Whether it’s to peruse the local paper or set the scene for a night of passion, artificial light can create the ideal ambience to any home
Since the dawn of time…No. Scratch that. Since man fist discovered fire and tinkered with artificial illumination, we’ve endeavoured to develop lighting solutions and styles that can be incorporated into almost any space. From well-lit home office to a mood-enhancing living room, artificial light knows no bounds.
Whether it’s halogen fixtures or energy efficient LEDs, this is the D’Marge guide to cool home lighting.
Experiment To Gauge Interest
Experiment with the unexpected to create interest. This could be done by placing traditionally outdoor lighting indoors, installing a shows-topping chandelier above the dining table, or clustering pendants together in the living room.
Discover Your Guiding Light
A functional and stylish lighting plan will combine all three following types of lighting.
Ambient lighting: General: overall lighting that reveals the expanse of the room. Radiating a comfortable level of brightness minus any glare. Ambient lighting can be secured via the use of ceiling or wall-mounted fixtures, chandeliers and recessed or track lights. It’s a good idea to have a decent source of ambient lighting in each room of your pad.
Task lighting: Specific lighting that is focused and directional. They provide top-notch lighting for things like reading and intricate tinkering without eye strain. Task lighting options include floor and desk lamps, under-cabinet lighting, pendant lights and recessed or track varieties.
Accent lighting: Introduces drama and visual interest. Used to highlight certain areas and draw the eye to specific points of interest, like artwork or plants, successful accent lights will offer at least triple the normal amount of ambient light. Wall mounted picture lights, recessed and track lighting constitute your accent options.
Think of accent lighting as the perfect excuse to introduce a sculptural and decorative element into the space. Try repeating a shape or colour that is already present in the surrounding furniture in the form of a lampshade or light fitting.
Energy Efficient Lighting
Lighting a home, even a small apartment, can be expensive when you consider fittings and running costs. But lighting is one way we can consume less energy and, as such, the types of lights we place in our homes are changing. Incandescent lights are being phased out and the same is likely to happen to high-wattage globes, which can be replaced by more energy-efficient lights.
The boss of low-energy, long-life lighting is the LED. This type of light source is very versatile, capable of producing white light and a range of coloured lights all in the one globe.
Bathroom: Bathroom lighting doesn’t need to be boring. Play around with sconces and other unusual options to make your bathroom a standout feature.
Bedroom: Bright lights and bedrooms aren’t exactly a match made in heaven. Incorporate dimmable up-lights for ambient lighting and combine with task reading lights next to each side of the bed.
Kitchen: Effective lighting design demands pools of light where it’s needed and reduced light elsewhere. Kitchens need good lighting to perform functionally. Focused task lights are also needed for performing detailed tasks such as chopping vegetables.
All too often, kitchens fade into the background of open-plan pads so consider accents like concealed lighting below the kitchen cabinets to illuminate the splashback.
Lighting can provide more than just luminosity; it can also enhance the ambience in your home to fit different moods and occasions. Remember to keep in mind the lighting style of adjoining rooms and hallways to secure good flow. The living room benefits from wall up-lights that bounce light off a white ceilings. Dimmable varieties are best, while floor lamps create focused reading nooks.
Enter Lamp Shades
For energy conscious dudes, lamp fittings and shades that allow most of the light through the material are ideal because it means a lower-wattage bulb can be used. Choose fabrics, colours and textures that relate to other key items of furniture.
So, what are you waiting for? Enhance the aesthetic interior of your home with a cohesive lighting plan and carefully chosen light fittings that complement your interior scheme.
Whether it’s halogen fixtures or energy efficient LEDs, set the mood to suave, sexy and cool with our guide to cool home lighting.
