Hot tips to light up your home

Lighting can have a major impact on the look and feel of your home, and is an important part of any good design. Good lighting can enhance any room – but great lighting can make it shine.

We all know that lighting has an obvious function and purpose, however, it can also be used to highlight a feature in your home and it’s not only about functionality. A successful lighting plan is about layering, which builds flexibility into a room. Good lighting is not just about looking pretty in the room; if layered well it will be purposeful and enhance the overall aesthetic of your space.

Four basic types of lighting

There are four basic types of lighting in design: Ambient, task, accent and decorative. Ambient lighting illuminates any given space and gives you ease of mobility throughout a room. Task lighting, just as it sounds, affords additional lighting in specific areas devoted to a particular task or function. Accent lighting can be used to highlight artwork, decor or perhaps architectural features within a space; it can be a great way to highlight a focal point in a room. Finally, we have decorative lighting, which is simply an accessory to your room, or the finishing touch.

Design tips to get you started

• Lighting stores can be a great source of technical knowledge that can help to create a suitable plan for your home
• Consider the activities and ambiance you want for your space
• Incorporate a different style of light into your space, something a bit modern in a more traditional environment, or a beautiful crystal chandelier paired with a rustic farmhouse table
• The general rule for an eight-ft. ceiling height is that a chandelier should be hung approximately 29 to 33 in. above a dining table, for each added foot of ceiling height increase by three in.
• Consider highlighting any decorative elements such as artwork

As a designer, I like to consider yet another source of lighting – natural light. It’s the most inexpensive, environmentally friendly and sought-after form of light available. Many new condo and home builds today are being designed and constructed with wonderfully large window features that allow for maximum natural light, even in small spaces. Natural light not only services the functional aspect of light in design, it also helps to create a warm and inviting aesthetic for your home. When designing your space consider how natural light moves through your space, and how to use this source of light to your benefit.

In many renovations today, recessed pot lights are the go-to option when looking to upgrade lighting in a home. However, for condo dwellers, this is not necessarily feasible, as ceilings are mostly concrete. When looking to modify your condo, there are some ceiling details that may allow you to add pot lights. If yours permits, features such as a tray or a coffered ceiling can be a nice way to not only add interest to your space, but also allow you to add recessed pot lighting. If this is not an option for you, consider adding track lighting; the systems on the market today have a far more upscale look to them, with many more size and style options than in the past, while being far more user-friendly for the condo environment.

Whatever your lighting inspiration, be sure to pay attention to your lighting plan and needs so you not only create a space that is safe and functional, but also uses light to create a warm and inviting ambiance.