When designing a house, most people pay attention to the furniture, the decoration, the floors and other aspects of interior design. However, they forget lighting – an important component of house renovation. Lighting has a big impact on a room and affects the overall atmosphere of your home. Good lighting ensures your house is properly illuminated and makes it easy for you to do your tasks.
The quality of lighting in your house also adds appeal to your house. How your room looks affect the general atmosphere and hence the mood of that room. Additionally, the quality of lighting can have a direct impact on your health. Poor lighting can cause eye problems for you that are often accompanied by headaches, fatigue, and great discomfort. Good lighting helps prevent this because you have optimal light for your vision.
There are three kinds of lighting that are commonly used in homes. These are:
- Ambient lighting
This is the normal or general lighting that is done before any other lighting is added to a room. It could mean the normal natural light or artificial light used to light your house. Ambient light is solely used for seeing stuff and it does not create any mood in a room. In the lighting process, it is the foundational lighting. Without it, other types of lighting cannot be effective. Ambient lighting is the first stage of the lighting process.
- Task lighting
This is the second stage of lighting. Task lighting is used to enhance illumination in a room by improving the performance of a particular activity. The light is directed to the specific area where it is needed. Task lighting fills the gaps that the foundation light does not fill. It also creates an atmosphere and mood in your room. A good example of task lights is table lamps. The lamps allow users to read a newspaper or magazine from the comfort of a couch or a reading table. When using task lights, you can reduce the ambient light because the task lighting is focused where needed.
- Accent lighting
This third stage of lighting is used to focus light on a specific object. In most cases, accent lighting is used to show off art and other artifacts. It is also used to accentuate a textured surface in some cases. Accent lighting lets you create points of focus and their various visual interests. A lighting scheme is often considered incomplete without accent lights. Common examples of accent lighting are floodlights, recessed lights, and wall sconces.
Important factors to consider in-home lighting
Lighting schemes differ from one home to another. This is due to the different tastes and preferences that home occupants have. Here are some tips to help you pick the ideal lighting scheme that best suits your needs:
- Manage your colors
Lighting can cause a negative or positive impact on the color and material that you have used in your home. Daylight portrays your colors as true to existence. However, the lighting you choose could change your perception of color in the evening. For this reason, considering color selection is important as you plan to renovate your home. Ensure that the lighting you choose compliments the colors in the room, allowing them to perform their intended aesthetic role in that room.
- Check lighting practicality and functionality
When renovating your home, you need to be practical in the choices you make. A light that beautifies your room is as important to the function of that specific room as any other. Consider creating a balance between the appeal that light brings and the function it serves in a room. Avoid installing a light just because everyone is doing it – every light you choose must serve a purpose. For example, bright lighting fixtures are ideal for hallways while lights that bring a calm and more reserved mood are ideal for the bedroom. To make the best choices, work with the best electrical contractors such as CLF Services.
- Set the right mood
The color and amount of light in a room affects the mood and the state of your emotions. Lighting can help you relax or feel more energetic. Each room in your home needs a mood that compliments the activities within that room. Bright lights tend to lift your spirits, fuel conversations and enhance feelings of positive energy. They are ideal for dining rooms and kitchens. On the other hand, low lights bring an aura of intimacy and a relaxing feeling to a room – they are ideal bedrooms.
- Create the right illusion of space
A room that does not have enough light can feel congested. As such, find ways to bring in more natural light into your living space. If this is not possible, consider using wall sconces and corner lamps to make the room brighter. Also, having lights hanging at the center of your ceiling can help bring in more light and make your room visually large and spacious.
