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It’s easy to underestimate the difference that great-quality lighting
makes to the ambience until you see
less-than-effective lighting.
Homeowners sometime make the mistake of rushing
into installing lighting that they liked the look of only to realize that they
should have put more thought into such
aspects as lighting layout and design.
Lighting is not merely a superficial ‘finishing touch’ to a room as it plays a fundamental role in the broader design scheme and the day-to-day experience of using the space. Here are a few key steps to take to ensure you use lighting to complete your own home’s rooms nicely.
1-Devise a plan for your home’s lighting
If you’re beginning with a bare room that does not yet have any lighting in place, it’s especially important to come up with a plan. This way, you hopefully won’t make directionless and ill-advised choices that will be costly and inconvenient to correct.
You will need to ask yourself a series of
questions. What activities typically or are likely to take place in the room
and what implications will this have for the illumination you will need? Are
there architectural features, boundaries, or furniture to which you will wish
to draw attention with your lighting or which may impose constraints?
Consider the existing style of the room, its décor as well as
the time of day the room will normally be used and by whom.
2-Familiarize yourself with the three main lighting types
Once you’ve got a good idea of what your
priorities will be for illuminating a room, you’ll need to know about the various types
of lighting available.
There are three key types: ambient lighting,
task lighting and accent, or mood lighting. Ambient lighting is also referred
to as background or general lighting, and provides a room with its overall
illumination–think recessed downlighters, large pendants and even some wall
lighting.
Task lighting, meanwhile, is the kind of
lighting that serves as additional, targeted illumination for such daily tasks
as cooking, reading and using a laptop, as might be provided by the likes of
desk and floor lamps. Finally, mood or accent lighting highlights specific
features or items in a room, such as display cabinets, sculptures or ornaments.
3-Take a layered approach
One of the most crucial points to make about the
three above categories of lighting is that you don’t need to restrict yourself to just one
type in a room. Indeed, the most impressive results may be obtained from an
artful combination of all three types.
This is where the layering of different lighting
types comes in–and it’s where adding and arranging the lighting in your space becomes
quite interesting. There’s no single right or wrong way to layer lighting in a room as much
depends on the size and shape of the room as well as the ambience you’re aiming for.
Nonetheless, there are some good rules of thumb
to keep in mind. If you’re looking to give the impression of the room being taller than it
is, some stylish low-hung pendants from a respected brand like ARTCRAFT Lighting are
just what you need. . If you’d like a large room to look
more intimate and cozier, why not consider clusters of lighting?
Completing a room with lighting is fun so be sure to enjoy the process by keeping the above strategies in mind to get your space just right.