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Effective Ways to Use Lighting
by Michael Holland, www.home-decorating-made-easy.com
Home lighting is arguably the most important element
in home interior decorating. It is instrumental in setting the mood of any
room. It can convey warmth and intimacy or create the right atmosphere for
entertaining.
To ensure that you will achieve the desired effect for your rooms, it is
important that you first understand the four basic types of home lighting.
1. Ambient or general lighting - illuminates the whole room.
You probably notice it from recessed and track lighting. Certain wall sconces
are yet another example. I recommend that you install a dimmer with your
track and recessed lights so that you have the added flexibility in adjusting
the brightness.
2. Task lighting - provides sufficient light to help you perform
the task at hand, e.g., reading, cooking, shaving, etc. Task lighting should
be glare free. And it should make things easy to see without tiring or straining
your eyes.
3. Accent lighting - is focused lighting that is used to illuminate
a sculpture, piece of art, or architectural element in a room. Accent lighting
is about three times as bright as ambient lighting.
4. Natural lighting - comes through windows, doors, and skylights.
Depending on the time of day, season, or weather, it can vary in brightness
and intensity.
As with all of your decorating efforts, do a little
planning before you rush out and purchase your home lighting fixtures. Think
carefully about the activities that will occur in each area of the room.
Don't be afraid to use multiple types of interior lighting in a room. In
fact this is highly desirable and will create very dramatic effects.
Lighting can also be helpful in making a room look larger or smaller. For
example, if a room seems too narrow, then wash one wall with light to visually
expand it.
If a ceiling is high, but you want the room to have
a more intimate and cozy feel, don't allow much light to escape beyond the
height of the light/lamp shade. And if you want to make a small room
look larger, try up-lighting the ceiling.
If you're searching for home lighting ideas and
fixtures, I recommend that you check out Bellacor. Their selection of home
lighting fixtures is quite impressive. There are many items to satisfy all
decorating tastes.
Bellacor:
http://www.bellacor.com/index.cfm?partid=CJ&AID=1555382&PID=943126
ROOM-BY-ROOM LIGHTING IDEAS
You'll find that there are literally hundreds of
home lighting options for your home. Think of lighting from two aspects….functional
and aesthetic.
Functionally, home lighting needs to provide the
correct type of light in sufficient quantity for the intended purpose. Aesthetically,
it can be configured to create the desired mood through its intensity and
color. Below are some ideas for lighting the various rooms in your
home. And if you're interested in learning which light bulbs are best suited
for your lighting fixtures, click here...
Home Lighting Fixtures:
http://www.home-decorating-made-easy.com/home-lighting-fixtures.html
LIVING ROOMS
* Place a lamp behind every reader's shoulder…about 42
inches above the floor. Click on this link for ideas on re-energizing outdated
Table Lamps.
* Highlight a framed piece of art with halogen track lighting or by attaching a picture light
* Use accent lights to illuminate book or display shelves.
* Install recessed lighting as your general lighting or to bring out beautiful wall textures (use a dimmer)
* Slim strip lights come in just about any length and can stick to the edge
of shelves or ledges to highlight displays or provide a soft wash to a wall
KITCHENS
* A grid of recessed ceiling cans will provide great general lighting
* Install individual recessed down-lights as task lighting for the sink and range
* Place halogen pendant lights over bars and counters
* Under-cabinet lights make excellent task lighting
DINING ROOMS
* A chandelier over the dining room table creates a beautiful setting (use a dimmer)
* Highlight a framed piece of art with halogen track lighting or by attaching a picture light
* Install halogen strip lighting your china cabinet to highlight china or collectibles
* If a chandelier is not your taste and you have a long table, try a trio of pendant lights
BEDROOMS
* Place table lamps on your bedside tables. (For children's
rooms, avoid halogen lamps which can get very hot.)
* Wall sconces can provide good general lighting without being too bright
* If there is not much space, consider recessed lights or pendant lights
* Don't forget candlelight if a romantic setting is what you have in mind
BATHROOMS
* Use shadow-free fluorescent or incandescent lights around mirrors for grooming
* To avoid heavy shadows, place mirror lights on the side rather than directly overhead
* Don't forget to install a nightlight
If your home could use a little spicing up, then
don't miss an issue of DecoDreams, our FREE e-zine. You'll find lots of tips
to help busy weekend decorators like yourself.
Deco-Dreams:
http://www.home-decorating-made-easy.com/free-interior-decorating-ideas.html
And if you'd like to explore some excellent books
on this topic, please check out these recommended resource links.
Lighting: Recipes & Ideas, Simple solutions for the Home - I bought this
book just before moving to my first owned little apartment. This is a beautiful
book with many practical solutions for lighting. Well illustrated pictures
with great ideas.
Amazon.com:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/081182716X/katiediddesign
*NEW* The Awaken Your Interior Designer! Collection - Brought to you by Home
Decorating Made Easy, this first of its kind collection of interactive guidebooks
provides a unique step-by-step approach for creating beautiful and inspiring
rooms easier and faster than ever before. You'll find all kinds of money-
and time- saving tips and ideas inside. Your success is guaranteed!
From Home-Decorating-Made-Easy:
http://www.home-decorating-made-easy.com/learn-interior-decorating.html
Right Light: Lighting Essentials For The Home - This is a wonderful book
for any individual who is decorating their home or any design professional
who wants to know about as many lighting options as possible. It is packed
with tips, tricks and ideas to make successfully lighting your home easy.
Amazon.com:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/156496616X/katiediddesign
I hope this information on home lighting has been helpful!
_________________________
Copyright 2002 Michael Holland
- http://www.home-decorating-made-easy.com
Want more great home decorating ideas? Then visit
<http://www.home-decorating-made-easy.com/free-interior-decorating-ideas.html>.
Even beginners can now decorate with confidence!
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