When thinking about the perfect interior design, not a lot of people remember that lighting is a huge part of it. But it is true what they say, proper lighting truly has the power to entirely either make or break a space. That is precisely why, when designing your home, you need to pay special attention to your lighting.
Choosing the fixtures and deciding on which light bulbs to use is certainly interesting. However, you will need to decide on the ideal lighting layout first before you move onto the décor. With that in mind, here are some tips on how to make the perfect lighting layout in your home, as well as some of the most common mistakes to avoid. Check them out.
Come up with a layout
The first thing you will need to do is come up with the right layout. Inspect every room carefully and see where you want to position the lighting fixtures. A room’s intended purpose will determine how many fixtures you should install. Moreover, it would be best to come up with a room’s general layout furniture-wise before you start planning the lighting layout, so that you have a general idea of where to place the outlets and fixtures. This way, you can guarantee that no corner will be left in the dark once you actually bring your furniture in.
Think in layers
Next, one of the biggest mistakes people make is not thinking in layers when designing the lighting scheme. So, instead of just thinking where you will place the main ambient or overhead lighting fixture, you should also account for the task and accent lighting. Having multiple layers of lighting in every room is the best way to ensure that you will end up with a well-illuminated space that will cater to your every need. Therefore, when designing the layout make sure you implement all three layers of lighting.
Have fun with the design
When it comes to the design of your lighting fixtures, you can have some fun. Make sure that the fixtures fit the style of the space to create a beautiful and cohesive look. There are even some lighting fixtures on the market that will allow you to change the way they look as you please.
For instance, modular Helios touch lights allow you to change the shape and size of the fixture to suit the occasion. Simply add or remove the touch light tiles depending on how much light you want to have in a room. With such innovative fixtures controlling the amount of light in a room is made easier than ever.
Make sure you go for dimmers
On a similar note, you should also install lighting dimmers wherever possible. The fact is that you don’t always need the same amount of illumination. So, why limit your choices to too much light or no light when you can simply use lighting dimmers and dim the lights when you don’t need them at full capacity? You can even go a step further and choose smart dimmers you can sync with your smartphone. This way you can control the lighting without even having to get up.
Pay attention to shadows
Furthermore, when coming up with the lighting layout, you should also think about the shadows the fixtures will cast. If you don’t position the light source the right way, you may end up with more problems than benefits. For instance, if you install a single lighting fixture above your bathroom mirror, it will cast a funny shadow over your face. However, if you choose to install two sconces on each side of the mirror, you will get enough illumination without any shadows. So, keep this in mind as well when choosing the fixtures and deciding on the layout.
Choose the size of the fixture carefully
The size and the height of the room, as well as the overall brightness of it, will determine how big your fixtures should be. So, if your room is particularly high, you can easily go for a low-hanging pendant light or chandelier. If you are choosing a fixture to go above your dining table, make sure that it is proportionate to the size of the table.
There is a simple hack that can aid you when choosing the right fixture; add the room’s width and height in feet, and choose a fixture that has the same diameter in inches. This way you can ensure that the fixture you have chosen won’t look oddly disproportionate in the room.
Think about the energy consumption
Another thing you will need to keep in mind is energy consumption. Lights, of course, use energy, but how much energy your lights will use up will depend entirely on the type of light bulbs you choose. LED light bulbs are an excellent choice. Not only do they waste the least amount of energy but they are also excellent at mimicking natural light. These energy-efficient bulbs are also considered the best eco-friendly option since all the energy they consume they actually end up using.
Feel free to play around with different colors
Colorful lights aren’t only reserved for Christmas time. Instead, you can always add colorful mood lighting to your space and play around with the atmosphere they allow you to create. These lights will enable you to set the mood in your room as you please. For instance, you can set up a cool-toned purple or blue light to work as background lighting for when you are having movie nights with your friends or family. A warm-toner orange or yellow light can create a cozy and warm feeling during those chilly winter nights, and so on.
When coming up with the perfect lighting layout in your home, make sure you account for all of the aforementioned tips to ensure that you end up with a beautiful environment that is well-illuminated. Make sure you also choose energy-efficient light bulbs, not only to help preserve our environment but to also cut on your household’s energy consumption and, thus, reduce your energy bill.
Leave a Reply