4 September 2024
Lighting is probably one of the last things you deal with when decorating or designing a room. You focus on furniture placement, fabrics, wall décor, and other items. Take a look at the lighting in your home, or at least in key rooms and see if you can make any improvements that can enhance the atmosphere of your home.
Recessed Lights
We all remember the mid-century designs with a single, overhead light in living rooms. Sometimes the glare was difficult to take and could also leave shadows or darker areas. Recessed lights are currently what seems to work best. They can diffuse the light and make the room feel homey and cozy but still livable. LED lights are dimable if it states that on the package. Fluorescent bulbs can dim only with a special ballast.
Chandeliers and Pendant Lighting
These are hanging lights that give a more formal feel to dining areas. They are usually over tables or kitchen islands. They should be proportionate to the size of the table and the room. If they are too large, they will overpower the area. Too small and they will feel skimpy and may not offer enough light. Most ceilings are an eight-foot height, which means the chandelier should hang about 30 to 36 inches from the top of the table. The circumferance of the light should be in proportion to the size of the table for balance.
Lighting over Vanities
You want good lighting in the bathroom over the sinks and vanity. This is where you do your basic grooming, from the morning shave or putting the final touches on your hairdo or that last daub of makeup. Most of these areas have sconces over the mirror. These provide a downward light and are pretty standard, and generally very attractive. However, you may not really have sufficient illumination. Consider adding an overhead light to assure that you are picture perfect when you leave your home.
Dimmers
Just like variables on ceiling fans, dimmers on overhead lights are almost an essential. You don’t always want full on bright lights. Sometimes it is nice to have a more subtle glow, or anywhere in between. They are fairly inexpensive and if you are an experienced DIYer, you can install them yourself. That way you can adjust for a gloomy day, or create a romantic atmosphere.
Side Table Lamps
From your bedside table to a living room, auxiliary lighting from table lamps is almost a necessity. Once you have the proper size lamp for the table and the area, look at its shade. Is it too large? That happens more frequently than you think. The diameter should be about twice the size of the diameter of the lamp base and the height about one-third the height of the overall lamp.
Color Temperature
Not all bulbs are created equal. You may notice that sometimes the light makes you look rather ill. Of course, with winter approaching, we will hear about using the correct color temperature of bulbs to prevent Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), which is basically feeling blue for no particular reason except that we are not getting enough daylight. Making sure all your bulbs are the same color temperature is easier than you think. On the exterior of each package, they are rated. Look for 2700k. This will give you a good light that is favorable under most circumstances. A rating of 3000k will be too bright to induce sleep, but would be great if you are pulling an all-nighter. This temperature is one that can make you look yellowish.
So, now you can assess your rooms and decide if changes are appropriate.
