When designing and decorating your home there are many things to consider. One of the most important, and often overlooked, is lighting design. Proper lighting design is crucial when it comes to getting the most enjoyment out of your home and showing off it’s best features. Adding visual interest to any room can be accomplished by proper lighting design and finding the right balance between the 3 layers of lighting - ambient, task and accent.
Ambient refers to the main lighting of the room, which usually makes up about 75% of its overall illumination. The most common example is ceiling light fixtures. Chandeliers, recessed lighting and sconces all fall into this category as well.
When setting up your lighting plan, it is a great idea to install some dimmer switches to help change the mood of the room with just the touch of a button. Dimmers offer more versatility by adjusting the brightness of the light, whether it’s brighter for a party or softer for a quiet dinner. They even offer the added bonus of helping you save energy! For a completely customizable lighting plan, place light switches on multiple circuits. This will provide lighting options - allowing you to select which lights to leave off, which to turn on and at what brightness.
Task lighting does what it’s name implies, it lights up the parts of a room where a specific job or task is usually performed. Under cabinet lights help illuminate prep areas in the kitchen.
A pendant light above the sink is becoming a popular option as well. In a bathroom, task lighting can be used around a vanity or over the sink for putting on your makeup or brushing your teeth. A reading light by the bed or on a desk is both functional and decorative task lighting.
Accent lighting is used to highlight decorative elements of your home. While the light itself is often not seen, it is used to draw the eye to interesting details, highlighting architectural features like columns and tray ceilings or even a book case or particular piece of art.
When designed properly, lighting can enhance the beauty of your home and your family’s enjoyment of it. For more design ideas, head over to our Pinterest page which is full of beautiful light fixtures, design inspiration, tips and more. Then, when you’re ready, call our office to set up an appointment with one of our friendly electricians who can help you design and create the lighting of your dreams!