Interior Lighting Tips to Help Illuminate your Home

 Entry #1802, November 8, 2012

Many people feel that a single overhead light is the only light source necessary for a living room and whilst this is not strictly false a room can certainly benefit from the thoughtful implementation of multiple light sources.

There are a few ‘rules’ to lighting a room and, considering the amount of time one spends in a lounge, it makes sense to take heed of these in order to create the most beneficial and comfortable atmosphere. Below is a selection of tips and relevant light sources that should assist you in creating a multi-functional and attractive array of lighting solutions.

Choose lighting that is right for your home

Task lighting ideas

For regular readers, knitters or performers of similar close-attention activities, the addition of task lighting to a room is a necessity and can significantly improve the experience by reducing eye strain, all the while providing a valuable contribution to a room’s décor. Task lighting, as the name suggests, is any light source that provides illumination to an area frequently used for a task, specifically one that requires a certain degree of light. An example of how such lighting could be used would be through the addition of a tall stemmed lamp, behind or to the side of a regularly used armchair. The bulb of this lamp should ideally be above eye level to avoid glare and eye strain and should possess a shade that diffuses the light evenly over the desired area. The lamps on the left possess elegant brass stems that reach the perfect height to sit alongside a well-loved chair, whether as a floor lamp or a table lamp. The simplistic shade’s angles direct the light at an obtuse angle, ensuring a large degree of light coverage over anything that lay below it. The warm tones of brass as a material grant it a timeless quality, lending itself to both traditional and contemporary décors and serving to reinforce, rather than confuse, a room’s design.

Accent lighting

The featured wall lamp possesses many of the same qualities as the aforementioned floor lamp but holds the added bonus of taking up an incredibly small amount of space and freeing up valuable wall sockets for other items. Wall lamps may also be used in conjunction with dimmer switches which significantly increase their functionality as well as providing somewhat eco-conscious qualities, as it negates the need to be using full power at all times. The addition of a dimmer switch allows the wall lamp to function as both task lighting and accent lighting. Accent lighting is the use of light sources to create highlights in a room, drawing attention to certain features or simply providing a more interesting coverage of light over a given space. Several wall fixtures in a row, for example, can create a scalloped effect on the wall below, adding interest to a blank wall or providing ‘zones’ within which items of curiosity can be added, thus drawing more attention to them and adding the dedicated lighting they deserve.

Table lamps can provide task and casual accent lighting to your interiors

Ambient lighting

Having outlined the options outside of overhead ambient lighting, it must not itself be neglected. After all, it does provide the vast majority of overall illumination to a room and, if not properly optimised (that is: being placed in an appropriate location, fitted with an appropriate strength bulb and a properly sized shade) then a room may seem dull and uninviting. One may maximise the effect of overhead lighting by adding a relevantly styled shade that fits in with your room’s décor and projects the light adequately around the room without creating dismal areas or incongruities in illumination. If these problems cannot be remedied by the use of thoughtful light-shading or the addition of another overhead light then one must turn to additional sources of lighting such as table, wall and long stemmed lamps.

Shades such as the ones below are perfect for overhead lighting as their significant size and elegant design means that they contribute to a room’s décor without dominating it. The patterned shade would be an effective addition to both traditional and contemporary decors as it simultaneously suggests a cosmopolitan air alongside a traditional Anglo-Indian infused design, featuring the timeless paisley pattern. Similarly, the rough linen shade also thrives in a menagerie of décor situations, serving to subtly support a room theme instead of dominating it like a hanging distraction.

Ambient lighting can give your overall room character

Candle lighting

Candle light is the most underrated light source available as it is often dismissed as dangerous or simply ineffective in comparison to electric lighting. It may not be able to match the intensity of an incandescent bulb, but that is not where the candle’s allure lays. Offering a warm glow and a natural charm, the function of the candle is to support the main lighting in the same way as table lamps, albeit on a smaller scale. It is perhaps more conducive to think of the candle as a single fairy light than a very small lamp, creating highlights and drawing attention to features, be it a specific item of curio or a particularly elegant candlestick itself. Items such as this large helix-shaped hurricane candle add a touch of elegance wherever they are placed, but a truly fitting location would be atop the mantelpiece as part of a pair. When lit they draw attention to the mantelpiece and the candles themselves, as well as adding an illuminated accent which serves to create a feature of the fireplace itself.

To summarise, lighting can be as simple or complex as you desire although the benefits of optimising a room’s lighting are numerous. Aside from the ergonomic benefit of reducing eye strain, function specific lighting adds increased flexibility with regards to a room, or section of a room, and its intended purpose. A relaxed atmosphere can be created with dimmed lamps and candles or the perfect atmosphere for close attention tasks can be produced with taller or multidirectional lamps. Features and focal points can be highlighted with thoughtful illumination through accent lighting, adding further aesthetic weight to certain elements of a room’s décor.

Overall, despite there being certain ways of optimising a room’s lighting, these are open to interpretation and, since light leaves no mark, one must feel free to experiment with the position of illumination and the associated light sources that produce them.

Image sources: 1, 2, 3

For more lighting ideas on Stagetecture, click here.