So much depends on your lighting plan. How a space looks, feels and performs its functions are all influenced by your lighting choices. With help from your friends here at Galleria, you can design a lighting plan that complements your lifestyle and the space you’re working with.
From placement to layers, style, direction and more, there's a lot to consider when creating your lighting plan. Here are six simple tips for getting your lighting right.
1. Mix in the layers.
You don’t always need to light the whole room. In fact, it’s best to build up your lighting in layers that blend well together and create the mood you’re looking for.
Start by mapping out the space. Consider what you’ll be doing in each part of the room and what kind of lighting you’ll need for it. Place a floor lamp next to the couch for reading, for instance, or some under-counter lighting in the kitchen for when you’re chopping the veggies. This is your task/directional lighting.
Next, use accent lights to add drama to your space by drawing attention to particular areas or objects. Bookcase lighting puts the focus on your ornaments and favourite treasures, while uplights placed on the floor can highlight plants or artwork.
Finally, add in the ambient/general lighting to add to the room’s overall glow. Use recessed spotlights to give clear, even lighting for the whole kitchen, for instance, or hang pendant lights or a chandelier over the dining table for more focused illumination.
Pro tip: Great lighting can add function and beauty to a room. Don’t just create a lighting plan for what you currently use the room for - create a plan for what you want to use the room for. For example, good lighting can turn a formerly useless and dimly lit corner into the perfect reading nook.
2. Dim the lights.
Dimmer switches are one of the most cost-effective ways to add flexibility to your lighting plan, particularly if your options are limited to one or more ceiling fixtures.
Using a dimmer switch allows you to adapt a room’s lighting according to the time of day, activity and the mood you’re in. It also saves energy and helps your bulbs last longer.
Pro tip: Old-fashioned incandescent bulbs change to a warmer hue as they are dimmed.
The original LEDs, on the other hand, do not.
Now, warm dim LED bulbs are available, so you can still get the beautiful, warm, orangey hue that incandescent offers.
3. Find the right placement.
If you opt for a hanging light, it’s important to get the positioning right. Ultimately, you should go with what looks and feels right to you, but here are some guidelines to go by.
Over a kitchen island, you’ll want at least 30” to 32” clearance between your surface and the bottom of your fixtures. If you’re hanging multiple pendants, leave 30” to 32” between the lights.
For a dining table, leave about 33” to 36” from the bottom of the fixture to the table for an 8’ ceiling. Hang the light an extra 3” higher for each additional foot of ceiling. Traditionally, more formal dining rooms have lower hanging light fixtures. Consider hanging them a little higher for a more casual, modern feel.
Pro tip: Lower ceilings? Consider a flush-mount or semi-flush mount fixture. Flush-mounts sit flushing with the ceiling, while semi-flush sits just below the ceiling surface. These fixtures generate interest but preserve the room’s headspace and keep the sightlines wide open.
4. Light it up.
You don’t have to rely on down-facing lights to illuminate a room. Add some upward-facing lights for a soft, warm glow that casts no shadows.
Wall sconces can disperse light over a wall without taking up surface space, while cove lighting can add some soft light and visual drama to the ceiling.
Pro tip: Uplights typically are used for soft, even lighting. Want to get creative? onsider uplights that feature seeded glass for extra texture and interesting shadows.
5. Find your style.
Lighting is a key part of each room's decoration. Try to match the style of your lighting fixtures to the theme of your space and the look of your furniture and finishes.
A brushed steel table lamp in the living room is the ideal complement to a clean, contemporary style, for instance. An antique chandelier, on the other hand, could be the perfect opulent focal point of a traditionally furnished room.
Pro tip: Even if you’re an experienced designer, finding a lighting fixture to match your room’s style can be difficult. Bring a photo of your room or a sketch of your room’s design with you to Galleria. Our experts average more than 20 years of experience in the industry and can help you pick the perfect fixture to match your room’s interior design and decoration.
Fancy some inspiration? Pop into Galleria's showroom at 100 Rio Grande Boulevard. Browse Denver’s widest selection of fixtures, with our lighting experts on hand to help.
Published on Galleria Lighting.
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