Light is a very important component when it comes to decorating our living spaces. Its key role is in creating the right mood and adjusting the ambiance of interior spaces. It is a great way of adding color to the corners of your living spaces where you need it most.
In this blog we’ll share with you tips to consider before choosing the right light fixtures for your living space:
Natural Light
The first thing to consider before adding any light fixtures to your living space is: How much natural light do you have? For a room with very little natural light, you will need a light fixture that gives a more ambient type of lighting versus a decorative lighting option for rooms with large windows which enable more natural light to come into the room. For example, for a room with very little natural lighting, you can use multiple lights spread across the area or fixtures with multiple bulbs for an even glow.
For a decorative option, you can look for lights that cast an interesting shadow on the ceiling. This would be effective with a slightly high ceiling that deserves to have the eye drawn up. Light fixtures that can give you this sort of illusion include the wall sconces that come in different decorative styles and colors.
Low Ceilings
If you have the standard 8-foot ceiling, then you might feel rather limited with the number of light fixtures to add to your space. For the comfort of the room’s occupants, designers recommend a minimum height of 70 inches above the floor, for any hanging fixtures. Some of the light fixtures that can work for this space include the pendant light and flush mount fixtures.
A pendant light is a lone light fixture that hangs from the ceiling, usually suspended by a cord, chain, or metal. To add some flair to this kind of lighting, you can go for pendant lights with open bottom globes or cages. For an open-bottom fixture, consider going for a lower output bulb to avoid harsh spotlights that can result from using this kind of fixture.
The flush mount lights on the other hand come in two types: Flush mount light and the semi flush mount light. The flush mount light is typically a dome-shaped light fixture that’s mounted to the ceiling without any gaps or holes. Its alternative, the semi flush mount fixture, will give you a more decorative option as the base of the light extends just below the ceiling.
High Ceilings
High ceilings add a sense of airiness to a room but can present a challenge when trying to add light fixtures. Too many lights close to the ceiling can make your living space feel more like a gym. Here are quick tips to consider when adding light fixtures to a high-ceilinged wall:
- Chandeliers: Choose a chandelier with globe lights, candlestick lights, or a mixture of lights and sparkle from crystal prisms and beads. Selecting a chandelier with highly polished metal surfaces adds a more reflective shine. Chandelier placements are often guided by the rule of the thirds: the bottom third of room height is primarily for furniture, the middle third for art and accents, and the top third for light. This rule ensures that your light fixture does not look like its unnaturally hugging the ceiling
- Pendant Lighting: One or more clusters of pendant lights may serve the decorative style for your high ceilinged room better than a single fixture. When measuring the floor to pendant light fixture for the cluster design, treat the cluster of pendant lights as you would a single hanging fixture. If the room is two stories tall, you can align the fixture with the room’s high windows.
- Wall Lighting/ Sconces: Wall fixtures create a bridge between the ceiling and furniture-scale lighting. This fixture gives you the added advantage of letting you vary the amount of ambient light in the room depending on the available daylight, activities, and mood. Moreover, sconces are a great way of creating visual interest in a room and highlighting the wall art and other artifacts in a room. When positioning the sconces, place them at a height anywhere from eye level or higher on the middle third of the wall. Lastly, remember to check the glare-shielding capacities of a sconce both when you are standing and sitting nearby.
Adding Color through light fixtures
As previously mentioned, light fixtures are a great way of adding color to parts of your living space where you need it most. A great way of doing this is through the use of table and floor lamps whose shades come in different colors and decorative styles. These fixtures along with accent fixtures such as wall sconces vary the contours of a room with pools of directed light and add a touch of sophistication to your overall room décor.
Choosing coordinating lights for your home
Finally, with all the tips at hand, it’s time to choose coordinating lights for your entire home. When contrasting different fixture styles, especially close, try using a similar or matching metal finish between them, or another shared material, so the lights relate on some level. This will contrast look intentional and considered.
You can also try connecting your lights to other materials in the room. For example, you can try using a brass or copper finish for the lights and repeating it on your cabinet knobs (or a stylish faucet), or even picking up on colors in unrelated items like seats, fabrics, or tiles. This makes the entire design concept look integrated in a fun, modern way.
by TheJunction