Published on: Dec 08, 2021
Now that the darker autumn evenings are causing us to draw the curtains at ever earlier hours, it is a good time to consider if your interior lighting scheme is showing off your house to its best advantage. This can sometimes be an overlooked element of an otherwise beautifully designed home. Here are a few tips to help create the perfect balance.
Recessed lighting
If you are lucky enough to be planning a complete renovation or new-build, then make the lighting an integral element of the design. For example, recessed lighting (where the lights are fitted into a hollow in the ceiling) are best planned in advance. Place them over areas where you will be carrying out tasks, such as cooking and paperwork.
Recessed lights can also be used effectively to highlight features, such as ornate fireplaces, carvings, or artwork. They will also be needed in high ceilinged spaces, such as entrance halls and stairwells. In rooms where you will be sitting and relaxing in the evenings, make sure the recessed lights are fitted with a dimmer switch to avoid any overhead glare.
Pendant lighting
Pendant lights are excellent design features in themselves, as well as a good way of providing an extra layer of illumination to areas such as kitchen islands and dining tables. A striking feature pendant light or chandelier is a desirable addition to an entrance area.
There are many beautiful styles of pendant light to choose from, which can act as elegant pieces of artwork in their own right, and put the perfect finishing touch to a room. There has been a recent trend for bold sculptural designs, and also towards vivid use of colour and pattern.
Table and floor lamps
Lamps add an extra layer of lighting, which is important to create that welcoming ambience, which feels neither too harsh or too dingy. Even if the rest of your lighting is functional, this is your chance to really stamp your style on a room! Choose carefully so that they bring something to the décor even when not illuminated.
Bear in mind the size and shape of the lamp in relation to where you are going to place it. For example, if it is to go next to a sofa or armchair, the base should be at your eye level when you are sitting down. If it is going to sit on a low table, create contrast with a tall shade, and vice versa.
If your décor is muted and neutral, lamps are a great way of introducing colour, texture, and line to the room. They can even provide a focal point if the room is lacking in interesting features. Lamps are a good way to express your more creative side, because they can be moved or replaced with much less expense and effort than furniture or carpets.
Floor lamps can be used to either provide warm ambient lighting in the corner of a room, or provide task lighting for reading, sewing, and so on. Some lamps will combine the two functions, with flexible arms which can be moved to the desired position.
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