When considering an interior design scheme, lights are often forgotten. Many people don’t realize that lighting can have a huge effect on a space, taking it from average to outstanding. In addition to providing illumination, it can set the tone and mood of the entire space. Here are ten tips from Alair Homes Lawrence Park Toronto to help you create designer quality interior light at home.
Plan from the start
If you’re lucky enough to be embarking on a renovation of your home, consider the way you want to light your space from the get-go and work it into your plans. Natural light is one of the most effective ways of making your home feel inviting, and you definitely need to plan for windows! Even if you’re undertaking a more interior, less structural renovation, it still needs to be planned for, such as a chandelier in the center of the room or a hanging fixture over a table.
Consider Height
With an eight foot ceiling, the bottom of the light fixture should hang about sixteen inches from the ceiling. For every additional foot, increase this distance by three inches.
Over a table, the bottom of the light should hang two to three feet above the tables surface, with larger lamps hung higher than smaller ones.
Consider Direction
Gentle up-lights can be a unique and creative way to add light to the space. Angle lights upwards or utilize wall sconces to direct light towards the ceiling and eliminate harsh shadows.
Consider Light Type
Mix up the different sources of light in the space – from halogens to LEDs to fluorescents – to achieve the particular quality and tone of lighting you want.
Plan for Ambiance
While overhead lights can be a great way of providing illumination, it doesn’t provide much character. Mix up sources of light to add more dimension and mood to a room. A mixture of overhead lights and floor and table lamps helps to provide illumination from multiple directions and minimize harsh shadow.
Night Lighting
Add lights to your stairs for a modern, sleek look and increased safety for anyone moving about in the dark. Consider implementing a motion sensor so they turn on automatically.
Incorporate toe-kick lights
Similar to adding light to your stairs, adding toe-kick lights under cabinets in the kitchen to provides a gentle, modern source of nighttime illumination. It also looks beautiful!
Decorate
As part of your home, light fixtures are decorative as well as useful. Choose fixtures that jive with the tone of your space, or set it off in creative ways.
Utilize color
Whether you want to explore tech-heavy, smartphone-controlled multi-color LED lights, or simply want to add a pop of color to your space, light fixtures can be the way to do it. You can either play with the color of the light itself or add a bright, contrasting lamp shade to draw the room’s design together.
Industrial Lights
Lights can be a great way to try out an industrial look without converting your entire kitchen to stainless steel. Consider hanging industrial-style lights to give your space a little edge without overwhelming it.