Doing up the interiors of your home is one of the warmest task that most people readily indulge in. While furniture and electronic items form the major components of interiors, appropriate, sufficient lighting is often ignored. Large or small, the type of lighting used in your home will make a significant contribution to its overall appearance. The wrong type of lighting can dim the beauty of a stunning piece of art or an exquisitely decorated living room. Here are a few ways in which you can ensure that the lighting you choose for your home complements and even enhances your decor.
Layer the Light
Lighting can be categorised into three layers – ambient or general, task, and accent. Of these, at least two types are needed for every room to be lit up properly. Which of these two is required depends on the size and utility of the room.
- Ambient lighting is required in every room, and overhead lights are the most common example of this category
- Ambient lights need to be supplemented with task lighting, which, as the name suggests, is essential for a task to be performed. Pick an ambient lighting for your study, kitchen, or dressing room, and make sure you have enough light to work comfortably when you need to
- In some instances, ambient lighting might have to be accompanied by accent lighting. Accent lighting helps highlight artwork, or light up a showcase or a carefully decorated nook
Dimmers to the Rescue
With living spaces shrinking, it is common for one room to be used for different purposes through the day. Thus a table where you sit down for an intimate dinner could also be used as the place where you work to complete office assignments. A dimmer switch helps you transform your space to fit your need. Turn up the light when you need to work, and lower it to create the right ambiance for a romantic meal.
A Dash of Colour
Step away from the normal white or yellow lights and add a quirky feature with coloured lighting. Use a concealed blue string light under your kitchen counter, or a coloured lamp in the hallway for a stunning effect. Coloured lights look good outdoors too.
Show the Way
If you have stairs in your house, it makes sense to ensure they are well-lit for safety purposes if not aesthetics. Lights inbuilt in the stairs with switches at both ends is the best option, but if that does not work for you, try a fixture on the ceiling close to the top step. Since stairs are an arrayed fixture, lighting each step not just offers ample brightness but adds a certain patterned beauty to your home decor.
Bring in Nature
As much as possible, try to let in natural light. If your home is still being built, putting in a skylight strategically can flood your home with daylight. If this is not an option, try using the right accessories such as sheer curtains and light blinds, to allow natural light inside.
The key is to get the right mix of light sources, both natural and artificial. This is to make sure that your house looks amply lit and cheerful both during the day and at night. Too much light can be jarring while too little can be depressing and prove a hindrance in getting work done, especially in places like the kitchen and the study.
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