What element in your design scheme can influence the space’s visual appeal, functionality and ambience? That’s right, it’s lighting! This might surprise you, but that’s how much lighting can do for your room.
Now, the question is, how can you utilise lighting to your space’s advantage? What choices do you need to make to ensure a well-balanced lighting scheme?
Lighting as a Design Element
Initially, lighting is used for its functional aspect – illumination. However, this has evolved, and lighting is now being utilised to enhance the atmosphere and aesthetics of a room! It’s become a design element to develop the mood and character you want to showcase in the space.
When designing your lighting scheme, there’s more consideration that you need to think about. It’s not as simple as putting in a single ceiling light bulb. The process takes time, but the results make it worth every minute!
Types of Lighting for Home Décor
You need to know three main lighting types: ambient, task and accent lighting. What is their purpose, and how do they elevate the functionality and aesthetics of your room?
The primary responsibility of task lighting is to provide direct lighting. You see this in the form of a desk lamp on a work table, a pendant lamp over the kitchen island and under cabinet lights lining the kitchen counter.
When it comes to ambient lighting, it’s in charge of general illumination. Typically, ambient lighting is brought in by ceiling fixtures like LED downlights, panel lights and chandeliers. As for accent lighting, it takes care of visual appeal, highlighting decorative elements like wall art, architectural features, etc. You can use LED strip lights, ceiling spotlights, and cabinet lights for this.
Balancing Natural and Artificial Light
To ensure you have the best lighting for your design scheme, you must balance artificial and natural light sources. Yes, lighting fixtures can illuminate the space, but natural light brings a particular experience that a light fitting cannot recreate. So, how should you go about this?
Begin by filling the space with sunlight. How can you do that? By having massive windows and skylights! The more you have, the more places natural light could reach. So, if you’re building your home from the ground up, ensure you have enough windows and skylights!
Naturally, If you’re renting, you’ll have to make do with what you have. You have to find a solution that works for your space. One of which is adding mirrors and reflective surfaces! Mirrors can bounce sunlight and bring it further into your room. So, add as much as possible and let that sunshine travel throughout the area!
Where does artificial lighting come into the picture? Natural light is sunlight. Therefore, it’s only available during the day. Although the moon provides some illumination at night, it’s not enough to make your space functional.
Artificial lighting can come in once natural light sets or enter when natural light is not enough. It can be a reinforcement or an alternative. Some places don’t have access to natural light, and artificial light is the only option. How can you deal with that?
The answer is quite simple: look for lights that resemble natural light. While it does not produce the exact same effect, it can have a semblance that will create an illusion of sunlight!
Choosing Fixtures of Aesthetic Harmony
Lighting fixtures are more artistic and sophisticated today. It embodies functionality and style in one unit. So, what should you consider to ensure that your light fixture choices align with your overall design scheme?
Determine the overall theme of your space. Is it traditional, retro, modern, etc? Once you nail it down, you can move on to finding the fittings that fit the aesthetic you’re after. Examine the style, material, texture and shape of the lighting fixture and put it side-by-side with the elements that bring out the style you are after.
As mentioned earlier, lighting fixtures are now considered decorative elements in a space. If you don’t want decor pieces and want to prioritise functionality, lighting fixtures are the way to go. You can still keep your style without overwhelming the room with ornaments.
Illuminating Specific Places: Room-by-Room Tips
Here comes the exciting part: how to illuminate specific areas of your home! Different rooms have a particular purpose. Because of that, the requirements of the space vary. So, how can you devise a plan and ensure every facet is checked?
The living room is a diverse space where you can host guests, relax, watch movies, play games and chat. When designing a lighting system for a living room, you need to have different lighting layers, task for functionality, ambient for mood, and accent for aesthetics.
For task lighting, you can add a floor lamp near the sofa, or if you have a sitting/reading corner, you can add a wall lamp in that space. For ambient lighting, a colour temperature adjustable downlight will give you more diversity in terms of atmosphere. Then, for accent lighting, add an LED strip light behind your TV, line each shelf in your display cabinet, or showcase paintings and artwork using ceiling spotlights!
When lighting a kitchen, you need to ensure functionality. So, to incorporate task lighting, use under cabinet lights for the kitchen counter and add a pendant lamp or ceiling spotlights over the kitchen islands. As for ambient lighting, downlights are excellent because they can brighten the space well without adding to the chaos that usually occurs in the room. For accent lighting, you can add plinth lights on the kickboard for an extra elevated look!
Conclusion: Enlightening Your Design Journey
Arranging your lighting design is a journey. You must ensure the fundamental elements are present and cohesive to create a harmonious space. So, if you’re ready to boost the visuals of your room with the decorative power of lighting, visit our website, Simple Lighting! Our extensive collection is full of diversity that will allow you to showcase the style you prefer!
