Let’s face it; standard overhead lights are boring. The idea of one central point of light in the middle of a ceiling is as old as the invention of the light bulb. We’ve tried dressing it up with elegant lampshades and chandeliers, we’ve tried dimmers, and we’ve even reached the point where we can turn them on and off with a clap of our hands. Most people think that’s a recent invention, but it’s actually been around since the 1980s. Other than that, there’s been no real change in the field of home lighting for what feels like centuries.
That isn’t for lack of trying though; there are plenty of great ideas out there for home lightning that can really change the look and feel of a room; they just haven’t become wildly popular. If you’re considering home renovation and you want to give an old room new life, changing the way that light is used in that room goes a long way to achieving that without spending thousands on new fixtures and fittings. Lightning can set the mood, the ambiance and the atmosphere of a room in ways that you don’t even realize until you see it done. Think of the lighting in the clubs on Miami Vice Here are some great ideas for home illumination ideas that will help you look at your rooms in a new light!
Multiple Fixtures
The principle of putting one large light in the middle of the ceiling of a large room is an easy one to understand – it’s the most efficient way of getting light into every corner. It’s not necessarily the most effective, though. The focus of the light will always be at the center of the room, and you’ll naturally end up with darker corners of the room and unwanted shadows. It can also create an irritating overhead glare which reflects off windows and televisions.
Instead of having one large fitting in the ceiling, consider three or for smaller ones. Arrange them in a triangular or square shape, to suit the size of your room. Aim for symmetry, so light is distributed evenly, and go for clean and plain fittings to avoid shadows our silhouettes being cast.
Accent Lighting
Dare to be completely different from your lighting strategy. Do away with bulbs completely, and consider strips of accent lighting around the edges of your ceiling. This probably won’t work if you have a completely flat ceiling, but if yours is ridged or edged it may provide the perfect structure to attach thin lighting strips. You could also add strategically placed spotlights to highlight wall furnishings.
This is an entirely different way of lighting a room and provides an aura of elegance and sophistication. If you’ve been to a high-end casino, you’ll likely have seen this strategy employed in their in-house lightning systems, where it contributes to the creation of a classy atmosphere. This may be particularly desirable in a dining room or a games room. You may not have the space to include a full sized poker or roulette table, but you could always use the room to play online slots instead. They always say that you have to look and feel the part if you’re going to play the part, and if you can create a casino atmosphere at home you might just find that you approach the reels with more confidence and panache! Remember where you got the advice if you win big.
Use Sconces
If you’re new to the idea of sconces, then there’s an explanation of the concept here. They look and move a little like a large desk lamp, but they’re intended to illuminate a large room. They’re versatile and can be moved and positioned to accentuate any part of the room.
A good sconce light will contain an internal disc, which you can adjust to alter the size and intensity of the light being projected. As well as being a source of illumination, a sconce can also take on the form of a sculpture, with designs of all colors and types available. It will certainly make a good conversation point for visitors to your home.
Play With Levels
The tried-and-trusted way of arranging lights at home is to have the big one in the ceiling and then maybe some additional floor or table lamps. You can have the big light off and the floor and table lights on if you want to create a romantic or cozy atmosphere or all of them on if you need additional lighting for some purpose. But why have three types of illumination when you could have all of your needs covered by the same set of switches?
There’s nothing to say that patio lights – the kind you might fit an external wall to provide lightning to a yard or garden – can’t be used indoors. Sometimes, a patio light fitting halfway up a wall, or in a doorway, is the best way of illuminating that space. You could have a patio light on the wall above or behind the television to illuminate it without creating screen glare. Another just above or below a clock. With enough of them on your wall, you may not want or need to consider a ceiling light at all.
Consider Colors
Lightbulbs don’t only come in white. We know this because we’ve all seen colored lights before (especially at Christmas), but for some reason, we all choose to ignore this, and continue to use bright white lights in our homes when they may not be the best choice; especially when it comes to getting to sleep.
We may have been taught that red lights in a bedroom suggest that a person might belong to a particular trade, when in fact science has proven that red bulbs are the most conducive to getting a good night’s sleep. If you find yourself struggling to drift off after a busy day, you might be surprised by how much a red bulb, or even a pink bulb, helps to create an atmosphere that relaxes you and allows you to enter a natural sleeping state much easier. It’s all to do with eliminating ‘blue’ light, which is emitted by both white light bulbs and computer screens and is bad for the part of the brain which produces melatonin. We need melatonin in order to sleep.