Design your Lighting Plan
Don’t make the mistake of assuming that one type of lighting will suffice when putting a room together. Lighting is a vital component for creating a beautiful, functional space. The right lighting promotes productivity, can make us feel relaxed, comfortable, beautiful; and it helps define spaces and draws people together.
Lighting also affects how we perceive textures and colours, and manipulates the overall feel of a space. And simply, light fixtures can end up being a major focal point in a room — so choose wisely!
The three types: Ambient, Accent and Task Lighting layered beautifully in this Bathroom
Learn the basics and have the right tools to create your own lighting design plan:
Each room should contain layers of these three main types of lighting:
Ambient: aka general lighting, ambient light fills the majority of the room and allows you to move around safely. It usually comes from recessed lighting, track lighting, or wall-mounted fixtures.
Accent: Accent lighting is used to highlight a particular focal point, such as a piece of art. Picture lights, wall-mounted-fixtures, LED strip lighting, star lights are common and dimmers are often used on these features to manipulate their mood enhancing effects.
Task: Used to assist you in completing a particular function, such as under cabinet lighting or pendant lights in the kitchen, or bedside wall fixtures, outdoor or internal sensor lights, external flood lights, nightwalk sensors, stair lights. Wattage and lumens are important factors to consider when selecting task lights.
Combination of Ambient and Task Lighting, and the wonders of natural light.
Let the Room Dictate the Layout:
Entry: Start with a dramatic pendant light or chandelier overhead. Then, supplement with either a table or floor lamp. Or, keep it clean but vogue with a stylised line of downlights and sections of star lights or small LEDs.
Living room: This is a good place to use recessed lighting throughout. If your room has a main seating area, add a stunning feature pendant. Add floor lamps where needed to light shadowy corners and provide cosiness.
Dining room: The dining room is the easiest room to light. Your main source should come from a large, pendant light or chandelier that’s centered over the dining table. If there are additional dark corners, you can use a floor or table lamp to supplement.
Kitchen: A feature pendant is always a great choice if you’re proud of that big island bench. Add underbench LED strip lighting to really show it off. Don’t forget lighting under your overhead cupboards. Downlights or track lighting are a good option for the ambient light.
Bedroom: Bedrooms always fare well with downlights or just a center overhead. To add cosiness and style, wall mounted feature lights add a nice touch. I always recommend dimmers in every bedroom, so mood can be adjusted to suit the time of day.
Bathroom: Recessed lighting is common. You could also add task lights around a mirror or, for a dramatic touch, an overhead source above the tub. Feature strip lighting around mirrors has become popular for Hollywood style bathrooms.
Office: Start with recessed lighting or a main, overhead source. You could use LED battens but it depends how corporate you want your office to feel. Be sure to add table or floor lamps in dark corners or by seating areas. Finally, be sure to use a desk lamp in your main work area.
Outdoor: There is a whole world out there, so don’t neglect the external areas of property. Downlights in the eaves lights up the entire exterior of your home, and is an attractive and practical option. Feature up/down wall lights are a great accent feature to show off your beautiful elevation. In ground garden lights showcase your landscaping during evening barbecues, or recessed path lights or bollard lights can stylishly illuminate the entry to your door. On a practical note, you can also add floodlights on motion sensors if you want added brightness while the kids play outside, as well as providing an added sense of security at night.
Feature spotlights and garden lights to highlight the trees, recessed stair lights and in ground pond lights all combined to make the most of this beautiful setting.