Often new home planners or renovators are consumed with the big picture stuff – the kitchen, bathrooms, furniture – and lighting solutions become a last-minute add-on. It’s a good idea to spend some time considering the lighting you need depending on the room. Lighting is an obvious need when it comes to completing tasks, but it’s also what creates ambience, making a house feel more like a home. Here are some ideas to get you started.
Layers are important when it comes to lighting. For the best balance, aim for at least three sources of light in every space, including bathrooms and entranceways. In small spaces, you can reduce the bulb wattage and size of the light fixtures to accommodate.
Your bedroom should feel cosy, calming and restful, so it’s important not to over-light this space. On the flipside, task lighting is a godsend for make-up application or reading, so consider layering your lighting to meet all of these needs. Also worth considering: a wall sconce for a luxurious hotel vibe.
Your bedroom should feel cosy, calming and restful, so it’s important not to over-light this space. On the flipside, task lighting is a godsend for make-up application or reading, so consider layering your lighting solutions to meet all of these needs. Also worth considering: a wall sconce for a luxurious hotel vibe.
Not all fixtures – chandelier, lamps, sconces – should be the same size. Otherwise, the eye searches for visual clarity without landing on anything specific. For a large space, such as a dining room or family room, a chandelier makes a great focal point. In a smaller-scale room, think about a distinctive floor lamp or vintage-inspired sconces flanking a piece of wall art.
Lighting shouldn’t overpower a room, but it shouldn’t get lost either. Scale matters when choosing the best light fixtures for your space; here are a few guidelines that can help you get the look right.
First take the length and width of the space in metres and add them together. Then divide the result by 15 and that is roughly the diameter of the fitting you should be looking at in metres. So a 5m by 4m lounge would result in 5 + 4 = 9 divided by 15 = 0.6m or 600mm – you would be looking for a pendant around 600mm for your space.
Bear in mind that this is to get a pendant that is in proportion to your room. Taller fittings will feel like they have more volume.
Not all fixtures – chandelier, lamps, sconces – should be the same size. Otherwise, the eye searches for visual clarity without landing on anything specific.
For a large space, such as a dining room or family room, a chandelier makes a great focal point. In a smaller-scale room, think about a distinctive floor lamp or vintage-inspired sconces flanking a piece of wall art.
You can now control your lighting solutions from your smart phone or voice controlled home assistant with WiFi connected smart bulbs. Choose from different colours, day or dusk and feature lights to take your home lighting to the next level.
Let’s say you’re watching TV on the couch and left an upstairs light on, or you’re going away and don’t want the house to look empty. Perhaps you want to turn on your lights before you get home so you’re not walking into a dark house.
With the help of today’s easy-to-use smartphone and tablet apps, you can control your home’s lighting, window treatments, temperature and more. Many apps also have settings you can define, so with the touch of a button, your lights can be set to “dinner party” or “wake-up time”.
Many people make the mistake of either having bright downlights on over the lounge/TV area, or no lights at all. Both are a strain on the eyes. TV-focused spaces need less overhead light and more ambient lighting, such as table or floor lamps. This helps reduce glare and eye strain. Well thought-out ambient lighting also means while the overall room is dim, someone wishing to read can find a cosy nook with ample lighting.
Lampshades have more practical design power than they get credit for. Lighter-colour versions can help diffuse light in a wider circle, while a dark shade concentrates the light, focusing it on a surface. Bespoke lampshades are a great way to showcase your design personality, and like soft furnishings, easily updatable.
Our design experts can help with making your new house into a well-lit ambient home – speak to a New South Homes representative today.
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