Lighting Your Home - The Common Mistakes

The importance of proper lighting on the look and comfort of a home is often underestimated. Families spend huge amounts of money on home décor only to find that the results are not what they wanted. A major culprit in this is incorrect lighting. In fact, it is possible to give your home a new look by focusing on lighting and reducing the amount spent on designers, decorators and furnishings.

Below are some of the common mistakes people make. If any of these apply to you, maybe a change of lighting will give your home the new look you want.

What Not To Do

• Do not rely on only one light source. Layering light at different heights by using overhead, floor and table lamps will create pools of light that can highlight special parts of a room.

• Overly bright lighting can make your home look like an office or hospital. Harsh lighting makes a room, and the people in it look harsh. Using dimmers and soft white bulbs allows you to create the kind of ambience you want – one that matches your mood. Using daylight as much a possible will give a room a clean fresh look. If windows do not allow enough natural light to enter, consider using daylighting systems.

• Keep wattage in mind. Not all rooms require the same amount of light. A living room may need to be bright and cheerful, but the same amount of lighting can make a dining room look like a fast food outlet. Match the brightness to the room and what it is used for.

• Do not go overboard with recessed lighting. It is not suitable for many parts of the home. While it can give a room a clean uncluttered look, it can also be very harsh and flat and ruin the ambience. A good thumb rule to follow is to use recessed lighting only in functional areas of the home like laundry rooms, garages and so on.

• Do not forget that moods change. There are times when the family may want a bright cheerful living or family room. At other times, a softer more relaxed look may be better. Using dimmers will allow lighting to match moods.

• Do not ignore closets. Because closets are not living areas, they tend to be given step motherly treatment. Remember that a well-lit closet makes finding the clothes you want (this blue shirt, not that one!) much easier. Closets do not have windows, but installing a daylighting system will provide the right amount of natural light to enable you to see colors and shades as they really are, so you can choose your clothes easily.

• Pay attention to where switches are placed. A badly placed switch can be difficult to reach or it may block the possibility of hanging something nice on the wall.

Consider Daylighting

Do not ignore the varied applications of daylighting systems that enable you to bring natural light into every part of your home, even those where there are no windows or where windows do not provide enough light. They are easy to install, give you a wide range of lighting options and because they do not need electricity, can reduce your utility bills significantly.