Giving Your Home a Lighting Makeover

by Lauren Busser Direct from the Designers™’ Editorial Director

One of the secrets to a gorgeous room is simply how you light it. There are a variety of lighting techniques you can use to get the best results out of your home’s interior, from the kind of light bulbs you install to your light fixtures. Designer light switches and dimmers can blend into and enhance your décor.

Variety is the Spice of Light

One of the best kept secrets to lighting a room is variety. Keep in mind that you should employ a range of light sources, from window placement and natural light to overhead and discreet task lighting.

For example, you may install a chandelier over your kitchen table, but you could also use track lighting over your prep areas, and pendant lights over your bar areas. By varying their heights, you will have options for how much light is needed for your tasks as well as its source and that is ideal in the modern home.

Choosing Appropriate Lighting Fixtures

Walk through your space a bit and think about the activities each room will host. Knowing what you will be doing and where you will be doing it are extremely helpful when creating your ideal lighting design. Knowing this will also help you decide on accent fixtures that can make great centerpieces and focal points at different areas in your home.

Consider a chandelier over the dining room table, and maybe some task lighting under the cabinet. Or perhaps a series of pendant lights over a bar or table area where you or your kids will be doing their homework.

Brightness is Key

Dimmers provide an easy, flexible way to manage the brightness of your home. They are energy saving and let you set different levels of brightness when seeking to produce a particular ambiance. Remember you are designing a lighting scheme for your home rather than a brightly lit office space.

Light Bulbs that will Beautify Your Home

If you talk to a photographer they will tell you that different light bulbs cast certain tints on your home. You may not have noticed this glow but the experts at GE® have found a way to making lighting beautiful and much clearer with their GE® reveal® light bulbs. GE® reveal® is a line of bulbs that helps to bring out the natural beauty of your home furnishings. With GE® reveal® your whites are whiter, and colors really pop with newfound realism.

But GE® reveal® doesn’t just beautify your home. These LED bulbs are instantly bright, last many years and provide substantial energy savings while filtering out the dingy yellow undertones most incandescent light bulbs are known for.

Go for a Custom Look with Custom Light Plates

You may think that your light switches have to stick out but adorne® by Legrand® has fixed that. Legrand® has taken the light switch and made it better, with a sleeker more contemporary profile. Between the beautiful profile and several operating options you are sure to love the look of the switches themselves but also the wall plates. There are several colors and patterns to choose from and you can even custom design your own switch plates.

Don’t Forget Natural Light

Although we are focusing on light fixtures you need to remember that all rooms need some form of natural light. Natural light changes the look of your home but also your mood. Not only does sunlight have great benefits for you but your home reaps rewards from natural light, as it kills bacteria and mold and creates an ambiance that can’t be duplicated by artificial light sources.

Lighting is a great way to change up the feel and mood of your home. Taking a few of these tips can save you money on your electric bill, enhance your beautiful interior design, and help you live more happily in your new home.