Let There Be Light: A Guide to Indoor Lighting

Among the essential elements of a home’s interior is lighting.

The placement, color, and intensity of your interior lighting are critical in bringing your design vision to life as well as in establishing the mood you wish to set.

A common misconception is that there is only one kind of indoor lighting, when there are actually three:

1. Ambient lighting, also known as general lighting. It fills up the majority of the room and allows you to move around freely and safely.

 

2. Accent lighting. It adds drama to a room by highlighting a particular focal point such as wall art, sculpture, or anything else you see fit. It is usually three times stronger than the ambient lighting around it.

 

3. Task lighting. It helps you perform a specific task such as reading, studying, or cooking.

Here are a few tips that will help you use indoor lighting to create a well-balanced interior design.

1. Make sure that your entryway is always well-lit. A ceiling fixture will do nicely in providing the ambient lighting you need. Add a pendant light supplemented with a track light if you have anything that you wish highlighted.

 

2. Use multiple layers of lighting in the living room. It’s a multi-faceted room, used in many different ways so it should be lit accordingly. Ambient lighting is easily set up with a ceiling fixture such as a cove light with downlighting. Use track lights focused on an object of interest to add drama to the overall feel. An arched lamp or floor lamp beside a lounge chair is perfect for when you just want to sit, relax, and read.

 

3. The dining room has come to be used for more than just having meals so you’ll want it be both welcoming and stylish. We encourage you to layer your lights here, just like in the living room. A statement pendant light above the dining table sets up Instagram-worthy photo ops. If you have a sideboard with a nice set of accessories and mirror, accent it with table lamps on either side.

 

4. The bedroom is where you want to create a warm, relaxing, and inviting atmosphere. Forego the traditional bedside table lamps in favor of low hanging pendant lights. If you have a study area, a desk lamp or overhead light makes for easy reading or office work.

Lastly, we encourage you to always keep in mind that natural light is the one source that should be fully taken advantage of.