Let there Be Light
Our Guide on How To Light Your Home
As the days are gradually getting longer, bringing more light into our lives, it inspired us to think about the ways in which natural light, and lighting within your home can brighten your spaces, create interest with statement features, or create a cosy setting for lounging. There are many types of lighting which can be used in combination to evoke a feeling within a room, at a certain point in the day, and depending on the way in which you use the space, this will influence your choices further…a lot to consider, right? We’d love to help, we believe that selecting the right lighting not only adds to your home design, it supports your well-being and can gently help you transition through the day.
Firstly, the different types of Lighting...
Ambient Lighting
This type of lighting provides the overall illumination to a space. It is used to create a general and uniform lighting level.
Natural light, spotlights, and fixed wall lights fall under this category. Recessed ceiling lighting distributes light across a room, brightening it evenly, and because it does not take up any vertical space, it is highly suitable for areas with low ceilings.
To ensure this type of lighting can be truly ambient, we recommend adding dimmers.
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Task Lighting
Task lighting is what you’ll use when you want to light up a specific part of a room for a specific purpose. For example, under-cabinet lighting that provides increased visibility on your kitchen counter tops, or even just a standing lamp next to a desk or reading chair.
Table lamps, floor lamps, swing-arm lamps, movable wall lights; there are endless types of lighting that you can choose to suit the purpose of a part of your space, and they can also provide a decorative touch to peripheral spots.
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Accent or Mood Lighting
These types of lighting serve a similar purpose to task lighting, but as the name suggests, these lights serve a more decorative – but equally specific – purpose, to highlight architectural features and important objects such as artwork.
Think picture lights, niche, or shelf lights. Decorative lights can also function as accent decor pieces on bare walls, and for extra ambience,
a candle never hurts.
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Design@Studio17
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Choosing the right Lighting for specific rooms...
Kitchens
In most kitchens, overhead cabinets can cast shadows on a countertop, which results in dark patches on the work surfaces of the kitchen. While we love adding under-cabinet lighting to create a well-illuminated countertop, adding brightness, and providing focused lighting for food preparation; we would advise caution in using under-cabinet lighting at floor level, as this type of lighting will serve to highlight things you might prefer not to.
A beautiful way to add accent lighting in kitchens, is through pendant lighting over a dining table or kitchen island. There is a bit of science behind the art of finding the correct height at which to hang pendant lighting, but mainly, you’ll be looking to suspend them at a height where they will be low enough to draw a highlight to the space they are sitting above, but not become a hazard to any guests you might have around your table.
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If you are lucky enough to have a kitchen space with lots of natural light, adding in decorative pieces that are reflective can throw some beautiful light around your space as the natural daylight changes position throughout the day.
Anyone for a kitchen disco?
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Bathrooms
Lighting can have a huge impact on the overall look and feel of the bathroom decor. Although a bathroom is a highly functional space, its lighting is often overlooked and not given due attention. We believe you should be able to find luxury in the everyday, so should the lighting of your bathroom be too bright, then it does not create a relaxing atmosphere, and if the lighting is dim, it does not provide adequate focused illumination. To get that harmony between function and finesse, it is essential to opt for a layered lighting scheme to create a well-illuminated bathroom space.
Having a source of ambient ceiling light, elements of task lighting for essential day-to-day routine activities and personal grooming like shaving or applying makeup, along with decorative light fixtures can add a lot of character to your bathroom design. If you’re someone who likes a long soak in a hot bath, your experience will be enhanced by having some of your favourite scented candles dotted around too - we love these ones from kansla.co.uk.
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Design@Studio17
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Bedrooms
A space of sanctuary and rest, lighting has a lot of work to do here to achieve the right ambience. While you may have experienced the first-hand frustration of staying overnight somewhere that didn’t have a bedside lamp, you don’t have to live with those stumbles throughout the night in your own home. Dimmable bedside lighting, whether it be wall, table, pendant or floor based, will enable you to completely customise the amount of light you need in your bedroom to create the right mood.
If you are a bedtime reader, it’s also important to think of directional or adjustable lighting so you can read those last chapters before heading off to the land of nod.
Can lighting really make a difference to your home design?
At Design@Studio17, we believe that light is essential for creating the perfect atmosphere in your home. Thoughtfully considered lighting can greatly benefit your well-being and make life just a little more effortless. Trust us—strategically planned lighting really can make a positive difference; lighting should never be an afterthought. Knowing what you need and where you need it is crucial.
However, lighting can also be used to add the finishing touches or enhance the energy you want to create in a space. When it comes to lighting that is both fun and functional, the world is your oyster.
If your room isn't working as you expected, a simple change can make all the difference. Swapping out a table lampshade or adding a lamp of a different height can suddenly perfect your room design. Need more drama? We might have just the ticket. We love supporting artisans and have recently discovered poshlampshades, where you can find hand-crafted, gorgeous shades in an array of colours that make quite a statement. They can also re-cover existing shades giving them a new lease of life, and we are in full support of upcycling. And if you have a specific idea in mind but can’t find it, their bespoke service ensures you get exactly what you’re looking for. For those that like maximalist home design, poshlampshades are a great match for your lighting designs.
Image Source: Poshlampshades
When it comes to selecting Lighting, here are some of our main pointers…
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Don’t overdo the overheads - Often it can be excessive, generating spots and unwanted shadows.
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Set dimmers on all of your lights - They allow you to manually adjust lighting to respond to changes in natural light, seasons and so forth.
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Use layered lighting - Select a combination of ambient, task, and accent lighting to create layers of light in your rooms. Ambient lighting provides overall illumination, task lighting helps with specific tasks such as reading or working, and accent lighting adds visual interest.
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Use energy efficient fixtures - Install energy efficient lighting options such as LED bulbs or fixtures, to save on energy costs.
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Select the right bulb - Choose bulbs that produce the desired colour, temperature, and brightness for the room. Warm white bulbs (around 2700K) create a cosy atmosphere, while cool white bulbs (around 4000K) provide a more energetic feel. Opt for softer ‘warm white’ or ‘soft white’ bulbs over harsh or ‘daylight white’ colour options.
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Explore using smart bulbs - There are many bulbs that can be activated by voice, app and timers which are not only great for ease of operation but can also be a great security enhancement to your home, so that even when you are not home, from the outside it looks as though you are.
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Function - Consider the main activities that take place in each of your spaces, such as cooking, reading, watching TV, socialising, or working. Each activity may require a different type of lighting, so plan accordingly.
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Pay attention to placement - Place lighting fixtures strategically to avoid glare and shadows. For example, avoid placing a floor lamp next to a TV screen to prevent glare, or place table lamps at the correct height to avoid casting shadows on faces when people sit on the couch. Additionally, there is a perfect size, height, and position for pendant lighting to ensure you strike the balance of practicality and aesthetics. With lamps, the same is true; whilst they have a functional purpose, when positioned correctly they are the perfect finishing touches, and they should have enough space to glow. Never overlap with too many competing pieces.