Choosing the right lighting for your home can be a complicated process. There are many different types of lighting and each type can play an important role in the functionality of your room.
Understanding the foundation of each light and how they can be used will allow you to apply them correctly to your space.
When designing the lighting of a room, it is worth taking into account the purpose of each room if you want to get the most of a room’s size and shape.
The three important factors to consider when choosing lights are:
- The colour temperature
- Types of lighting
- Layering your lights
Before choosing lights, you must first understand your lighting’s temperature affects the colours in your space.
You also need to be able to distinguish the difference between the methods that are used in layering lights.
By layering your lights and using the right temperature, you can create the overall lighting that can provide you with a rich home environment.
Not only you can use lights to decorate your home, but the correct lighting will reduce glare and will also be easy on your eyes.
If you are looking to redecorate and have to rewire your home make sure to think about your lights first and what you would like to do with them.
There are so many things that are involved in rewiring a home, and it is best to plan to ensure that all the work is carried out safely and efficiently.
1. Colour Temperature
We can only see colours when light hits them, and that is why in the dark everything looks greyish and downright black. Our eyes and brain translate the light reflecting off an object into colour.
Since surrounding lights impact how colours appear, the colour temperature of lights can affect the shades and intensity of the colours present in a room.
Your lighting will decide the overall tone of the colours in your room because colour does not exist without light. You can change how the colours appear in a room by experimenting with the temperature of your lights.
Light colour temperatures range from warm-white to true daylight. In between warm light and daylight, you will find cool-white.
Warm Lights – 2000 to 3000k
Warm white and yellow that create a cosy, warm and intimate feel.
Cool White – 3000 to 5000k
Bright white but still quite warm, and makes a place more bright and vibrant.
Daylight – 5000 to 6500K
Extra cool white with a bluish hue that feels crisp and provides a clear lighting
6500K and Over
The highest amount of blue-white light that is used often in commercial locations.
The other thing to consider when deciding on your colour temperature is whether you want to create a warm feel with a soft glow, or a bright, brassy light.
If you are looking for a more traditional feeling then you should consider white or ivory lamps, but if you want a brighter, more modern look, you may want to try something like the fluorescent lamps.
2. Types of Lighting
A) General or Ambient
The general lighting also referred to as ambient lighting is the core foundation of the lighting in your home. It is often the most centrepiece of light in a room, and it is responsible for giving a safe level of illumination that allows you to see and move around a room easily.
It is the main source of light that creates a pleasant mood in your room. It’s the natural light that space gets from the sky during the daytime and the artificial light which are often mimicked by the night-time hours through the use of dimmer switches.
- Chandelier
- Track lights
- Pendants
- Wall lamp
- Ceiling mounted fixture
- Floor lamp
B) Task
The primary purpose of task lighting is to improve illuminance in order to do a particular task with less distraction. It can be used to illuminate an area where you are doing specific jobs, such as filing, writing, typing, cooking or reading.
A well-placed task light can create subtle contrast, improve visibility and allow users to see more clearly.
- Desk and table lamps
- Pendant lighting
- Under-cabinet lamp
- Recessed and track lighting
C) Mood or Accent
Accent Lighting focuses in a specific direction to draw attention and illuminate decorative objects. It is most often used to accent art or decorative artefacts in a room.
It will make your objects stand out by adding more character and personality. They are more of an accessory to add to your surroundings, and the whole purpose is to make an object more visually attractive.
- Wall-mounted lights
- Track lighting
- Recessed spotlighting
- Mirror lights
- Picture lights
3. Layering Your Lights
Layering is one of the most popular techniques used for creating a beautiful interior design.
The right layers can help you bring to life the atmosphere that you have in mind.
Understanding how the layering works is the key ingredient to an appealing and practical light design.
By choosing the right colour temperature as well as the right types of lighting for a room, you can create the overall look and feel that you want through the right balance.
Tips for layering
- Use ambient lighting as your first layer
- Ambient light in the centre of each room
- Use lamps for ambient, task and accent lighting
- Place your task lighting next to your bed, tables, kitchen and bathroom sink
- Use accent lighting around or above your favourite objects
- Use control devices to dim your lamps and light to adjust your lighting with a few clicks
- Use decorative lighting
Final Tip
When planning and designing your layers, remember that too many layers will make your space look busy and the secret is to space them evenly. If you are feeling brave then you should use colourful LED lights to make daring statements.