Lighting Your Home

There are numerous ways to create beautiful ambience in your home – furniture, soft furnishings in fabulous fabrics, luscious textured rugs, softly draped window furnishings, wallpaper… oh be still my heart!  But let’s not forget lighting!  Good lighting will not only provide essential illumination, but also help set the mood for each room and add additional interest to the overall style you are creating.  

Planning is important when choosing lighting, so ask a designer or electrician to help you with a lighting plan. The main consideration for each room is - what is the purpose of the lighting in that room?  Is it task lighting? Is it highlighting something beautiful such as an architectural feature? Or is the lighting the feature itself, such as a stunning pendant? 

It’s also a good idea to try and layer lighting where you can to allow for multiple moods within the room. 

Let’s have a look at options –

Such a fabulous way to add mood lighting to a room, lamps can create a soft warm glow, often negating the need to use overhead lighting (although you will still need to have this option available). Table lamps on consoles and side tables also give you the opportunity to create more interest with style and placement.  I love using a fabulous table lamp on bedside tables to not only create perfect soft reading light, but to add colour and texture to a room.

Floor lamps are ideal for living and family rooms, as they can provide enough illumination at night to be functional, but also create a lovely warm ambient glow.  These rooms are often used for TV watching as well, which doesn’t require bright overhead lighting. Try positioning a floor lamp perfectly behind the sofa to allow for reading and relaxing. 

Pendant lights can create dedicated light and are great statement pieces, just ensure you get the shape and proportions right for your room.  For hanging height, approximately 750-900mm above a table top or island bench is pretty safe – but get your designer or electrician to hold it in place before you make the final decision. You don’t want to knock your head or impede views, so ensure you check first!  Grouped together in the right space – think super high ceilings and large spaces – a cluster of pendant lights can provide task lighting and a big punch of style. It’s always best to have an odd number if possible, as this sits more harmoniously. 

Good lighting is essential for the kitchen and task lighting will be required over prep and cooking areas.  Great options include recessed downlights, track lighting or LED strip lighting under shelves or in pantries.  

Accent lights can be used to accentuate architectural details, display cabinets or artwork, etc. Wall lights with up and/or down directions, depending on what you are highlighting, are ideal for this task.  Sconces are also a lovely option for a powder room, hallway and bedroom to create soft gentle light.

Exterior lighting can be fun too and will generally comprise of 3 types of lighting –

• ambient light such as a feature wall light - we do love a fabulous feature light over an entry way (barn lights are shining brightly right now!) or strings of lights hung between trees or posts

• task light such as path lights or security lights and

• accent lights, which may be used to highlight beautiful areas such as a feature tree or pool. 

  
  

Obviously any lighting chosen for outdoor areas needs to be rated for external use and your electrician or designer can assist you with selections.

Would you like some help with your home? Contact me via the Contact Page to discuss your project!