One of the key facets of interior design is light. Light can transform a house into a home as it can set the mood or compliment the style. Light can even make a property look bigger than it is on the inside if it is used correctly. And, that is the key: using it correctly. Lots of homeowners may be aware of the light, and they may even know the benefits. But, what they don’t know is how to use light to get what they want from their home. Thankfully, you don’t have to be an interior design expert to hit the right tone, especially when you have a few tricks up your sleeve.
What Light For What Room?
A major mistake that you want to avoid is incorporating the same lighting structure into every room. Although that is a great method if you want to save time and energy, it is not a good method if you want to take light interior design seriously. Each room is different, which means it needs viewing in a different light (excuse the pun!). The first step is to take a look at the style and tone of every room and then decide what light would be best. A great example is that sidelights and LED lights work very well in cosy bedrooms. Interestingly you can achieve a range of moods with GU10 LEDs and a range of others, which makes them perfect for the bedroom.
The Overhead Option
Do you want to illuminate the room or do you want to offset it with ambient light? For those of you who want to illuminate, there is no better way than to use an overhead option. As they hug the ceiling, the light blasts out and covers the room in bright colours. And, the great thing is they are flexible as you can change the bulb for more or less light. These lights work well in the kitchen as kitchens are normally not dingy, dark places.
Size
It’s the age-old question: does size matter? The answer is yes, but that doesn’t mean that bigger is always better. Like the overhead option above, a big light fixture and a bright bulb are great for exuding lots of light. But, if you are looking to set a mood, you don’t want an intensive light. The last thing you want is to shield your eyes while you are trying to read a book! In this case, you want a smaller fixture with a smaller, duller bulb. Lamps like these are perfect for the bedroom or the living room if you plan on using it to relax.
Placement
The myth is that lights should come in twos, but don’t take any notice. From an interior design standpoint, two lights add symmetry and designers love symmetry. But, from a lighting standpoint, it doesn’t make much of a difference. The more important point to note is placement. Where are you going to place your light fixtures and why? For starters, they need to be in places where they are functional. And, they also should be in places where they illuminate the nicer areas of your house.
