Lighting serves different purposes in the different rooms and areas in your home. From creating an atmosphere to adding functionality, you must think strategically regarding the purpose of the room and decide what type of light to use in it – ambient, decorative or both. 

With the right type of lighting, your home will become comfortable, bright and cozy. There are countless lighting choices on the market you can choose from. Making sure you pick the best type of light can be overwhelming. However, it all comes down to the function of the room. 

Factors to take into consideration

Every home is different. There are no universal tips that can be applied to improve the brightness of your house. Besides the type of the room, there are other factors to consider such as what is the colour of the furniture, floor and walls, how big is the room, how tall is the ceiling, what is the location of the room, shadows, reflections, energy efficiency, occupant’s preference, location of wiring and electrical cords in the room. 

Lighting tips for your kitchen

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The lighting in the kitchen must be functional and bright. This is the place where you cook during the day and night, and you need various lighting solutions in the area. You can install under-cabinet lights to illuminate the dark part of the countertops. You can use LED lights to even the light in the space. Install light above the oven and the sink. 

 

Pendant light or a chandelier will work great above the kitchen islands – the fancy fixtures will add a statement to the room. Pendant lights hang down on a cord or cable. Enchant the windows with light curtains so you can let the daylight in. 

Lighting tips for your dining room

The dining room is the place where you gather with your family and welcome your guests. The area must be well illuminated. In the dining room, the table is usually the main feature, so place a chandelier or pendant light. 

 

Install a dimmer, so you could control the mood depending on the time and set different types of moods. You can add more style to the room by installing sideboard lamps above the bar or by hanging a a few large mirrors to reflect the light across the room. 

Lighting tips for your living room

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The living room is usually the biggest room in the house and a lot of activities and gatherings happen there. Often, there are dark corners and shadowy areas. The area where the table and the couch are is usually the focal point of the room. Place bright overhead light there – chandeliers are perfect for this area. If you have a desk where you work, draw or write, place a bright desk lamp there. 

 

If you have an area for reading, good lighting is a necessity there as well, Place a floor lamp behind the couch to illuminate the dark corner of the room. The living room needs a combination of functional and indirect lighting. You can add accent lights above paintings or prints, hanging string lights on a bookshelf or use mirrors to reflect the light around the room and make it feel bigger and brighter.  

 

Think about the functionality of the room – what are you doing there and what type of lighting you need for the activities. After that, combine floor lamps, table lamps and overhead lamps. 

Lighting tips for your bedroom

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The bedroom lighting should create a nice and cozy atmosphere. This is the place where you sleep and relax and you don’t need bright light during the night. In this room, dimmers are very important. Control the brightness of the light and make it brighter in the dressing area and softer around the bed. 

Bedside lamps are great for reading, but be careful not to choose ones with harsh light. If the bed has a headboard, you can install a lighting fixture there. A great idea for the dressing room is to install a mirror with lights to illuminate the space and make it chic. 

Lighting tips for your bathroom

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Lighting in the mirror needs to be bright. This is the room where there are no windows usually and the light is completely artificial. Dress up the mirror with light bulbs around it or with sidelights. A light above the showering area is also important but often neglected. You can install a ceiling fan that provides ventilation and light. 

Lighting tips for other areas of your house

Proper lighting is important for the basement, storage areas, stairways and hallways in your house. You can use overhead lights or wall-mounted lamps to keep the hallways and stairways bright for safety. To prevent accidents stairs must be bright from the top to the bottom.

Landscape lighting is usually with motion sensors – flood and deck lighting, security lighting can be used in the outside areas. If you have a patio or an outdoor kitchen you need to consider good lighting as well. You can use string lights or torches to create a cozy atmosphere and brighter lighting above the BBQ and the table.

The lighting is an important part of the interior design of your home. The type of light fixtures you install can either make or break the whole feeling of the room. Not to mention that you always need to think about the area which you’re planning to illuminate, before even starting to choose light fixture types. 

Author Bio: 

My name is Eva Bowker and I’m home improvement coordinator at Fantastic Handyman Australia. My passion is to help people build the home of their dreams by sharing home renovation and interior design tips with them. I love to think out of the box in order to create lovely spaces.