Interior design is a complex mixture of plenty of factors, ideas, styles and designs. The final result isn’t just a product of one piece of furniture or a particular color that you used as accent. It’s a combination of plenty elements, and each of those elements has its unique purpose in your space. Once such element is lightning.
What most people do wrong when they style up a room is over-lightning. There’s almost nothing as unnecessary for a supposedly wonderfully-decorated space as too many lightning fixtures. With interior design, you need to be super clever about your choices. Too much of anything will immediately kill the entire vibe of the space.
This tutorial will help you understand ways to best choose your lightning fixtures and place them just at places where they are supposed to be.
Key tip: With the living room being the focal point of any home a properly developed overall lighting plan for it is key. It’s vital to have three levels of lighting:
There were times when interior decorators were limited to just one style or only several designs that, consequently, were deal breakers. Luckily for you, these days there are numerous styles, ideas, designs and offers that you can find inspiration in. Lighting can be magical and it can turn your room into a wonderful space! Before opting for a particular design of the lamp or chandelier, make sure it agrees with the rest of the room’s décor. Even if you fall in love with a particular lamp design which doesn’t fit the rest of your room’s design, don’t force it onto it. It simply won’t work.
2. Accent lightning
A well-decorated room is like a puzzle – if you don’t place the right piece where it was intended to go, you’ll waste time without having the puzzle completed. Plus, it’ll end up weird and distorted. Lightning plays an important role in the way you showcase those puzzle pieces in your home. Accent lightning is what helps certain pieces of your space stand out or fit in with the rest of the space.
When you want to highlight certain features in your living room, like your favorite painting, a fireplace, textured walls or that corner chair you inherited from your late grandmother, accent lighting is the way to go. “Recessed, adjustable lights directed to points of interest or under-cabinet lighting in a display case that highlights selected objects are examples of accent lighting”, explains John Popov from John Designs. Accent lighting is an amazing way to manipulate the lights in such a way that you add a pleasing variation of brightness to the piece you want to draw attention to. “In order for accent lighting to work, it needs to supply about five times as much light on the focal point as the surrounding general light”, said Popov.
3. Ambient lightning
To give your room that warm glow, opt for ceiling lights, stylish chandeliers, wall-mounted fixtures or portable lamps. Ambient lightning controls glare while providing the general illumination for the room, making it look and feel comfortable and inviting. Use dimmers, too! They will not only help create an ambiance but are also great lightning and energy-efficient solutions!
4. Decorative lights
For an added feel of coziness and intimacy, there is nothing as great as decorative lights. Hanging pendants, table lamps and chandeliers will add sparkle to your living room while at the same time set the decorative tone of the space. Lightning features you choose are statements of your personal taste and style - it's like wearing a great necklace to complete an outfit.
5. Go big or go home
Over-scaled fixtures look so chic and elegant with any space. A fixture that is too small for the room looks off while the bold size makes a statement in itself! This is especially charming in semi-big spaces as it adds drama to the whole interior. However, you are never to overdo it – neither in size of fixtures you are placing in your space nor in the number of those fixtures! Too much of anything is simply not going to work.
Remember that living rooms don't need much lighting, regardless of them being the connective tissue of your home. You don’t want the living room shining bright at every cost – you want it lighted in such a way that all its lovely details get the spotlight!
What most people do wrong when they style up a room is over-lightning. There’s almost nothing as unnecessary for a supposedly wonderfully-decorated space as too many lightning fixtures. With interior design, you need to be super clever about your choices. Too much of anything will immediately kill the entire vibe of the space.
This tutorial will help you understand ways to best choose your lightning fixtures and place them just at places where they are supposed to be.
Key tip: With the living room being the focal point of any home a properly developed overall lighting plan for it is key. It’s vital to have three levels of lighting:
· High – for vaulted ceilings or those with special material like wood or plaster;
· Medium - includes wall sconces;
· Low – small lights and floor lamps.
1. Take advantage of designs offered There were times when interior decorators were limited to just one style or only several designs that, consequently, were deal breakers. Luckily for you, these days there are numerous styles, ideas, designs and offers that you can find inspiration in. Lighting can be magical and it can turn your room into a wonderful space! Before opting for a particular design of the lamp or chandelier, make sure it agrees with the rest of the room’s décor. Even if you fall in love with a particular lamp design which doesn’t fit the rest of your room’s design, don’t force it onto it. It simply won’t work.
2. Accent lightning
A well-decorated room is like a puzzle – if you don’t place the right piece where it was intended to go, you’ll waste time without having the puzzle completed. Plus, it’ll end up weird and distorted. Lightning plays an important role in the way you showcase those puzzle pieces in your home. Accent lightning is what helps certain pieces of your space stand out or fit in with the rest of the space.
When you want to highlight certain features in your living room, like your favorite painting, a fireplace, textured walls or that corner chair you inherited from your late grandmother, accent lighting is the way to go. “Recessed, adjustable lights directed to points of interest or under-cabinet lighting in a display case that highlights selected objects are examples of accent lighting”, explains John Popov from John Designs. Accent lighting is an amazing way to manipulate the lights in such a way that you add a pleasing variation of brightness to the piece you want to draw attention to. “In order for accent lighting to work, it needs to supply about five times as much light on the focal point as the surrounding general light”, said Popov.
3. Ambient lightning
To give your room that warm glow, opt for ceiling lights, stylish chandeliers, wall-mounted fixtures or portable lamps. Ambient lightning controls glare while providing the general illumination for the room, making it look and feel comfortable and inviting. Use dimmers, too! They will not only help create an ambiance but are also great lightning and energy-efficient solutions!
4. Decorative lights
For an added feel of coziness and intimacy, there is nothing as great as decorative lights. Hanging pendants, table lamps and chandeliers will add sparkle to your living room while at the same time set the decorative tone of the space. Lightning features you choose are statements of your personal taste and style - it's like wearing a great necklace to complete an outfit.
5. Go big or go home
Over-scaled fixtures look so chic and elegant with any space. A fixture that is too small for the room looks off while the bold size makes a statement in itself! This is especially charming in semi-big spaces as it adds drama to the whole interior. However, you are never to overdo it – neither in size of fixtures you are placing in your space nor in the number of those fixtures! Too much of anything is simply not going to work.
Remember that living rooms don't need much lighting, regardless of them being the connective tissue of your home. You don’t want the living room shining bright at every cost – you want it lighted in such a way that all its lovely details get the spotlight!
