Guide to Choosing Lighting for Your Home

Lighting is an essential element in interior design. The right lighting fixture will not only add to the beauty of the space but also ensure that it is comfortable and functional. Light also affects colour and texture. If you want a more cohesive design, do not only focus on the furnishings but also plan the right lighting scheme that will complement your chosen aesthetic.

The basic principles of planning a lighting scheme

Before you choose a lighting fixture, you need to determine the purpose of the room and the kind of atmosphere you want to create. For example, you will want your kitchen to be brighter, but not necessarily adopt the same scheme for the living room. Instead of flooring a living room with light, you can select a single modern lighting piece that will be the focal point of the room.

Apart from light coming from artificial fixtures, you also need to account for natural light entering the room at different times of the day. Planning a lighting scheme should depend on this factor as well.

Layering light

The most traditional form of lighting relies on a single ceiling light or chandelier for the entire room. The best way to create a fantastic ambiance is by adding lighting in layers. There are four types of lighting you can use:

• General overhead light
• Ambient lighting typically coming from recessed light sources
• Directional lighting which is best for spaces like a home office or the kitchen
• Decorative or accent lighting such as lamps added in the corner of a living room

If you want the best lighting plan for your home, think about focusing on accent lighting first, and then move on to the other types of lighting. Before you finalise a room design, make a map of where you want to put lights according to the purpose of the room.

Finalising your style choice

Selecting a specific style can be overwhelming. A good starting point will be to look at the general aesthetic of your home and decide on adapting a single design. Are you leaning towards transitional, mid-century, or farmhouse chic? You can get inspiration from interior design articles online and in magazines.

Take time to learn technical aspects of lighting

When you have decided on the style and lighting plan, the last step is to ensure that you choose the right bulbs for the lighting fixtures. The following are four of the standard options available today:

• Incandescent
• Fluorescent
• Halogen
• LED

Each type of bulb has pros and cons which you need to carefully study to ensure that you choose one that fits your budget and lifestyle. Among these four choices, an emerging trend is to use LED lights because these are more energy efficient. LED light technology has also advanced significantly over the years, giving homeowners more choices.

If you are unsure about the right lighting technology to select for your home, you can seek the advice of an expert to outline the technical aspects of each type of lighting.