Are you planning to redecorate your home? The type of lighting you choose should be on the top of your list of priorities. The better the lighting in a room, the warmer it will feel. Good lighting can also help to curb feelings of depression in those who really need light daily. While some areas of the home, like the bedroom, should have an option for subdued lighting, other areas of the home, like the living room, should be bright and bold. Here are some other things to consider.
Take Advantage of Natural Lighting
Do your best to take advantage of your home’s natural lighting. Light that comes from the north of your home is usually a bit cooler while daylight from the south will be warmer. Northern light tends to be whiter, making those rooms great for artists. The warmer light may be great for keeping your home’s temperature up in the winter. You can enhance the light, from either direction, by adding lite kits to allow the light to reach deeper into the home; ie, from the living room to the dining room.
Can the Lighting Be Altered?
Adjusting the lighting for special occasions can be really nice. Let’s say, for example, you love to entertain in your dining room. You can leave the lights really bright while you’re setting things up or serving food but then dim them a little bit to add to the ambiance while you enjoy your meal.
Using Light to Create Focus
Do you have any special focal points in different parts of your home? Maybe you have a nice fireplace or wood stove in your living room or a nice piece of artwork in your dining area. You might even have areas you don’t think are as nice you want to draw attention away from, leaving them darker than other areas in the room. Experiment with different light placements to get the desired impact.
Properly Utilizing Drapes and Blinds
Your window treatments will have a huge impact on the way light impacts your home. Open drapes allow light to come in completely unfiltered. Closed drapes block light completely. For an adjustable impact, add blinds to the windows to control sunlight and then add decorative drapes that don’t need to be open or shut on a regular basis.
Consider Your Traffic Patterns
Make sure the light is accessible to everyone in a room. Your rooms should have light switches near the entrances so no one has to move into a dark room to fumble for another switch. If you have lamps near or above your bed, make sure the switches can be reached from where you are lying so that you can comfortably and safely shut them off.
Lighting is huge and can have a major impact on the overall look and feel of your home. Choose carefully and you’ll see a major difference.
