Contemporary lighting is crucial when remodeling a space or even a whole home. Since humans are naturally inclined to want light, dimly illuminated rooms are unpleasant and may even be gloomy. Naturally, specific spaces call for more subtle lighting than others. For example, a bedroom doesn’t need harsh lighting, yet a dramatic doorway or living room may look magnificent with a robust and dramatic spotlight.
It is more challenging to prepare for contemporary lighting in an older property. Here are twelve things to think about when you plan your lighting upgrade.
1. Start with your natural illumination. What way are the windows on your home facing? The sunshine from southern-facing windows will be warmer and yellower than that from northern windows, which is often colder and whiter. Although this is ideal for plants, painters prefer the more solid white of the north and find it less satisfying. The equal color and lack of shadows of northern light make it less cozy in a cozy den.
2. How do your landscape and architecture affect the light? Do you have any trees or plants that obstruct the bottom portions of the windows and reduce the amount of light coming in? Is there a shadow from a roofline at a critical spot in the room? Is it possible to improve the amount and quality of light available without spending a fortune?
3. What kind of activities occur in your rooms? Are some of them more light-demanding than others? Robust and consistent lighting that illuminates the whole workspace is necessary for a desk that houses coursework or needlework. However, this type of full brightness is not what someone who is unwinding in a chair and watching TV after a long day needs.
4. Will you need adjustable lighting? When supper is served, and the dining room table is set, you may need an intense light focused on it. However, softer lighting is preferable when everyone has been seated and finished filling their plates, and a dimmer switch will neatly offer varied intensities.
5. Are there any particulars in your space that you want to draw attention to? Maybe you have a magnificent fireplace or priceless artwork? Spot illumination could be suitable in this situation. You may want to dim the light in other required places but not very appealing. Or maybe you have a breathtaking view that is particularly beautiful at night. In such instances, it will be more challenging or impossible to see outside due to the lights reflecting from the windows.
6. Can you change your design style to let more light into a room? We just painted all the woodwork and cabinetry a creamy white, added 2″ white wood blinds, and lightened a dark paneled room. The whole space has an entirely different look and has brightened tremendously with this pretty easy alteration.
7. What impact do your window coverings have on the light? Some houses with thick curtains are either “on” or “off,” meaning that either the drapes are drawn, making the space dark and dreary most of the time, or they are open, allowing no sunshine to flow through. While still allowing a significant amount of light to enter and brighten a space, blinds or other types of shades may filter light.
8. The decorative elements in your house may either contribute to or subtract light. For instance, although outside shutters or awnings may obstruct the sun’s rays, a mirror will offer a feeling of openness and light. On a 95-degree summer day, it may be fantastic to block out bright sunshine, but in the dead of winter, we want every scrap of light we can get.
9. What about the normal flow of traffic in your room? The best usage of your light sources wouldn’t be a floor lamp positioned in a spot where people would have to go past it. Are there handy on/off switches beside each entrance? Most folks don’t want to spend time skulking about in the dark on the wall. If this applies to you, an ingenious solution is a simple sensor that illuminates a room when a person enters.
10. Where is the over- and under-lighting? For instance, my bedroom has a ceiling fan with a powerful overhead light. It is excellent for choosing the right pair of socks to put on in the morning but utterly inappropriate for reading in bed before night. Intense illumination is required for a pool table but not for a cozy lounging area in a garden room.
11. What type of lighting is required in your space? Above a kitchen island, fluorescent bulbs would be ideal, but they would look hideous just above a dining area. Such unattractive lighting may be welcomed in schools and other institutions, while incandescent lighting may be preferable at home.
12. How is the wiring in your home? Elegant new lighting systems often cannot be installed without some effort due to old and obsolete wiring. Changes to wiring may be costly and disruptive, but they also provide a chance to establish new switches and bring about updates for modern TV and sound systems, high-speed Internet connections, and new PCs.
The ultimate effect will undoubtedly be more pleasing to everyone who lives in your house if you consider all of these circumstances before investing even a single cent in upgrading to more modern lighting.
