Home improvement can sometimes be a daunting task depending on the kind of changes you want to make to your home interior. We’ve often toyed with a dozen ideas of how we want to add some fun and excitement into our homes, probably even joined several Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest home decor groups, just to see what other people are doing. Home improvement need not be always be a costly project. What most people don’t know is that home improvement can also be done in phases. Even with the tightest budget, you will be surprised how subtle changes within your house can do to your home.
Lighting is one good example that can transform your living space. If done correctly, the lighting in your home can significantly enhance the look and feel of every room. Due its flexibility and adaptability, lighting can also effectively be used to bring out different themes depending on one’s taste and occasion. However, it’s worth noting that even though it looks easy, one wrongly placed light could change the entire outlook of your home and even cause discomfort. The essence of lighting is to set the tone and create the perfect atmosphere for any room. By simply understanding the room’s functionality, you can install the relevant lighting to ensure the room functions as intended.
There are many ways you can improve your home using lighting. Try some of these ideas listed below to create that flattering glow to your living space.
Ambient lighting
Try using a hidden source of light to make that room glow. Ambient lighting flattens the interior and creates just enough shadow. Paper lanterns, for example, make perfect ambient lighting props and can work with any room. You can also use it to add brilliant shimmer to specific points of focus in a room such as paintings or even make interesting architectural elements stand out.
Avoid those unnecessary and annoying shadows by bouncing light off the ceiling. This trick is perfect for rooms that people tend to gather for longer periods of time and for bedrooms too.
Use dimmers to have better control of lighting in your house
Dimmers
A darling for many interior designers, dimmers give you control of lighting in your house - day or night. They are also perfect and come particularly handy especially during theme parties or occasions.
Dimmers are particularly desirable as they provide flexibility in establishing a relaxing atmosphere when entertaining.
Positioning
When it comes to lighting, the rule of the thumb is positioning. The right type of light positioned right will make all the difference in any room. Strategically positioned lighting can greatly enhance a room’s look and feel as well as create the perfect mood and setting.
Be creative and try out dramatic lighting positions to brighten up different sections of your home. In order to get this trick right, use accessories that allow multiple positioning angles for the best effect.
Lights at the entrace of a house need to be positioned well to create an impact
Outdoors
Use lighting to enhance certain points of your outdoors. Lighting can help create interesting focal points that can be viewed from the house especially at night. Outdoor lights can also complement your landscaping. One thing to avoid is too much light.
Super bright sections of your outdoors can also create dark and potentially unsafe areas. Low lighting is highly recommended for outdoors. Remember, less is more!
Daylight
Naturally lit rooms make us feel happier and more vibrant. Wherever possible make use of natural light instead of artificial lighting. This not only creates light spaces especially in dark rooms, it also allows you to cut down on your monthly energy bills. You can also use light shelves to reflect light deeper into house. By using varying angles and height, you can control the intensity, pattern, and depth or penetration of the natural light. You can also use shiny surfaces in a room to reflect as much natural light as possible.
Use natural light instead of artificial lighting wherever possible
Reflection and shadows
In order to bring out the best in any room, you need to perfectly balance light, shade, and reflection. These are the key pillars to consider while using lighting for home improvement. When applied correctly, you can easily and effectively transform and enhance your living spaces. All that is required is to first take into consideration the functionality of the room you are working. This will then enable you to use these three elements effectively.
