Affecting the mood of a room and creating a look that can be edgy, warm, or anything in between, clever lighting techniques can play a functional role in your home. A good lighting scheme can subtly enhance the existing aesthetics, or it can make a bold statement as a stand-alone feature.
The main factors involved in choosing your ideal lighting scheme are the type and brightness of the bulbs and the positioning of the lights in terms of your interior design.
Different types of lighting should be used in each room within the house – for example, fluorescent strip lighting is often a popular feature in the kitchen, while householders normally choose more subtle lighting or lamps in the bedroom.
Here’s a few of our suggestions:
Pendant lighting
A pendant light is a lone light fixture hanging from the ceiling on a chain, cord or metal rod. A pendant light can be used to make a bold statement, such as having one unusual light hanging above the staircase as a focal point. You can also use multiple pendant lights, hanging them in a straight line over the kitchen counter tops, or in the bathroom. They’re very versatile and are also great for your living room, particularly if you mix them up length-wise to give a layered lighting effect.
Lamps
There are many uses for table lamps, particularly in the living room and bedroom. One light in the middle of the ceiling won’t brighten the whole living room, so mix your lamps with pieces of furniture. Designers recommend having one lamp at either end of the settee, using either table lamps, or floor lamps. They create a pleasing glow, are useful if you’re reading and won’t cause glare that detracts from the television. Lamps on the bedside table remain a popular addition – there are so many different styles these days that there’s something to complement every décor.
Daylight bulbs
A modern innovation that’s increasingly popular is the “daylight bulb”. This is a way of “faking” natural light, creating a little faux sunlight to brighten up a dark room. Daylight bulbs mimic the characteristics of natural light in terms of colour temperature and on the Colour Rendering Index. Rather than the yellowish glow of traditional light bulbs, they provide a cooler, white glow. Choose a level of intensity that suits your personal taste – interior designers tend to go for a colour temperature of around 6500K, while the recommended CRI is slightly more than 80%, to create a natural level of daylight.
LED lighting
A modern trend is to have LED lighting around the home. Frame your bed with LED lighting and add stylish pendant lights at each side for a contemporary look. Try low-glare LED downlights to illuminate the headboard if you want an alternative to bedside lamps for reading. In north-facing rooms, a common problem is a lack of natural light to illuminate wardrobes or cupboards. Attach LED lighting strips to the inside ceiling of the storage space or add a strip of lighting near the opened doors to help you see the items inside. LEDs have long been popular in kitchens as backlights, but they are also ideal for bathrooms – around the main mirror, for example.
Natural light
Make the most of the natural light in your home, as daylight enhances feelings of well-being. Dark, gloomy spaces aren’t good for our state of mind. Glass extensions, roof-lights and skylights can completely change your living space, but plan carefully so you come up with an option that’s within your budget.
Some areas of glass, such as roof-lights, are difficult to clean, so manufacturers have come up with an innovative solution by applying glass treatment options to the surface. Photo-catalytic coatings, known as “self-cleaning” windows, will break down organic dirt, so it is washed away by the rain.
If your budget will stretch to it, install bi-folding doors, as they will transform the entire wall of your home into glass for optimum light levels and breathtaking views. At the very least, replace dark-coloured furniture and accessories with lighter shades. In particular, move any furniture that’s blocking light from coming in through windows or glass doors. Replace heavy and dark blinds or curtains with light-coloured options.
As a professional supplier and installer of furniture packages and buy-to-let furniture, Furniture Pack Solutions offers a variety of packages, including lamps and lamp tables, to enhance your home’s décor. Please contact us for information on our extensive selection of furniture packages.