Lighting is an important feature of your home and one of the most important decisions you will have to make when decorating your home.
In this article, Alesya Karnaukhova, designer of the ZIKZAK studio, will tell you what types of lighting are and give some recommendations for its use for each room in your home.
Layers of light
There are three layers of light: diffused, local and decorative. The size of your room and its purpose will determine which types are needed for this room. Sometimes, simply adding a layer can greatly improve the quality of light in your home.
Diffused (ambient) lighting
Ambient lighting is the main source of light in a room, most often from an overhead light or recessed light. This is the source that provides the most light.
Local lighting
This lighting provides the intense, direct light needed for detailed work—reading, cooking, applying makeup—in places like the kitchen, home office, and bath.
Decorative (accent) lighting
Decorative lighting allows you to highlight interesting details in a home interior, such as a picture or a mantelpiece. It also serves as a secondary light source to enhance the ambient lighting in the room.
The corridor
The hallway creates the first impression of your home, so you’ll need diffused light with a couple of accent lights. You can’t go wrong with a concealed luminaire.
Living room
The living room is a place where you can chat with friends or family, relax, read a book or just watch a movie. This is where most of the activity takes place. This means that you will need a variety of lighting.
If your living room has areas without light, or if the light casts shadows, you’ll need more ambient and accent lighting. Flush-mounted luminaires are a good option for diffused lighting. Track lighting will provide an accent, allowing you to direct the light onto paintings, glass vases, or whatever else you want to showcase. If you have a focal point in a room, like a fireplace, add wall sconces on either side for extra accent lighting.
Kitchen
The kitchen requires multiple layers of light. Recessed lighting is great for both large and small kitchens. If your kids are doing their homework on a kitchen island and you’re chopping vegetables for dinner, hang an island pendant or individual mini pendants in a row above your work surface.
Bedroom
The light in the bedroom should evoke a sense of calm. Bedside table lamps or wall sconces mounted above the bedside table provide task lighting for things like reading in bed.
Bathroom
Wall sconces or pendant lights on either side of a bathroom mirror, combined with overhead lighting, create the perfect combination of ambient light and task light. The sconces provide cross lighting, making it much easier to do things like applying makeup, shaving or flossing. Recessed lighting is well suited for illuminating a shower or bathroom.
Home Office
In the office, you need to focus. If you squint to see your computer and don’t need glasses, you may need more light. Install an adjustable table lamp so you have plenty of work light. Ambient lighting can provide light for an entire room and can be dimmer controlled. If your desk is against a wall, install wall sconces on both sides to light up your work space.
We’ve looked at types of light sources, lighting options, and a few examples of which lights to use in different rooms of your home. Now the choice is yours, but at least you know where to start your lighting work!
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