Every room in your household serves a different purpose, so your choice of home lighting should echo this. Certain living spaces, like your lounge, are best suited to more overall, indirect lighting, while the utility room or kitchen entails task-oriented lighting.
What does that mean? The fixture types, lighting location, and light intensity must differ between rooms. If you’re wondering how to ascertain the right lighting for all the rooms in your home, read on. We’ve narrowed it down for you to ensure you equip every area in your home for optimal lighting.
Lighting layers
First, let’s discuss layers of lighting. The four key lighting types include accent, ambient, decorative, and task. Accent lights radiate the light on a specific item, ambient lights establish the ambience of the space, decorative lights convey a personal style, and task lighting ensures that work areas are well-lit for optimal productivity.
The kitchen
Did you know? We spend roughly 253 minutes every week in the kitchen. So, the correct lighting is essential in this living space to carry out a range of activities, whether you're entertaining, eating, cooking or helping your children with homework. As you use room in your home for numerous tasks, you need functional lighting – but you don't have to skimp on style.
The majority of kitchens, particularly bigger ones, require several lighting types for sufficient illumination. For overall (ambient) illumination, plump for downlights or a ceiling fixture that distributes light consistently around the room.
Next, install light sources directly over work sites to deliver task lighting. Pendant lights are incredibly popular choices for food prep areas such as undercabinet lights and over an island.
For added function, finish off your kitchen lighting look with accent lights. Placing LED strip lights between the cabinet and floor provides gentle illumination for late-night trips to the kitchen area. Tubes or fluorescent lights can display glass-front cupboards or dishes on open shelves.
That said, your kitchen's shape, measurements and style will conclude the exact lighting fixtures you need. If your ceilings aren’t high, pendant lights probably aren’t the right choice. Alternatively, select flush ceiling lights for smaller kitchens.
The bedroom
You want the dominant feel in your bedroom to be serene and exude relaxation. Whether you enjoy cosying up with the latest TV series in bed or ending the day getting lost in a good novel, you want to forget the stresses of your day and feel entirely calm.
While your bed may be comfy, if you lack the correct type of lighting, you won’t be able to chill out. Too bland, and you won’t be able to see the text in your book. Too bright, and you won’t be able to unwind.
The secret to creating a serene sanctuary to kick back in and save space is to position a pair of wall lights over your bedside tables. Consider placing a couple of our amelia light gold & marble wall lights above your bedside tables. The gold will work wonderfully if you have dark bedroom walls, creating a tranquil setting - ideal for escaping to at the end of the day.
The Office
Lighting really matters on a practical level in your office room. If you spend several hours a day staring at a laptop screen or focusing on practical tasks, having the right lighting is paramount so you don’t strain your eyes.
Table lamps or desk lamps are examples of directional lighting. They're excellent, especially if you have to spend time concentrating on intricate details. Otherwise, wall lights (a pair of industrial-style ones) ensure the room is well-lit, and you can install them above your desk space.
If you’d rather have general lights illuminate the entire space, select pendant lighting, as they offer an attractive focal point. Having said that, task lighting is best. In an office environment, table lamps and wall lights aren’t the most suitable choices for this.
The dining room
The main lighting type in your dining room must be soft, as it’s vital to set the mood just right. Because you’ll probably use the dining room in the evenings when the light draws in, don’t be afraid to be bolder with your illumination options.
Place pendant lighting over your dining room table for a truly relaxing dining experience. This taylin black halo LED pendant ceiling light will no doubt make a statement in your space and is ideal for styling in a monochrome scheme.
The lounge
As per the name, your lounge or living room is typically used to lounge in. So, you want your lighting in this living space to be versatile. From homework to hobbies, reading to watching TV, the living room is where everything happens. Integrating dimmer switches will enable you to tweak the lighting during the day.
In terms of lighting layers in the lounge, you need all types. Home ceiling lights like pendants are perfect for positioning in the middle of the area, letting light cascade across the lounge to evoke a mood in the room.
Whether you bring elegance to your lounge with our jessamine gold & white medium fringed pendant ceiling light or add a glam statement with our atrium gold hanging pendant ceiling light, our range works with any living space.
Wall lights are great for positioning above the sofa to give sufficient lighting for hobbies like browsing on a laptop or reading. You could place this oralie matte brass wall light with mink shade in the corner of your lounge next to a table light to create the ultimate retreat after a tiring day.
The bathroom
Bathrooms involve more thought. Consider where your lighting needs to be installed, so they’re erected at a safe distance from the shower, sink or bath to stop water from getting into electrical components. As such, bear in mind the Ingress Protection (IP) ratings.
Position wall lighting on either side of a mirror to ensure there’s enough light to shave, apply cosmetics or brush your teeth. If you place two lights on either flank of a mirror, you balance out the space, ensuring there’s consistent illumination for carrying out these tasks.
Consider complementing your wall lights with foliage, wooden elements and stylish floor tiles to create a tranquil and relaxing haven. Your bathroom is a space to unwind, relax and forget your woes by enjoying an indulgent soak. So, make sure you can tweak the lighting so it isn’t too extreme and bright. Flush lighting and pendants create a soothing ambience and look striking, too.
Wrapping it up
From ambient lighting in the lounge to task lights in your kitchen, each room in your household necessitates a specific lighting type.
If you need a little inspiration, look no further than our dedicated lighting section – there’s plenty to pick that not only looks great but also serves its intended purpose and enhances the overall mood of your living spaces. If you aren’t sure which lighting to choose, talk to us – we’d be happy to give you some advice.
