Good lighting in your home will make it feel warmer, cozier, and safer. Good lighting can also improve the design and look of your home.
Knowing how to light a room is key. There are a variety of things you can do that will improve the lighting in your home.
We want you to love the way your home looks and feels. That’s why we’ve put together these tips about what to do to make your lights and lamps stand out and work well with the flow of the house.
Read on to learn the most important things you can do to make your home’s lighting look great.
1. Give the Eye Something to Focus On
When thinking about how to light a room, it’s important to give the eye something to focus on. Different sized lights and lamps help this process. If all the lights are the same, the eye doesn’t know where to look.
In larger rooms, a dramatic light draws the eye. It helps make the larger space more appealing. Think about a chandelier in a dining room or a living room.
In smaller rooms, go for floor lamps that have style. This will give the impression that the room is larger than it seems.
Scones on walls also help smaller rooms. These are particularly useful if you have a nice piece of art to flank. They also work well if there are specific wall features such as a fireplace or nook.
Regardless of the size of the room, use different types of lights and different sizes.
2. Consider Size and Scale
Putting a large lamp or light fixture in a small room can overpower the space. Equally, choosing small lamps for a large room means they can get lost.
Getting the scale of the lamp relative to the size of the room correct will help the room look balanced. It will also ensure you have the right amount of lighting in that room.
Measure the room. The general rule-of-thumb is to choose a light fixture that has a diameter equal to the light and width of the room in feet. So, for example, if your room is 10 feet by 15 feet, your major light fixture should have a diameter of 10 inches plus 15 inches, for 25 inches.
This scale ratio applies to the major light fixture only. You don’t want three or four 25-inch wide lights in one room. If you do that you will overpower the room with lights and make it feel much smaller, too.
3. Multiple Lighting Sources in One Room
It’s important to know how many light sources you need to know how to light a room. Three different lamps or lights in any room should be your goal. This rule is a good one to follow no matter the size of the room.
In smaller rooms, use lower wattage lamp bulbs. That way you still have multiple sources of light but you won’t have a room that is too bright to enjoy.
In smaller rooms, also make sure that your three lights are size-appropriate. This rule works even in small bathrooms. Spend some time thinking about bathroom lighting to make sure this often-forgotten room is well-lit, too.
Think about adding a focal lamp, a complimentary light, and an accent light. The accent light should highlight a feature of the room. This is typically an unusual wall or something on the wall.
The complimentary light is typically one that sits to one side or corner of a room. In a living room, for example, this could be next to a reading chair.
4. Use Dimmers If Possible
The benefit of using dimmers is that you can change the atmosphere produced by the lighting without having to change lights. You won’t need to switch lights on and off if you have dimmers installed.
A light on a dimmer can help darker rooms with less natural light. During the day, you can have the accent light on, for example, with a slightly dimmed bulb. This will avoid dark corners in a room.
5. Be Creative
Lighting is an opportunity for you to get a little creative in your decorating. Strip lights, hanging pendants, mini spotlights, and so many more choices mean you can light areas of the room in creative and unusual ways.
Pick things in your room that you want to draw attention to. Use small lights to put a focus on those areas.
Uplighting, placing a light to shine from below, is a great way to creatively draw the eye to features.
6. Use a Ceiling Fan
Many ceiling fans have a light fixture in them. Switching out a ceiling fan can change the feel of a room in an instant.
Because ceiling fans come in so many different varieties you can find one that is dramatic and bold to offer a focal point. Or, you can choose one that minimizes the attention on it so that you get more central light without it being the only thing you can see.
7. Light Shades Can Be Dramatic
Lampshades offer you a lot of design impact for little expense. They also affect the kind of lighting you get from that lamp.
Bold, deep colors draw the eye to the accent light. They also dim the amount of light you get from that lamp.
Lighter colors let more light through and won’t dominate the room too much.
Lampshades also let you add color to a room in small doses.
Knowing How to Light a Room Will Make Your Room Look Great
As you can see, when you’re thinking about how to light a room, it’s important to consider many different aspects of lighting.
The type of light you pick. Where you put the light. The color of the lampshade you choose.
Consider all these factors when picking your lighting. That way you’ll have a cohesive design. You’ll also have an appropriate amount of light in each room.
Our articles about lifestyle and real estate are packed full of tips just like these. If you want to know how to make your home work for your family and needs, check out our website today.
