Understanding Lighting in Your Home

The impact that lighting can have not only in a specific room, but also on the look and atmosphere of an entire home can sometimes be overlooked and underestimated. Creating a good lighting plan consists of just that; planning. You need to consider spacing, mixing in an array of different types of lighting and use different layers of lighting. To do this, you must first be able to understand the different types of lighting and how to use them.

Lighting is one of the least considered but most impactful areas to improve the functional quality and mood enhancing style of your home. Before planning the lighting for your space, it's best to understand how you use the room so you can then apply the 3 main types of lighting accordingly.

Ambient Lighting:

Also referred to as “general lighting” as it provides overall light in a room without taking into account any special uses. This type of lighting usually comes down from the ceiling in the form of surface mounted fixtures or recessed pot lights. Ambient lighting should be considered first for your room but don't stop there! While important, ambient lighting provides some of the least appealing type of lighting as it can cast shadows and feel cold when used in isolation.

Task Lighting:

Refers to a brighter, focused light source to assist where a certain activity takes place. Some examples are under-cabinet lighting in a kitchen which helps you to see the cooking and chopping underhand. In a home office, a desk lamp can zoom in on the workspace where paperwork is taking place. In a living room or bedroom, a table lamp will assist with reading. Generally, task lighting is best applied at eye level where the work will be done.

Accent Lighting:

Used to create a dramatic effect by highlighting a piece of art or an architectural feature in a home such as an alcove or fireplace. It is generally softer in nature but still can create enough light in a space where you only need mood lighting such as a family room during movie watching or a hallway.

Here are some pro tips on how to apply these different types of lighting to your space.

Layer up:

LAYERING is the most important concept in understanding how to integrate lighting sources successfully in your home. Layer the types of lighting used but also the heights of your lighting - ceiling, eye level when standing (floor lamps), eye level when sitting (table/desk lamps), even at ground level for stairs.

Change-ups:

Your lighting needs change throughout the day. Install DIMMERS on overhead light sources to adjust the level of lighting based on mood and time of day. Remember that LED lights require LED compatible dimmers as well. You can also consider programming your lights to be controlled through your smartphone or tablet so you can control the mood from the palm of your hand.

Size Matters…If you use it properly…

Go BIG with your light fixtures! Whether your style is traditional, contemporary or somewhere in between, light fixtures are an opportunity make an impact in your room. We like to suggest to our clients to size up the light fixtures so they don't get lost. Fixtures hung high, such as entryway chandeliers, look smaller from the ground.

Inside Out:

Don't forget about the OUTDOORS. Enjoying outdoor spaces after sunset means that lighting must be addressed outside as well. Even a few well-placed solar lights in your garden or an up cast spotlight on a tree can add some warmth in the evenings.

Remember, the lighting can completely change the mood in a room. Lighting can amplify feelings, can set the mood for a certain event, it can highlight different areas and features of a room and even make it feel bigger. The beauty of this is that you don’t need to be building some expensive custom home to take advantage of these methods, you can work on a budget and add these to any existing room with ease.