When it comes to lighting your home, each room has unique functions and aesthetics that must be considered as part of the lighting design. Light is a crucial and creative tool that can be utilised in varied ways throughout different areas of the home to set the right illumination for functions, tasks and ambience.
With smart lighting, there are even more options to create flexible lighting designs, such as dimmable solutions to adapt from bright functional lighting to a comforting atmosphere.
With this in mind, here are Truly Lighting’s top tips on how to illuminate the different areas of your home.
- Highlight your hallway
Enhance your entryway with decorative lighting which creates a warm, welcoming passageway into the home. A mix of light sources creates an inviting atmosphere; downlights can be used to highlight artwork and furniture, floor recessed uplights can be used to highlight doorways, while this versatile space can also feature shaded lamps to create a soft glow.
- Flexible yet functional kitchen lighting
The kitchen is one of the most-used areas of the home which requires more functional lighting, but also with the ability to create a soft lighting scene for evenings and when dining. For tasks such as reading and cooking, a more concentrated, brighter lumen is suitable. Downlights can be recessed into the ceiling or built into cabinets, with under cabinet task lighting used to illuminate the work top. Decorative lighting such as pendants can be suspended over dining tables or islands to catch the eye whilst also creating a subtle and appealing mood, making this a more suitable environment when dining or entertaining.The key to optimal kitchen lighting is flexibility. Different light sources should be kept on separate circuits to easily control the lighting to adapt to different atmospheres. This way your kitchen can be quickly transformed from a well-lit space to complete tasks during the day, to an intimate setting for evening meals.
- Layered illumination in the living room
Living room lighting is all about creating warmth and comfort to set a cosy atmosphere. This can be achieved by using a variety of lighting sources and layers, such as spotlights in the ceiling, wall lights, table lamps, concealed joinery lighting and pendants set at a warm colour temperature between 2400k -2700K. Having the ability to dim the lighting allows you to create a warm relaxing atmosphere in contrast with the bright lights of the rest of the home.
- Custom bedroom lighting to your circadian rhythm
Lighting has a huge impact on our circadian rhythm, therefore, ensuring that bedroom lighting is correct will help you to fall asleep and wake up easier, improving health and wellbeing. It’s important to utilise more subtle light sources rather than just a main ceiling light which beams over you, such as bedside and table lamps. Concealed lighting within cupboards whilst functional also creates an impressive impact. Wall lights either side of dressing table mirrors will illuminate create a flattering and even light on the face whilst also producing a soft mood light in the space.The colour temperature of the room is also extremely important; avoid cool colour temperatures above 3000K as this can affect sleep, instead opt for a warm light of around 2400-2700K.
- Bathe in ambience in the bathroom
Bathrooms can serve different purposes, by day they should be functional and bright whilst preparing for the day ahead and in the evenings they are an area to relax and pamper ourselves.A mixture of recessed ceiling lights, wall / mirror lights and concealed cabinet lighting can meet the needs of each task. We also always incorporate low level lighting such as lighting within shower niches, wall recessed floor washers, uplights behind baths or even concealed LED strip lighting under vanity units as this helps to create our ‘nighttime’ setting. This can be used in the evenings when relaxing and can also be used throughout the night to avoid having to turn on bright lights.
These are just some of the key considerations to make when deciding which lighting designs and solutions will be best for each area of your home. If you are lighting your home, contact Truly Lighting to see how we can make a difference with a bespoke lighting design.