Lighting is an important aspect of home design that often goes overlooked. It can make or break your environment, and create an atmosphere full of serenity and visual interest, or lead to feelings of stress and anxiety. Understanding how lighting works, and following some simple rules will not only enhance your decor, but will make every room feel more comfortable.
UNDERSTAND THE THREE TYPES OF LIGHTING
To maximize a room’s usefulness while adding beauty and drama, use all three:
-Ambient Lighting: Main source of light that illuminates the entire room, usually provided by a ceiling fixture.
-Task Lighting: Used for specific jobs like cooking, reading, or applying makeup.
-Accent Lighting: Brings drama and depth to a room, illuminates specific features like art, books, and architectural features.
LOCALIZE LIGHT SOURCES
-Avoid lighting an entire room with a single source, especially one overhead light, which leads to eye strain.
-Multiple points of diffused light that layer well with each other create the most visual interest.
-Use a variety of lamp heights to provide layered pools of light.
ALWAYS USE DIMMERS
-A single light source in the center of the room casts the same shadows throughout the day and night, creating tension. It’s more natural to have variations in light throughout the day.
-Reduce energy consumption and increase bulb life.
SCALE AND PROPORTION
Coordinate the size of table lamps with table height and furniture scale.
-A tall console table with a long piece of art above looks most appropriate with a tall, slender lamp.
-Low end-tables look great with shorter, more squat lamp designs.
Did you find this post illuminating? Begin personalizing your own space with our incredible selection of designer lighting.
Like this post? Sign up for our email list to get news and special offers!