Lighting can make a difference in how you experience a room or living space. Like most people, your light fixtures are the last thing on your mind when thinking of your interior decoration. Now, that’s okay if you are planning to set up a functional living space.
However, if you are looking to create a home with high aesthetic value, you should take a long hard look at your lighting plan. This might sound cliché, but good lighting is everything. If you are looking for the right lighting fixtures to take your interior design to another level, here are three great tips for setting you.
Know your Options
One common mistake most people make when picking lighting fixtures is to assume that one type of installation will work for the entire room. Experts such as the folks at Wofi lights or a lighting shop local to you, will tell you this couldn’t be further from the truth. In reality, your lighting fixtures provide the best aesthetic value when used in layers.
There are three layers of indoor fixtures you need to consider when setting up your room, and in the ideal situation, each room should include all three:
General Lighting
Also called ambient light, the general lighting fixtures covers most of the living space and ensures you can move around safely. These are the fixtures you’ll usually find mounted on the wall or installed as track lighting.
Accent Lighting
As the name implies, these fixtures illuminate a focal point in the room, such as a painting or your lovely piano. These sorts of accessories are common and often come with dimmers to increase the intensity depending on the occasion.
Task Lighting
You need these lights for specific functions e.g., reading. They could be your desk lamps or the pendant light fixtures that you find suspended over the dining table or kitchen island.
The Room Needs to Dictate the Lighting Fixtures
Once you decide if you are using one or all three lighting layers, you need to determine where you’ll be placing the light fixtures in the rooms. This decision depends on your personal preference, but there are standard layouts that work all the time.
The Living Room
If this living space has a main seating section, use a large overhead lighting fixture to create a central spot. You can also use floor lamps to light up shadowy corners. They also make for high aesthetic appeal. If you have a large furniture item, you can consider getting a table lamp.
The Dining Room
The dining space is always the easiest place to light. Your central lighting fixture here should be a large, overhead light or pendant hanging over the dining table. It could even be a chandelier if it suits the room. For a bit of extra light, you can place upright lamps in dark corners.
The Kitchen
Kitchen lighting can be complicated, but you can’t get it wrong with overhead pendant fixtures in the focal areas. You can also put under-cabinet lights and a hanging pendant if you have a kitchen island.
The Bedroom
Bedrooms are like your dining space – easy to light up. All you need are a couple of overhead light fixtures and table lamps for the dresser and bedside tables.
Decide on the Size of your Fixtures
Regarding size, this only concerns your statement pieces. Those are the large chandeliers or pendants you are probably installing in the dining room and living room. You need to consider the size of the room you need to light up and ensure that the lighting fixture size doesn’t look out of place.
As the famous saying goes, beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. You need to ensure that the fixtures don’t look out of place compared to the rest of your living space.
