5 Top Lighting Tips To Improve Your Home

Improving your home or even just refreshing a room can be done simply and with only a little money by introducing some new colourful cushions. Or you can go all out and build an architect-designed extension.

One way to completely change the look of a room is to install great lighting. Lighting has a huge impact on helping our minds differentiate between settings, even if it is within your own home.

Here are our top 5 tips on how to achieve the right mood for you, at the right time in your rooms.

1. START WITH A PLAN

Just like any interior or decorative project you might work on, a plan is crucial to success and saving yourself time and money in the long term. Each room will have different planning considerations. After all, even your dining room might vary from being a romantic restaurant to a vibrant party scene. Here are the key questions to ask yourself:

• What will you be using the space for?
• What time of the day do you use it most?
• Do you get much natural light in?
• Are there any architectural barriers to consider?
• What style and atmosphere are you going for?

If you are considering a makeover in your kitchen, for example, you will want to align your lighting to your overall layout. I.e. where will you be cooking? Will you need extra lighting near the window, or less because a south-facing window already provides enough light into the space?

2. CREATE LAYERS OF AMBIENCE

You might want to use one room for a multitude of activities: working from home, relaxing in the evenings, or even exercising during the day. If so, there are wondrous ways to create different ambiences with lighting just by layering it throughout the room.

Make it feel larger with a higher ceiling light and wall lights. Or make it seem cosier and warm with hanging pendant chandeliers to create the illusion of height and room segmentation. Where you situate lighting can help you maximise the space for the activity you’ll be using it for.

3. CONSIDER THE BULB/LIGHT TYPE

Here are the specifications that will help you decide:

• Watts: how bright do you want your space to be?
• Colour temperature: what atmosphere do you want to achieve? The lower the temperature, the dimmer the light (perfect for candlelight ambience and cosiness). The higher the temperature, the brighter it is for an awakening blue sky effect (ideal for working or enhancing concentration).
• Energy efficiency: you may want to save energy with eco-friendly bulbs, especially when it comes to frequently used lights.

For example, when it comes to your home office, LED lights are the perfect energy-saving option for desks and bedside tables due to the fact that LED lights last longer than any other traditional lights.

4. CHOOSE WHAT YOU WANT TO HIGHLIGHT

With multiple options in every room, don’t forget that lighting can help you bring attention to your home’s best features. Is there an artistic centrepiece you love? A chair you want people’s eyes drawn to? Or even a table you want people to sit down at? All these can be achieved by providing some spotlight.

For example, try adding wall lights to symmetrically frame an elevated mantelpiece. Or try a dangling pendant chandelier above your favourite ornament and see the difference it makes to your visual attention.

5. IS IT PRACTICAL?

You might choose the most energy-efficient bulb, luxurious dining table chandelier or stylishly fitting wall lights. However, at the end of the day, each of your lights should be practical. They should serve a purpose, as well as being aesthetically pleasing. Stay on track to choosing lighting that will help enlighten your home in the right places, at the right time.

NEED SOME INSPIRATION?

Luxury Lighting Boutique has an extensive lighting collection where you can browse through hundreds of luxurious and designer lighting products from traditional and modern crystal chandeliers to ceiling lights, designer table lamps, and floor lamps.

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