If I’m taking a selfie, I know exactly where I am going. To my living room, with the pot lights dimmed to exactly 60% and the floor lamp on… 2 steps to the left, now on my tippy toes. Ah yes, the PERFECT lighting for my selfie.
But hey, listen up… good lighting isn’t just for taking a great picture, good lighting in your home has the potential to completely change the way a home looks and feels. If you have a ceiling light that is too big, the room will look awkward. If the light is too small, it will appear shabby. If there is not enough lightning, you won’t be able to see what you’re doing, or create a mood.
Lighting your home is arguably one of the most important aspects of interior design you need to consider. It can be daunting and just downright confusing trying to select the perfect lighting for your home. But don’t worry, we have you covered.
We’ve created this list of Lighting Do’s and Don’ts for you to keep in your back pocket when decorating your space. Stick to these rules and your lighting dilemma will become a lot easier to tackle. Let’s start with the Do’s…
DO: Measure, measure, measure
Like most things related to home decor, it’s so very important to start by measuring. When it comes to lighting for your home, there are a few measurements you need to take into consideration. Like the width of the lighting fixture or how far it hangs down.
We wouldn’t want anyone getting knocked in the head by a beautiful chandelier now, would we? If you’re hanging wall sconces it is important that they line up with each other and are hung to the correct height on the wall. Usually, wall sconces would be hung 60-72’’ from the ground.
Now every light, and every room is different so there’s no strict set of rules. The key point to take away is to always measure so you know exactly what you are looking for!
DO: Consider brightness and the type of bulb to use
When thinking about a light fixture it is important to consider what the light is being used for. There are three main types of lighting for your home; Task, Ambient, and Accent.
Task lighting is well, for tasks of course. Think cooking or reading. This means the brightness of task lighting is important as it will affect whatever task you are trying to complete.
Ambient lighting is meant to light up an entire space and is usually the main source of lighting.
Accent lighting is made to shine on a specific point of interest, or create a mood in the room. Depending on what you are using the light for, the amount of brightness, the colour and number of bulbs will vary.
Think about how you want the space to feel and what it will function for, then go from there. You can learn more about different types of lighting for your home here.
Do: Add layers of lighting
Now, let’s talk about layers.
Layering your lighting is an excellent way to create mood in your space and also allow you to use your space for different activities.
Adding wall sconces, or a floor lamp allows you to create a warm, lightly lit space for when you don’t need your ambient lighting on.
Think about having a movie night in your living room or wanting to read before bed… it’s important to incorporate at least 2 types of lighting in your space so that it can be both functional and beautiful.
Now, for the don’ts…
DONT: Use the Boob Light
The time has come my friends, the time to walk away from the Boob Light… Forever. Please.
If you don’t know what a boob light is, you can type those exact words in Google and the picture will pop right up. Why is it called a boob light? It should be fairly obvious, no?
Now that we’re all on the same page here, can we all agree the boob light needs to go… permanently. It’s one of those things that builders do that annoy the heck out of designers. I know they are cheap but a nicer alternative is really not going to be that much more expensive.
Luckily, in 2022 there are about a million alternatives for this light that just look, and service us better. The boob light can be replaced with any other flush mount, so let’s just ditch it already and try something new! I promise you won’t regret it.
DONT: Buy something too small
Let’s circle back to the whole measuring thing. One of our biggest pet peeves is when a lighting fixture is too small for a space. When a light is too small, it tends to look dinky in a space and p[robasbly does not provide enough light for the whole room.
There is a quick rule of thumb that can be used when deciding which ambient light will fit nicely into your space.
Begin by measuring the length and width of your space. Add these two numbers together, then convert it to inches. This should be the diameter or width of your lighting piece.
Let’s break that down again. Say the room is 10 feet in width by 15 feet in length. We would add those numbers together to get 30. This means the fixture should be approximately 40 inches in width/diameter.
By doing this, you will ensure the size of your light is perfect for the space.
Lighting can be a tricky thing to deal with, but it really doesn’t have to be. Pick lighting for your home that matches your space and makes you happy. Just as long as you promise not to use a Boob light, we’re good. Then you can focus on the purpose you need it to serve, and what size it should be. From there, you’ll be good to go, and ready to light up your life!
