How to select the right lighting for your home

By learning how to select the right lighting for your home, you will be able to select fixtures that will add life life to your space instead of just illumination ... photo by CC user siooh on pixabay

Renovating your home, getting ready to move into a new space, or building your dream house from the ground up? While you have focused on tasks like getting marble counter tops for the kitchen and building the perfect deck in the backyard, nothing puts the exclamation point on domestic design quite like proper lights inside and out.

If you are looking to learn how to select the right lighting for your home, this article will set you down the right path.

1) Use direct lighting for work spaces, and ambient lighting where recreation is the goal

Each room in your house have usage needs that vary from the others; as such, you should select lighting that will complement those spaces well, as well the activities that are conducted in them.

For example, buying direct and task lighting makes sense for your home office, as it is a place where you need targeted illumination in order to get important done.

On the other hand, ambient/indirect lighting is the better fit when it comes to living and dining rooms, as setting a mood is the more important goal in spaces such as these.

2) Consider installing floodlights on your home’s exterior to keep your family and property safe

Neglecting to keep the perimeter of your home properly lit after dark can be an open invitation for thieves to target your house, making it vital to ensure that any approach cannot be made with stealth. Floodlights fill this need well, but make certain that they are fitted with motion sensors, as having these lights on all night can run up your electric bill in a hurry.

Additionally, make sure they are positioned so that they don’t cause undue nuisance to your neighbors … the last thing you need is to turn one of your best security assets against you without you even knowing it.

3) Don’t be shy … experiment with bold fixtures to give your interior a unique identity

Most homeowners stick to convenient fixtures, which gives their home a dull and boring feel. The fact that you reading this article right now shows that you care about giving your living spaces an identity that stands out from the rest.

Recessed lighting with dimming capability is an easy way you can adjust the mood in a room, while those looking to go all out have no shortage of options at their disposal, from postmodern lamps that provide ambient light while being an art piece all by itself, to chandeliers that demand attention with the gaudy crystals that hang off its expansive frame.

If your local lighting stores don’t have what you are looking for in their inventory, then online stores like lampcommerce will often have something that will suit your space nicely.