Kitchen
In the kitchen, lighting is really important to ensure that the space is functional. It should have at least two elements: task lighting which is shadow-free (for safe cooking) and mood lighting to make the room feel more inviting when you entertain. A great way to incorporate task lighting into your kitchen is to use under cabinet lighting above the hob, the sink and the chopping board. Try and position them near to the front of the cupboard to reduce shadows. For the mood lighting, the great thing about LEDs is that they are easily controlled with a dimmer switch. You can achieve effective mood kitchen lighting with a wall light. Lastly, you’ll need to think about access lighting. One way to do this with LEDs is to place LED strip lights at the bottom of your island, for a gentle glow. You shouldn’t be afraid to experiment with your kitchen lighting – think about hanging pendant lighting over a dining area, or lights on your shelves.
Living Room
Your living room should be an area where you relax and enjoy spending time as a family. Much like the kitchen, it has different functions. You may read in there, watch TV, play board games or even crack on with some life admin. For all the different functions, you’ll need three main types of lighting: task, accent and ambient. You can use a statement central fixture such as a chandelier for your main source of lighting, then add floor lamps near to seating areas, and use wall sconces to highlight interesting areas of the room. If you don’t have a ceiling light, consider an arc floor lamp, which works well in a contemporary space, then add floor lamps near to seating areas, and use wall sconces to highlight interesting areas of the room. For example, if you have a coffee bar on a corner of a room, there are great lighting choices available to create a spectacular effect in the area, like LED signs. Something that you should consider is that Custom Neon signs are cheaper than new high-end lamps, this alternative will let you change the mood of any room, adding life and colour to the area. You can pick your preferred sign from the current offers or get a logo, text or tagline handcrafted by a professional
Study
It’s really important to use the right lighting in a study space in order to avoid eye strain. You could start with recessed spotlights in the ceiling, before adding more lighting to personalise the space. Of course, desk lamps are a key aspect of any good home office space, as they provide bright task lighting. You might also want to add a reading light in a seating area so that when you are away from your desk, you can read important documents easily.
Bathroom
Bathroom lighting can be tricky – it’s a small space; it’s used at all times of day, so how do you light it effectively? If your bathroom is particularly tiny, try focusing on ceiling spotlights. If you have a little bit more space, you can be more creative. Using a mirror will always make your bathroom look bigger, and if you place lighting around the mirror, you’ll avoid casting shadows that can make it difficult to shave or apply makeup.
Bedroom
Your bedroom is a sacred place, for relaxing and sleeping. When you’re decorating your bedroom, the lighting should be at the forefront of your mind. You’ll need ambient lighting for the overall lights, accent lighting for highlighting interesting aspects of the room and task lighting for reading in bed. The lighting you choose will depend on the space – for instance in a small bedroom, you may opt for wall lighting over table lamps, due to not having enough space for bedside tables.
Outside
Outdoor lighting is important for safety and security. You might want to install motion sensor security lights to protect against intruders, for example. If you have a decking area, you can use recessed LED decking lights so that you can continue to enjoy the space when the evenings get darker. If you have a driveway or garden path, you could use LED rope lights to illuminate the path, avoiding injury when walking in the dark. You can also use lighting to highlight your favourite areas of the garden – try spotlights and fairy lights for this.
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I love using different lighting around the home, especially over autumn and winter to make the place look cosy!
ReplyDeleteI think using a selection of different lighting can help with creating the perfect ambiance.
Deletethis is such a great informational post, we just got led lights done in our house!
ReplyDeleteOOh some good bits of information here Mel, I have LED lights in some rooms but not in others and in my office we have total LED x
ReplyDeleteGood guide, I really like LED lighting but as I live in a rental house at the moment I don't feel too included to spend out too much. I am sure I will when I have my own home again. Mich x
ReplyDeleteLED lighting has really come on in recent years hasn't it. It looks so stylish now.
ReplyDeleteMuch more stylish today than in previous years.
DeleteI have LED lights in the kitchen as it's a open plan kitchen/ living room, and I also have one in the bedroom which looks awesome x
ReplyDeleteI think I need to take note and use a selection of different lighting throughout the house. I have such bright lights everywhere and it can't be good for my eyes!
ReplyDeleteAmi xxx