Nothing says 'Welcome' better than a well-illuminated home. Gone are the days when lights were used only for the utility. Today, they are used to highlight as well as beautify a home. There is little wonder then that lights and light fixtures have become a crucial element in all good interior design schemes.
Tasteful lighting in a home can be brought into effect with the help of dimmers, LED lights, and in some cases even DIY lamps and shades. Introducing lights into your interior is a great way of spicing it up. They can go a long way in adding personality to a dull space, providing a dash of style, and enhancing the ambience of your home.
Where Do the Lights Go?
One of the first and most difficult questions that you will answer is about the placement of the lights. As already mentioned, lighting a room well can make all the difference to its appearance. It can enhance the color of your walls, the texture of your fabric and the look of your furniture.
Layering of light is highly effective and involves the careful use of task, accent and ambient lighting in rooms. Every room needs different kind of lighting. You will, therefore, have to develop an illumination plan that complements and addresses the purpose of every room.
Here are a few tips on how you can use lighting to smarten up your home.
Embellish Your Entryway
Your entryway is the first place that people see when they set foot into your home. Make sure you create a big impression in the very beginning. Good lighting at your entry can make your home look more inviting and comfortable.
Place an overhead light with a dimmer at your front door to set the mood for what's to come. You can have an ornate lantern or a chandelier for effective and attention-grabbing ambient illumination.
Lights in the Living Room
The living room calls for balance and adaptability in the lighting plan. The lights should be such that they can be dimmed or turned up to suit the atmosphere of the room. You can use a combination of accent, ambient and task lighting. Ambient lights set the tone of the room, accent lights are used to highlight an art work, while task lights, such as table lamps, would be used to illuminate an entry table, for example.
Overhead fixtures are usually not meant for use in living rooms. In fact, they can be illuminated more tastefully with an assortment of portable lamps all around. Ambient lights, such as a couple of chandeliers, are a must. Accent lightings also work extremely well. If you're a connoisseur of art, you can place spotlights on paintings or wall hangings, over bonsai trees, or even to brighten up a dull corner of the room.
When you include this kind of lighting into your living room, remember that the effect should improve the atmosphere. The focus should be on creating the right effect, whereas the source of the light can be invisible.
Doing up the Dining Room
The dining room does not need too much thought when it comes to lighting it up. Because the single most area of focus is going to be the dining table, your job becomes that much easier. A simple pendant lamp or a chandelier hung low over the table should do it, but do consider the possibilities of a sleek task lamp on the sideboard.
One of the most popular trends in dining room lighting is to have lights installed inside glass-cabinets to put the spotlight over the crystal, china and silverware showcased in them.
It makes sense to have dimmers in the dining room if you're going to use low lighting there. They should help you get the candle-light glow in the room when you turn the lights down. Try and get all the lights in the room wired to a common central dimmer to even out the ambience.
Lighting in the Kitchen
Few would disagree if I said that the kitchen is that area of the house which gets the most action and traffic. Keeping that in mind, planning the lighting system in the kitchen is bound to be complex. Ideally, you should have a mix of overhead lights, task lights and accent lights to show off its various aspects.
The overhead lights will be useful when carrying out tasks such as cooking, cleaning the floor and wiping the cupboards and cabinets. Task lighting can be used over the kitchen sink and the platform for performing detail-oriented chores. Accents lights can be used to display your expensive porcelain features or other collectibles.
If you've got a big and an open kitchen, where you not only cook, but also socialize and entertain, it makes sense to have low ceiling lights placed throughout. However, under-cabinet and in-cabinet lighting work well in providing adequate light on their own to illuminate the room if most of the activity takes place in other areas of your home.
Bedroom Lighting
One of the most commonly found lighting ideas in the bedroom is the task lighting on the bedside table. But there is scope beyond that as well. Consider placing a lamp on your dresser and an accent light over a family photograph. To create an atmosphere of coziness and romance, install ambient or overhead lights with a dimmer switch.
When it comes to the bedroom, soft and warm lights are the way to go. But, if you're someone who likes to relax with a good book in the bedroom, make sure you install a cool-light shaded task lamp to support your eyes. The same applies if you watch television, or work in your bedroom.
Bathroom Light Fixtures
Add a touch of glamour to your bathroom with sconces. Install them over or next to your mirror at the face level for adequate light plus to create drama. On the other hand, you can also use task lighting in the bathroom. Focus on having soft lights as they will be easy on the eyes when you visit the bathroom in the middle of the night.
Conclusion
Working with lighting is like working with art. If placed correctly, it can do wonders to uplift your space. Think about it – you've got the best furniture, the most beautiful paintings, and the swankiest countertop and cabinetry, but without proper lighting to highlight them, they're not going to get much attention or appreciation. So do work lighting into your home décor plans and watch your place transform into paradise!