When you think of a room with good lighting, what picture comes to mind? Does your room have skylights or giant windows? How about recessed cans or a constellation of pendants? What is the color temperature?
Bright, alone, doesn’t cut it.
There are a lot of different ways to light a room so it’s stylish and functional, comfortable and versatile. It just takes planning. Use these guidelines to get started:
- Good lighting can change in a second. A well-lit room isn’t necessarily visible from space. You need different light levels for different tasks. Adjustable “layers” of different lights and dimmer switches will let you enjoy the room in more ways.
- Good lighting embraces shadow. Large shadows along the walls and ceiling can turn a room into a dungeon. However, the right combination of light and shadow can help sculpt a room, giving it more character and atmosphere. Don’t be afraid of shadows that accentuate interesting textures or architecture in your space.
- Good lighting isn’t distracting. Some lights shine right in your eyes. Some lights have ugly color temperatures. Some lights hum. Some lights heat up your whole room. When installing yours, make sure they’re not this obnoxious.
- Good lighting is cheap. Not cheap like shoddy. These days, quality light fixtures don’t cost a lot to operate, because they use so much less energy. Switch from incandescent lights to fluorescents or LEDs and your energy bills will dwindle. Newer light sources are lasting longer these days, too, so you won’t go broke shopping for replacements every year.
- Good lighting is designed for you. How do you plan to use your room? When thinking about what kind of lighting to add to your space, the smartest strategy is to tailor it to your lifestyle. Who is using this space? When are they using it? What are they doing in there? Your grandmother’s kitchen will need different lights than your hip younger brother’s home theater. That’s just a fact.
What room are you planning to light next? We want to hear your plans!