A very important element of design is lighting. It could be the one thing that either brings together your decor or completely throw it off. The key is in how you use the lighting. A few touches and you will instantly appreciate how the room comes together. So what do you need to keep in mind when getting lighting? Here are a few things worth noting.
The first thing you should ask yourself is; what is the function of the room? A kitchen needs different lighting form the room and bathroom. Some rooms need dark lighting while others need brighter lights to really come together. Once you establish what the room will be used for, you can go ahead and get your light. For rooms that need to be relaxing, go for some dark lighting to create a soothing effect. For rooms that are for working purposes you will need accent lights; yellow and orange to really brighten up the place.
The size of the room also matters. Smaller rooms need bright lights that will make the space appear larger while big rooms need dark lights that make the space compact. Measure out the space and think of how many light fixtures you need and in what position. Go for some creativity in how you place each fixture.
Another concept to bear in mind is the colour scheme of the space. You need to go for colours that will complement whatever colour scheme the room has. Let the light blend in well with your paints and fabric colours. Don’t get lighting that will clash and reflect off the colours and cause irritation. You could also choose to break a monotone colour scheme in the room. Say your walls are all beige, your lighting could be coloured; blue or green lights. This will make the room have instant colour without you having to re-paint the walls.
As you design with lighting, think of the mood of the room. Bathrooms and bedrooms need a relaxed mood. While the living room and dining room, go for a more active mood. Factor this into your lighting choice. For relaxed moods, coloured lights that reflect a sense of calmness in the room are ideal. If you want a romantic touch, use some dim lighting using lamp shades in the room.
Lighting can also be used to create a decor theme in the room. If you have a neutral scheme, a few antique lighting fixtures can instantly get you a new decor theme. Or you could go for some metallic lighting fixtures to get the decor theme. Think of what message you want the room to convey and buy lighting that will fit that description.
Designing with lighting is all about how you feel. Let the lighting reflect that. It’s not a permanent thing, so you can easily change that. These few concepts should guide you in the right direction and make your decor experience much more fun.
