Lighting is one of the most significant decisions you will make for your home, as not only can it serve a functional purpose but it can also influence its design.
An effective new lighting plan might include installing a ceiling fan with lights or chandelier in the living room, table lamps on nightstands and dressers or wall sconces by the bed in the bedroom, as well as ceiling-mounted lights or wall sconces by the bedside.
Living Room
One of the easiest ways to unify any room is with coordinated light fixtures. This is particularly effective in living rooms where adding some carefully placed decorative lights can take your style one step further.
Begin with an idea of your aesthetic – California cool or mid-century modern, for instance – and select fixtures that complement it. This will allow you to avoid mixing styles that don’t quite go together, and keep an eye out for coordinating sconces or table lamps that complement this scheme.
Consider your space’s ceiling height when shopping for light fixtures, too. Large chandeliers may overpower smaller rooms while flush mount options offer sleek looks in spaces with low ceilings.
Dining Room
No matter the occasion, dining rooms are gathering spots where families and friends connect over food. Finding an appropriate light fixture is key to adding style and warmth to this space; chandeliers and pendants are popular choices that add illumination and can even come in different sizes to suit various table configurations.
Add ambient lighting with wall sconces or table lamps for an overall more uniformed effect, particularly if your chandelier matches other accent pieces in the room, such as an off-white woven rug or throws. This helps create an overall more cohesive appearance.
Kitchen
Kitchen lighting is of paramount importance for its functionality. A multilayered lighting setup is best suited to this space, including ambient, task, and accent lights.
Install recessed light fixtures into your ceiling for an upscale and sophisticated aesthetic. These sleek fixtures provide ample ambient lighting while working well alongside other types of kitchen lights.
Pendant lighting is an increasingly popular trend in kitchen design. Pendants serve as both an eye-catching focal point or accent piece to complement other design elements, like backsplashes and seating arrangements. You can add color pop by opting for bright white bulbs to energise or warm yellow tones that create an intimate ambience.
Bedroom
A bedroom is an important space that deserves careful thought when selecting lighting fixtures for it. No matter your style – California cool, mid-century modern or farmhouse chic – there are various ways you can create a relaxing and beautiful sleep sanctuary.
Ambient lighting (sometimes known as general lighting) is the primary way of filling a bedroom with soft pools of light that mimic natural daylight, similar to when natural sunlight shines directly. This can be accomplished using ceiling or wall lights, floor lamps and even sconces.
Alternatively, add unique sculptural pieces that add visual interest. Search decorator showrooms, home improvement stores or yard sales to find lamps and sconces in an array of styles and colors to complete the effect.
Bathroom
Lighting can add subtle warmth and style to a bathroom space, drawing attention to the best features of its decor and materials. Look for fixtures with warm tints or neutral finishes that blend in well with its color scheme or materials.
Ambient lighting typically comes from ceiling-mounted fixtures such as wall sconces and flush mounts. These fixtures tend to be suitable for wet locations, with enough illumination of a room but without casting unwanted shadows on walls or cabinets.
Hanging bathroom pendants provide ambient light in a wet space and should follow similar installation guidelines to sconces.
Office
Office spaces require not only task lighting, but also ambient and accent lights that create an inviting ambience. A sculptural light like that featured here would fit nicely in this home office’s elegant modern aesthetic; however, other solutions exist that could fulfill this same function.
Hallways or corridors require strip lighting to safely guide people through the space without overburdening them with brightness or casting shadows, whereas decorative lights add flair and elegance to the area.