Top tips for lighting your Living Room

Nov

I just found the following lighting tips from a marvellous blog – which I by the way recommend – Delightfull’s UNIQUE Blog.
Thanksgiving Day and Christmas are arriving and we all want to give a new and better look to our home.

UNIQUE caught the subject pretty well, the tips are pretty much what a cozy and sophisticated place is looking for.

There are always some questions that invade you during this task: is the light balanced? Are there problem areas? What atmosphere will I create?

Let us guide you through the resolution of these problems.

Is the lighting balanced?

This is an important question, especially if the room is large, or zoned into different areas (such as a dining area, a lounging area and a home office). What you need to work out is if each part of the room has adequate lighting for its purpose, but ensure that no particular area will overpower any of the other areas, once all the lights are on. Ideally, each different area will have its own pendant and accent lighting.

Are there problem areas?

Are there dark corners in your living room that need plus light? Floor and table lamps can be useful in providing pools of light throughout the day and evening and are an attractive way of brightening up darker areas.

What atmosphere would you like to create?

Take into account the different atmospheres you want to create. That will help you decide how bright the lighting needs to be. Overall, it’s worth fitting and buying lights that can be dimmed – from pendants to table lamps. Most stores sell a range of table lamps now that can be dimmed, just as most sell low energy bulbs that can be dimmed, too. Have you got space for wall lights? They are an excellent way to provide some soft, low-level light, creating atmosphere and warmth.

In which direction should the light go?

So, what do you want to get from the lights? If you want to highlight the height and decorative effects of your ceiling, you’ll want to include uplighters. If you want to properly light a desk area, you’ll need a desk lamp or spotlight. If you want to create a cosy corner, you’ll need a low set or table lamp that throws a soft light just in one area of a room.

How big is your room?

Getting the proportions of your lights right is just as important as the quality of light they’ll give. Have you got room for a big chandelier, or maybe a compact spotlight will be more suitable? How high is your ceiling? If it is low, then a flush or semi-flush light may be the best choice. For larger rooms with high ceilings, a multi-arm light or chandelier with five or more bulbs would be a good buy.