Lighting solutions can be one of the hardest elements to get right in a home. You need the right advice for YOUR home.
At this time of year, you may be thinking about your Christmas styling. However, getting the perfect amount of light in your home can be hard at anytime of the year. There are lighting tips everywhere, but to get the best lighting solutions you need to look at YOUR home and it’s layout, function, and needs not generic advice.
To create light that suits your home, it’s best to create a lighting plan before you purchase any fittings. Begin by going around the house with a notepad. As you hit each room ask yourself “what do I use this space for”? Think about the varying uses – your lounge might have to double up as a study so you’d need effective reading light. Your children might need to do their homework there or you might knit or sew or use part of the room as a studio.
What’s on display in each room? Do you have a specific picture to which you’d like to draw attention? Make a note, as this will help you decide where to to put your lighting. Think about what times of day people use the room and, whilst you consider that, ponder from where where the natural light comes.
Once you have considered everything you can go shopping. Make sure you go to a quality store with a range of different bespoke lighting options, Amonson Lighting Online Shop is a good place to start. Once you’ve chosen your lights, consider your circuits. You could have one switch to operate multiple lights or decide to have a switch each. You can also install a dimmer switch if that suits your needs. Circuitry can be quite delicate and complicated so here’s how you can get to grips with them so you can be better informed.
Remember, you can use light to make your home look bigger. Try using wall washers to create a bright wall, or uplighters to do the same trick. If you wanted to go for the cosy option try using more than one lamp. This way you create multiple dim light sources to give you that low-lit cosy feel. This works especially well when you use two lamps to flank a sofa or chair.
Create the illusion of visual height by adding lighting to the top layer of your kitchen cabinets. It will ensure space feels larger by guiding your eye toward the ceiling and cutting out dark shadows that may otherwise concentrate in the corners. The more your guests can see the more there seems to be.
Lighting is particularly important in the bedroom. Use task lighting but on both sides of the bed, giving you each a lamp to use in case one wants to go to sleep before the other. You’ll still need a main overhead light though, so be sure to keep one there. The same for the children’s’ rooms. It’s also worthwhile installing a night light or reading lamps.
There are many other creative ways to light your home, but here I’ve outlined the basics. Good luck, and don’t forget your plan; that’s the most important part. You wouldn’t want to install it all and then realise you need more lighting or that it’s too bright. Ask the professionals, engage a qualified electrician, and create lighting solutions that suit YOU.
Header image from Amonson Lighting. Other images courtesy of Anderson Construction Group, Fleischman Garcia, Randell Design Group.
