It may sound like a non-so-important topic but trust me when I say lighting your house the right way is the key to having an appealing and comfortable home. Any experienced interior designer will tell you to spend more time picking up your lighting fixtures as they can transform your space completely.
Lighting directly affects the emotions and mental state of people living in that house. Lighting can make or break your spaces as well as your emotions. It sets your mood, ambiance and can also help in defining your corners perfectly. Be it your cozy living room corner or work from a home corner or simply a calm peaceful corner to relax your mind, there are a variety of lighting options perfect for every space.
With all this said, picking lights that match and blend with your home decor may be a slightly difficult task than simply picking up furniture pieces. Here are few tips that will serve as a guide for you to choose the perfect lighting.
Know the types of lighting styles:
1.Ambient or general lighting
2.Accent lighting
3.Task lighting
1.Ambient or general lighting
Ambient light or commonly referred to as general lighting is the source that provides overall illumination in a room. It lights up each room as a whole and provides a general layer of lighting. It does not have to be focused or strong as the other two types will be serving that purpose.
Types of ambient lighting can be:
a. Recessed light
b. Wall mounted light
c. Track lighting
d. Chandeliers
e. Panel lighting
It can be used in: Every room, mostly in the center with slightly diffused lighting around the edges, close to ceiling.
2.Accent lighting
Accent lighting also called directional lighting and is used to create a focal point or draw attention to a certain feature like painting or a piece of art. This type of lighting can be used to highlight an architectural feature or decorative wall.
TIP: If you are lighting up a painting, we would suggest you go with LED lights, as they do not emit UV light and almost no heat and thus will protect the painting.
Don’t be afraid to be experimental with your accent light, as it is a form of a decorative element. We advise you to invest in a statement light or a trendy piece.
It can be used : As a decorative lighting, to draw attention to an art piece, a painting or an architectural feature in house.
3.Task lighting
As the name suggests, task lighting is meant to help you finish a task, like cooking, studying, work, etc. This can be in a variety of forms like a desk lamp, directional light, or recessed lighting.
In task lighting you need to keep certain things in mind like:
a. Check for the lumens: It is a task-specific light and is not intended to light up the whole room but it requires more lumens.
b. Check for color temperatures: For example, cooler bulbs help you wake up in the morning in the bathroom whereas warmer temperature bulbs are good for reading.
c. Heat factor: Halogen or incandescent bulbs give out a lot of heat. So opting for an LED would be an ideal choice as they don’t give out so much heat and give perfect bright directional light.
d. Adjustability: Have an adjustable option that can cater to your needs according to your condition. Place and adjust the light positioning as per your task and needs.
Guide to having a beautifully lit house:
1. Layering your lights:
Every room should have a combination of ambient light, accent light, and task light. The ambient light will light the whole room, in general, to move around, the accent light would focus on your decorative pieces and the task light will help you achieve the desired task.
2. Consider room height:
The height of your room plays an important part when choosing your hanging lights. Some cables are adjustable and others are not. Choose them accordingly as we don’t want lights to hang too low or high.
3. Consider natural lighting:
Natural lighting is the most important source you should consider when setting up your furniture. Keep in check the direction of your natural lighting during the day, so you can add the remaining sources accordingly.
4. Consider the size of room and space:
The size of your lighting will be decided based on the size of your room. The larger the room, the more lighting you need. You might have to install a few of all 3 styles of lighting to have a properly lit room. Keep in mind to have a balance between the 3 types of lighting in every room. Too much or too little of any will disturb the whole setting of your room.
5. Consider the color of walls and furniture:
White walls and light-colored furniture will reflect a large percentage of light falling on it while dark colored walls and furniture will absorb a lot of light. This is the reason you will have to extensively consider the color of walls and furniture during lighting. If you want to have a well-lit living room, make sure you keep the luminance in mind. The dark-colored wall will require higher luminance and probably more lights than a light-colored room. Be careful with lighting when playing with darker colors.
6. Have dimmable lighting:
Everyone has their ups and downs and thus our moods swing accordingly. When we choose to relax after a tiring day at work, we would prefer subtle lighting in a cozy room that would help relax the body as well as the mind. On the other hand, having the energy high up and wanting to get as much work done, we would require task or focus lighting. Like this, we would end up with a lot of lighting in our rooms. The solution to this simple problem is having dimmable lighting that can be changed as per our task and preferences.
7. Have in mind the focal areas/ art display/ highlight areas:
Keeping focal points in your rooms, help you create levels in your space. One way of achieving this is using lights to highlight your art displays or showpieces. To do so, you will need to have accent lighting. To choose the proper kind of accent lights for your art pieces, consider the colors and size of your art/ piece.
These are a few general guidelines on how you can light up your space. However the specific lighting guidelines for each room would differ a little from other. This guide can be your starting point.
Remember to add drama, add a little style and don’t be afraid to go bold and experiment.
Happy decorating!
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