Decorating? Don’t Forget Lighting for the Home
If you are considering redecorating or updating your home, don’t forget the lighting. Well chosen and properly installed lighting can make all the difference in your remodel. Lighting for the home has changed dramatically and can add so much value for very little. Bring your home into the 21st century by simply replacing bathroom or kitchen light fixtures.
Good contemporary home lighting will set a relaxed mood, make us look great, and provide ample light for performing tasks. Take a look around the spaces in your home. Commonly we try to light an entire room with a single light source. Instead, try using a variety of light sources, the professionals refer to this as “Layers of Light.” This will help create the proper illumination without glare.
If you are shopping for curved track lighting for the home there is a wide range of choices. Art glass, pendants, monorails and much more is available. Art glass can be ordered in amber, black, opal or red. It is also available in frosted amber, amethyst, white, or green glass. Choose hardware made of bronze or satin nickel in contrast to the gold hardware popular in the 80’s.
While you are working on updating your interior lighting consider your outdoor spaces. Are they well lit for safety and security purposes? Are you concerned with the rising cost of traditionally sources energy? Consider solar lighting for your landscape and patio lights. Are you interested in fighting light pollution? Poor quality outdoor lighting not only wastes billions of dollars and natural resources but it also robs us of our starry skies. Several manufacturers today offer many beautiful and energy saving lighting solutions.
Even more important than the style and finish of your new lighting fixtures is picking the proper size and proportion for your home. The most common mistake is buying lighting for the home that is either too small or too large. Considering size when choosing your fixtures will greatly enhance the final result and visual appearance of the lighting inside or outside your home.
As an example, you can create a warm welcome by installing just the right light by your front door or entry. If a single light or lantern is used, it should be approximately one third the height of the door. If two lights are used on either side of the entry, the fixtures can be a bit smaller in size, maybe one quarter the height of the front door.
Before making the final decision on front entry lighting, take a drive by your home at night. Are there special features you wish to illuminate? Does your pathway need some special attention for safety reasons? Are your street numbers well illuminated?
By following a few simple rules for lighting the interior and exterior of your home will help create the right light for all activities, whether indoors or out. It is quite easy to shop online and carefully peruse the various lighting store’s offerings. Contrast the various prices and styles with what you can find locally at an electrical shop or hardware store in your area. Changing the lighting in the home can add more value than you could imagine.