Lighting helps a lot with the aesthetics of a home and can also influence how a person feels about a space. With the proper lighting, a person can set a good atmosphere for a room and can be used to make it cozier or more inviting. When you have a brighter room, it is less likely to find bugs and spiders because there are no dark spaces for them to hide in. This article discusses how to make a home brighter.
Assess the Current Lighting
Before making a room brighter, we must start by understanding how bright it is already to identify the weak areas. Before beginning the journey, it is good to take note of what you are actually aiming to fix because you can not solve a problem without acknowledging that it exists first. Walk into every room and study how the lighting is especially the natural lighting. Identify the areas that are good with just the natural light and the ones that need a bit of help to illuminate. Natural lighting will save a lot on the cost of lighting a room because it does not require any fees to have it running or incur any bills. There are options a person can pick to supplement natural lighting, like the facade lighting, in Dutch called ‘Gevelverlichting’, which has a variety of lights a person can choose from or get inspiration from. Now, for the existing lights, check whether they are in good condition, are providing the right amount of light, and have the aesthetic you want. From there, a person can have an idea of where they are starting from.
Choose the Right Bulbs
Bulbs come in many varieties, so it is essential to pick the ones that fit the purpose of the end goal. LED lights are good in most cases because they are energy efficient and are good at providing a crisp, bright light for aesthetics. Each type of bulb serves a purpose, so it is good to do some research to know the kind of bulb to pick and which ones not to. Some of them can have excellent warm light but emit a lot of heat, which can raise the electricity bill significantly, while some can be energy-saving but produce too much light that is not needed. This is a concept in color temperature for a person who wants to know more about the type of bulb for their room. A person can also invest in bulbs with adjustable brightness and warmth options as they are easy to adapt when it comes to setting the mood and are usable in different settings.
Improve Natural Lighting
Natural lighting is usually one of the easiest ways to make a room brighter and is very cost-effective. Natural light is free, so no costs are incurred to use it, and it is really good at fitting with many aesthetics, so there is no worry that it might not fit the room’s style. To increase the amount of light in a room, ensure that the windows are clean to allow it in. Sometimes, windows can get dirty due to smudges and dust that accumulate, and over time, it gets to a point where it is limiting light from entering. It becomes translucent instead of transparent, which is not good if a person is depending on that light. Pair clean windows with light curtains to maximize this light. Light curtains allow light to pass through as well as maintain the privacy of the home. Sometimes, a person can install mirrors in a room, which helps to bounce light around the house, making it even brighter.
Add More Light Fixtures
Sometimes, a room may only need a little light but just a little to get the atmosphere to where a person wants it to be. Make sure that the lighting is not too much because going extreme will do the opposite instead of making it beautiful. This makes light fixtures an excellent option to add a bit of light to the place. These can be ceiling lights or wall sconces. Ceiling lights are supposed to be the primary source of light in the room, so invest in good fixtures like chandeliers or pendant lights. They help to get light to all the corners of the house and floors. Scones, on the other hand, are used to provide warm lighting in a room, like more of a decorative touch. They fit well in hallways and bedrooms that do not require that much light to function. Another great way to light up a room is by using lamps because they can be moved around to find the best positions or areas that have darkened after moving around furniture. Lamps are versatile, and a person can play around with them, making them an excellent choice to liven up a room.
Layer Your Lighting
Layering lighting is a concept that is used to make a room more vibrant, thought out, and inviting. There are usually three layers to lighting: ambient, task, and accent lighting. This method is used to achieve harmony or a more functional space and, if used correctly, can be a stepping stone to getting a great aesthetic for a room. The ambient lighting is the first layer that provides the basis of the lighting structure and provides the brightness in a room. It is achieved through ceiling fixtures, as we discussed above. Task lighting is used when someone is doing something or in areas where tasks happen, hence the name ‘task lighting’, like cooking or reading. These are the lamps around a home, the kitchen lights and desk lamps that are not really required, so they can be switched off when not in use. The accent lighting is for drawing attention to a home’s features like TV backlights or the wall scones that we mentioned. They are usually warm colors that are generally not that bright. A person should know the unique features that are in their house and use them to leverage the beauty of the place, and this helps a lot to take the aesthetic of a place to the next step.
Consider Color Psychology
When it comes to lighting, it is essential to ensure that you have done enough research on color psychology. Color psychology will help a person understand how to coordinate and choose colors for specific rooms. For example, the bedroom should have warm and dim colors as it is a sleeping area, so brightness is optional, unlike in the living room or kitchen area. It is essential to do some research as wrong colors can make a room feel confusing and out of touch. Different areas have different moods, and so should their colors. A good trick is to combine colors that are near each other in the color wheel or the ones that are directly opposite to each other.
Sometimes, it can be good to ask for professional help if the process is getting a little tricky. Sometimes, a person can have a block in their imagination, and it helps get an outsider’s point of view or perspective. It does not have to be an expert, maybe a friend or family member. Something can look good until someone points out a flaw, and now the whole thing looks pretty messed up. The project should be fun and exciting, so play around with the colors until you get one that is good and suits the aesthetic.
