Top Tips for Lighting Your Home

For so many, lighting is usually an afterthought in our homes. This typically happens when you view it as a necessary feature instead of a tool for adding decorative value to a space. Yet, when done right, lighting can change a room's feel and mood, bringing your vision to life in a way you were unprepared for. 

From stunning pendant lights hanging over tables to chic floor lamps illuminating cosy reading corners, making simple yet effective decisions regarding how you choose to light your home will allow you to highlight all the best features it has to offer without having to sacrifice purpose and function. 

Lighting Options

The biggest mistake one can make when choosing to light for their home is believing that only one type, typically the dull overhead version, is enough to tie a room together. But interior designers will be quick to squash this misinformation, as many agree that layered lighting is the key to creating the atmosphere you are likely after. There are three main types of lighting to employ, and a room will typically include at least two, if not all three. 

Firstly you have ambient lighting or general lighting. This type will fill the majority of the room and allow you to move through it safely. It will typically come from wall-mounted fixtures, track lighting or recessed lighting. 

Next, there is accent lighting. It highlights a focal point or item in a room, like a piece of art on the wall or a statement fireplace. Picture lights, track lights and wall-mounted features can be used here, usually fitted with dimmers to allow for mood lighting in the right setting. 

Finally, you can have task lighting. As the name suggests, this is used to assist you in completing a specific task or function throughout your home. Table lamps, standing lamps or pendant lights hung over your kitchen table are good examples of this. 

Measure Your Space

Before purchasing any type of lighting fixture, be sure that it will be able to effectively light the area you are using it in. This is particularly important for overhead fixtures like chandeliers or hanging lamps that will be used to create ambient room lighting. 

Measure the length and width of the room to create a starting point from which to work. It is not vital to light every inch of the room, but most of the space needs to be properly lit for the lighting choice to be correct. 

Room Purpose

Many rooms in our homes serve multiple purposes. For this reason, it is essential to use different light sources, which is why dimmers are a helpful feature throughout the house. For example, if you want to have a romantic date night with your partner instead of a regular family dinner, the lighting needs to be adjustable to achieve just that. 

With the correct lighting choices, you can easily switch between activities in one room without compromising the overall experience of either, especially if those activities are not related. This is particularly useful for those who have been forced to turn their dining rooms or bedrooms into makeshift offices for work. 

Oversized

When making decisions, especially for larger rooms, it is better to go too big than too small if you feel unsure about the size. Fixtures that are too small for a space look like a misjudged afterthought, while oversize features can create a dramatic focal point in the room. 

That being said, balance is still key when creating a finished look. If your choice overpowers the rest of the room, it will look unbalanced and out of place. Additionally, if your home has high ceilings or exposed beams, a dramatic chandelier, instead of stylish wall-mounted pieces, will compete with these finishes and overshadow them. 

Consider Decorative & Architectural Features

In every room of your home, lighting should serve a functional purpose as much as a decorative one. Finding the perfect balance between the two can be a task, but when done correctly, a room feels very functional and welcoming. 

Stylish standing lamps can fill an empty corner and create a complete design look while illuminating game night, a reading nook, or providing soft lighting for movie night. Alternatively, a dramatic overhead chandelier is the perfect source of ambient lighting to complete everyday tasks while also being a central focal point of a room. The goal is always to achieve the best of both worlds. 

Levelled Lighting

When designing a space, it is essential to consider different levels of lighting. This is done by incorporating multiple different types and sources of lighting within one room, like overhead, floor lamps and dimmers. 

These different levels can eliminate any dark spots in the room when necessary while creating softer mood lighting when needed. As mentioned before, levelled lighting is the key to allowing rooms to serve multiple purposes. 

More is Less

If you are still deciding on the size of the fixture you need, it is always best to go bigger as opposed to smaller. However, if you are in doubt about whether you need the fixture at all, it is best to leave it out altogether. 

In many cases, leaving out a fixture that is expected to be present, like a light hanging over a dining room table, is how you create drama in a room. Having too many options can make a  room look cluttered and make you look indecisive.