When we’re considering decorating our homes, it can be easy to get inspiration for color schemes, furniture, and room design. There are many places to see aspirational rooms in interior design magazines, on home improvement television shows, and by visiting showrooms at a variety of stores. While these may give us an idea for a lamp or light shade, it can be more difficult to recreate the effect of carefully placed light sources in our own homes.
With the right lighting, an interior can be greatly enhanced, but equally, if it is insufficient or excessive, colors can be distorted and the effect of other interior design features can be reduced. While most people can’t afford a designer to help with their decisions, spending a little time planning the lighting in your space can help get the result just right. The good news is that it is positioning, rather than price, that gets the best results.
First of all, it is important to consider the full range of activities that will take place in that particular room. Your lighting choice should be tailored to match these activities. For example; While a general light may be adequate for most bathroom activities, you may choose to add wall lights to the side or above your bathroom mirror to make it brighter and therefore easier to shave, or apply makeup in that area. In this example, wall lights would also eradicate the shadows that a ceiling light would cast.
In most rooms, it is advisable to use multiple light sources to create the right feeling. Interior designers often refer to these multiple sources as light layers. These start with general ambient lighting, with task lighting and/or accent lighting adding additional layers. Let’s explain this in more detail. Ambient lighting is the general lighting of the space. Natural sunlight provides good ambient lighting during the day, but ceiling or wall lights are typically used for ambient lighting when the sunlight has faded.
Task lighting is brighter lights placed in areas where specific tasks that require clear vision will be performed. This could be in the form of a reading lamp or lighting over kitchen countertops. Accent lighting also provides additional light to a specific area. These are lights that highlight a particular feature in the room, such as a painting on the wall, and make it a focal point. Accent lighting can also help distract from less desirable areas of the space!
As the eye is naturally drawn to light, it is good to ensure that no area of the room is left dark and uninviting, in order to make the most of the space. If ambient light leaves an area dim, then adding wall lights in that area can help improve it. Wall lights can provide lighting up or down, or with the many options that are currently available, they can even be a design statement in their own right.
If you have multiple light sources, you also have the option of changing the feel of the room by changing the combination of lights that come on. As most rooms are used for many different purposes, there are likely to be times when you need more light for practical reasons, such as for the kids to do their homework, but then you want more ambient lighting to relax in the evening.
Once you have planned where to place your lighting, you need to consider the type of lighting fixture that would suit your home. There is now a wide range of lighting fixtures available, making it easy to find the right color and style to complement your home’s period, existing furnishings, and other design features. You will need to consider some practical aspects, such as the size of the lighting fixture selected for a particular space, and recessed or wall lights may be better in homes with low ceilings. Many High Street shops only carry a limited selection of lighting fixtures to match current interior trends. If you’re looking for something specific, or a color that isn’t this season’s trend, then you may have more success with an online lighting specialist like Lights On Lights Off, who can offer a much wider selection.
Lighting is often overlooked, but it’s an important consideration for any room, as it can have a huge impact on how the interior space works. Remember to plan the activities that will take place in the room and use multiple light sources for the best results.