slip finishes.

“For privacy we can even provide it with opaque finishes,” Anthony adds.

Weighing in at up to 100kgs per m2, installation demands strategic planning and site access also needs to be taken into consideration, but the result is well worth the effort.

“DecorFloor™ is a statement piece,” Anthony says. “It’s not a mainstream residential product that you would normally find in a home."

“Many applications of DecorFloor™ are in locations where typical flooring adds to the problem. If you have a basement, terrace home or simply want more light into a building DecorFloor™ is the answer.”

Mitch and Mark agree.

“Our stairs go down and then come back up on themselves, the DecorFloor™ glass overhead really gives an open feel to the stairwell and a really lovely effect of that amazing natural light coming in from the top floor,” Mark says. “It just works so well.”

“Daylight is special, it makes us feel good,” Anthony agrees. “No LED or mood lighting can replicate the ‘play of light’ natural light brings to a room and best of all – it’s free!"

“We often overlook these aspects when designing our homes, Viridian believes daylight is the new appliance for Australian homes so whether it’s DecorFloor™ or LightBridge next™, we have a range of innovative glass solutions that solve complex problems around energy efficiency, sound transmission, privacy or security.”


Throwback to Tess and Luke's 2019 DecorFloor™ "it’s like how a skylight in a roof works, essentially allowing more light into a room but the difference here is, it’s also a floor that you can walk on,” Anthony tells The Block Shop.

Viridian is changing glass from something that is just a functional building product to something that adds value to our homes and our lives. Take a look at the Viridin range HERE