If your room is beautifully decorated and has the appropriate texture but you still think something is missing, chances are it’s the lighting department that’s lacking. Light adds that extra touch, that “homey” feeling to any room. Different tones of light, from different sources, positions, angles and heights can make a huge difference to any space and the key elements used to decorate it. Here are 10 tips to improve your house lighting.
1. Having a lamp is a must
Practical lighting (the type that you need from the ceiling in order to help you see at night) is obviously necessary, but it is not enough in order to create a cozy ambiance. Light coming from different sources and levels are important to enhance the sense of warmth, especially when their tone is a bit more yellow than the wall lights or ceiling fixtures. Lamps can come in a variety of sizes and styles, making lamps a great addition to match the aesthetic of your space. Just choose the ones that suit best to your style, and don’t be afraid to mix them up.
2. Use your door as window
If all the doors of your house were windows, your house would probably be a lot brighter. Take advantage of this fact and, when possible, replace your old, boring doors with French-style doors. The incorporated window panes will bring your home to life with new light.
3. LED lights
Light doesn’t necessarily need to come from a lamp or from the ceiling. You can make your spaces trendier and warmer with LED light strips. You can add them anywhere you want; in the kitchen cabinets, underneath the island table, on top of the windows, etc. This project allows you to be creative without a huge level of commitment, as LED lights are not expensive and easy to install.
4. Mirrors
Mirrors will always make a space look bigger, but it can also make the light shine brighter! Combining light with polished metals or mirrors can intensify the light and create that extra sparkle you’re after. Installing lights or lamps next to existing mirrors can do the trick, or you can even find lamps made of shiny metal that’ll create the effect.
5. Use light, see-through curtains
Forget about the annoying and boring blinds, change them for a light-coloured, light-weighted curtain, especially in the common areas such as the kitchen, the living room, the study room and the lounge room. When choosing which material to get, keep in mind linen always shrinks – just a tip for when washing time comes after a few years. Don’t worry about people being able to see inside, most of these materials allow you to see outside, but from the outside, the visibility is pretty much zero.
6. LED splashback
Why not add light to the splashback? It’ll effortlessly give more lighting to the kitchen from a different angle than the ceiling (as you can’t really place lamps in the kitchen bench top), located in a much better position for cooking as well. Adding LED lights to splashbacks looks particularly great if yours is made of thick glass, and if it’s coloured it will make it stand out more.
7. Change the angle
Find lamps that look more playful, ones that project the light in an angle. If you can’t, simply try to move the head of a lamp you already have so it projects the light in an angle. Having light coming from different directions and not always projecting the light downwards in a straight line can add extra texture to your spaces.
8. Illuminate your art
If you have any paintings on the walls, especially if they are in the hallways, the guests’ toilet or in the living room, install lights to illuminate them. It’ll create a museum-like spectacle in the comfort of your home, while adding extra focus on your pieces of art, which often carry colours, textures and lives of their own.
9. Don’t forget the bathroom
Don’t forget the bathrooms! You can also add cheeky lights to the bathroom to make it an extra relaxing space. Adding LED lights is an option, especially if you like to take long, warm baths at the end of a super stressful day.
10. Choosing the right tone
It is important to note not all lights are good for all areas of the house. The tone or colour of the light makes a huge difference and should be placed in the corresponding space. For example, white tones of light should always go on the ceiling, and in functional areas such as the kitchen, bathrooms, loggia or laundry room. For all the rest, such as bedrooms, living room, lounge room and the study yellow lights are advisable. However, adding warmer tones of lights to the ones that have whiter ones is always welcomed.
Lights play has a crucial role in your home’s ambiance and feel. You home should project cosiness and warmth – luckily these can easily be achieved with some strategic planning and some useful tips. Some upgrades can easily be DIY, while others will require more planning, however, there will surely add that homey feeling, along with increased value to your home.
