Lighting a room the right way enhances your everyday space and gives your home the optimal touch for any parties or events that you host. The lighting scheme in a space sets the tone and mood for a room. So, how do you create the optimal lighting for the environment? The following 10 tips will show you how to transform any space with proper lighting:
1. Living Room
Families spend the bulk of their time in the living room of their home. This room hosts a variety of ages and activities like watching TV, playing board games, reading or just hanging out. Since families are likely to spend long stretches of time in this room, concentrate on using lights that bounce off the ceilings to add brightness to the room. Avoid recessed lighting, and in order to achieve a layered look, add floor and table lamps for lighting that fits every activity in the central focal point of your house.
2. Kitchen
Overhead lighting in the kitchen is important for cooking. Adding a dimmer is helpful to create more light when you are at the stove and then less when you are enjoying your meal. Add task lighting by implementing lights under cabinets and near work stations for a more focused light so that you can concentrate on washing dishes, chopping vegetables or cleaning your counters.
3. Bathroom
The lighting in your bathroom is important because it is where you get ready in the morning. Many older bathrooms contain a single ceiling fixture for lights, but this can create shadows in your mirror. To eliminate this effect, add lights to both sides of your mirror to create the optimal ambiance for personal grooming.
4. Bedroom
Your bedroom is a place to rest and relax, so make the room cozy and peaceful. Using window treatments can help block excess light and provide privacy. For those who enjoy reading at night, purchase small and intimate lamps with low wattage to provide the right amount of light and keep the mood of the room.
5. Hallways
For hallways, consider accent lighting. This means you want narrow beams of light focused on photographs or art. Use recessed lighting or mounted track lighting in this area.
6. Dining Room
The brightest spot in your dining room must center on the table. You can create this look by hanging a chandelier or light fixture over the table. The other parts of the room don’t require as much light and will make the overall look too noisy. You want to focus on indirect lighting in the corners of the room, so dimmers will help increase or decrease the light depending on the occasion.
7. Outdoor Lighting
For outdoor lighting, you must consider safety as well as aesthetics. Many people make the mistake of assuming that lots of outdoor light will enhance the landscaping. But, instead of overflowing your yard with lights, put lights close to the house, midrange in the yard and in the corner. This technique will provide the adequate amount of lighting for beauty and safety.
8. Dinner Party
When hosting a dinner party, you don’t want the lighting to be harsh. Instead, opt for low lighting to make the atmosphere cozier and more comfortable. Plus, people will feel less conscious about their imperfections in lower light and focus on the food and company.
9. Romantic Evening
Romance is best achieved with low and dimmed lighting. Opt for something simple by lighting some candles, or you can soften the glow by adding a pink light bulb to overhead lighting.
10. Dance Party
To create a cool party atmosphere, add strobe, laser or disco lights to set the mood for socializing, dancing and enjoying the moment.
Lighting is often an overlooked upgrade in your home. But, do not be afraid to experiment with fixtures, wattage and accent lighting to achieve the perfect mood for your home.