Lighting is one of the most significant parts of interior design. Aside from its obvious purpose of illumination, a well-planned lighting plan has a transforming influence on a home's aesthetics. It also impacts the quality of life of its inhabitants. Let's walk through the best ways to light up your home to improve the look & the feel of your space.
1. Understanding Types of Lighting
- Ambient lighting offers consistent amounts of light throughout a room. It consists of flush-mounted fixtures, recessed lights, and track lighting. Generally, you turn these lights on/off when you enter or leave your room.
- Decorative lighting is used as a task or accent lighting as well as for decorative purposes. It completes the look of your décor and improves the overall appearance. For instance, wall sconces, chandeliers, pendant lights, and table & floor lamps are common types of decorative lighting that you can easily buy online or from Enza Home stores in Lahore and Islamabad.
- Task lighting is designed to illuminate a specific task. For example, kitchen cabinet lighting for food preparation & cooking.
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Accent lighting is used to focus on architectural features or specific objects. It is done by directing light onto the object with the help of recessed or track lighting, downlights, or wall-mounted fixtures.
2. Maximize Natural Light
Maximizing natural light is as important as indoor lighting in your home. Sunlight benefits the mind, body, and soul while reducing stress and anxiety, improving mood, stimulating productivity, and improving the circadian rhythm.
To bounce light throughout the room, paint light color on walls and add plenty of glossy, smooth, reflective materials, such as silk, mirror, glass, metals, or paint or wallpaper with a sheen.
3. Consider the Room's Function
Depending on each room's function, every house needs a distinct form of lighting. Most rooms need a mix of ambient, task, and accent lighting. Consider how you intend to use the space, what activities will take place, and the atmosphere you want to create.
In Pakistani homes, the kitchen is the home's heart that is used for cooking and many other purposes. It serves as a dining room, home office, and gathering place for friends and family, so it must be well-lit to cater to all these functions. Bright ambient & task lighting are essential for cooking. Use them under cabinet lighting to illuminate work surfaces & recessed ceiling lights to provide general uniform light. Light up the space for dinner by placing table lights and a gorgeous pendant over the dining table. Visit Enza Home's website for the best pendant lights online in Pakistan.
4. Focus on the Room's Dimensions & Shape
Use light to draw attention and increase the dimensions of the room. For example, if you only place the light in the center of the room, it will darken the corners & create the illusion of a smaller area. Yet, the room appears larger when light sources are strategically placed across the space. Never trust a single central pendant to complete the task.
- Place corner room lamps or use wall washing, illuminating the wall with vertical, indirect light to give the illusion of a broader space
- Use downlighting in shelving and alcoves or backlighting behind a headboard or mirror to give the impression of depth. Long pendants and up lights pull attention up and away from the minimal amount of floor space in the room, emphasizing vertical space.
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Use cluster lighting in large rooms to create a cozier atmosphere and divide the space into places where people can sit and do things like dining, reading, and watching TV.
5. Use Layered Strategies
For an excellent aesthetic & adaptable mood, the best rooms include layers of lighting. You should add at least one of these in every space —ambient, task, or accent.
Ceiling lights, wall sconces, table lamps, & floor lamps from various heights and intensities illuminate the room. While each light source serves a distinct and vital purpose, the room comes to life when all the lights use together.
6. Choose the Right-Sized Fixture for the Space
A rule for lighting fixtures like pendants & chandeliers is to get it right according to the space. Getting the scale right is crucial because it determines whether the decor succeeds or fails. Fortunately, it is simple to figure out and remember: the diameter of the lighting in inches equals the total of your room's length and width in feet. The radius of your feature light fixture will be eighteen inches if your room is eight feet by ten feet. Also, pay attention to the height. Generally speaking, at least thirty inches should be between the top of a dining table and the bottom of a pendant or chandelier light.
7. Create Symmetry & Balance
Having symmetry and balance in your design is essential for making your home look beautiful. Of course, this is true for everything, including the placement of furniture and the addition of accessories.
To achieve an asymmetrical aesthetic, balance the light with other elements. An approach to achieve this is to place symmetrical wall lights on either side of mirrors or pieces of art or to add a pair of identical table lamps on either side of a bed, sofa, or long console table. You can also visit our website to get the best pendant, table, or floor lamps in Pakistan.
8. Use a Distinctive Décor Piece to Describe your Style
A room can benefit significantly from the elegance & drama of decorative light fixtures. A pendant lamp is a stunning showstopper suspended over the middle of a dining table or used as the focal point in a long corridor.
Only allow one statement piece per room; more will overload the area and detract from the powerful impact you want to establish. Additionally, ensure it is larger than the other lighting fixtures in the space to stand out and draw attention to it. Remember that the lighting will depend on the area size; the more significant the space, the bigger the light can be. A huge pendant or chandelier is inappropriate for a tiny room; instead, consider a striking wall sconce or floor lamp.
9. Align the Lighting with the Design
Mixing and matching different lighting types can produce a stylish eclectic aesthetic. Ensure that the lighting blends in with the rest of the décor. The best way to do this is to keep your color palette and material finish constant. More light will diffuse through thin textiles and light hues, making the environment appear brighter.
10. Select the Proper Color Temperature
The Kelvin (K) scale, which ranges from 1,000 to 10,000, divides light color into three categories: warm, neutral, and cool. The color of the light will appear more yellow, and the room will feel cozier and more generous as the Kelvin value decreases.
You are now ready to light up your home!
Plan a lighting strategy before everything else, whether revamping an existing design or starting fresh. You will need to create a distinct design for each room, as each room needs a different amount and type of lighting.
Maximize natural light first, then think about all the activities that might occur in each area and the atmosphere you want to create. Measure the room's dimensions, shapes, and any architectural/décor characteristics you want to focus on. Determine the size of the light fixtures, then pick a light that goes well with the décor. Finally, think about the kind of bulb & color temperature needed to achieve the ideal ambiance and tone of the room. For instance, if you are having an issue choosing online lamps in Pakistan, ask Enza Home interior experts.
