The modern world of lighting for the purpose of home furnishing is vast, wide world. The choices are endless!
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So how is one supposed to choose a lighting arrangement out of the thousands and thousands available? Keep in mind when I say lighting I am not just talking about the designated spots on the ceiling where the builders have decided light bulbs are supposed to go. In fact, tear all of those out for now since all of that is purely customizable. Only the tasteless and unimaginative would be happy with factory presets when there are chandeliers, pendant-hanging lights, lamps and all the different options of mounts for ceiling, bathroom and outdoor lights. The specific type and permutation of bulb you use is even customizable, and as you can see at https://www.homestratosphere.com/types-of-light-bulbs/ the options are pretty endless. I can even think of a few guiding principles for picking out lights for the home. But your home is your home and in the end only you can decide what will go with what.
First Thing’s First
Even before you go about trying to pick out the right lighting fixture to go along with the style of the room, there are things you should consider first. Keep in mind, when I say fixture I am talking about the dazzling chandelier itself and not type of bulb you will use. In fact, since the type of bulb determines what kind of lighting you will get in any particular room, I wanted to focus on that first. You can choose non-filtered, daylight LEDs, for example- but that wouldn’t necessarily be great for the bedroom. Do you want the place in which you sleep to have the sterile white light of a hospital? You might want bulbs that create this sort of ambiance in places where in the house that already receive this sort of light, say, in a spacious living room near a sliding glass door. The basement or garage is also a good place for this type of light, since either area is typically used for industrial use or for storage, and a cool white light seems to make more aesthetic sense here.
Picking The Right Light
Besides LEDs there are halogens, fluorescent and incandescent bulbs. Incandescent have been around for over 100 years and is the original bulb we think of when we think of Thomas Edison. The light is warm, and they put out a lot of heat thanks to their high wattage, which also makes them draw a lot of power from the outlet. If you want these light bulbs to put in a spot where warm light is preferred, you must do some searching, as incandescent bulbs with higher than 25W have been banned from commercial retail in the UK and the United States. Halogen lights put out quite a bit of heat too, and their natural color is actually a cool yellow, as you’ll notice here that the light contains hints of blue. Halogens are also more durable and often get used as outside lighting. Fluorescent light is more of a warm white, and you’ll know what I mean if you’ve ever been to an office or school with those traditional fluorescent lamps.
Placement Is Key
After going through and choosing what kind of light you want in each corner of each room, you should map out for yourself any and all places that you think a light source should go. Think about each place and its function. The obvious ones are places like above the bathroom mirror, in the hallways, or above the dining table. These spots are usually all accounted for in the building of the house, so you may not find yourself having to change anything here but the type of light fixture or bulb. But think critically about what areas of the house need additional lighting: If you have a piano, you may want to install track lighting right above it, or double/triple wall mounted lights. If you have a favorite chair you like the read in, perhaps next to it is a spot for a standing lamp.
You should honestly visit every corner of your house and ask yourself sincerely if there should be a lamp or a light placed there; maybe a lamp on top of an end table.
The Fun Part Is YOUR Art
I believe that picking the right kind of light and the placement of such light sources is the most work you will do when reviewing the way you want your house lit. Choosing the right mounts and lighting fixtures by contrast is the fun part, and will be driven by the excitement you derive from matching to attributes in any specific room. If you can dream it up, home lighting giants like Cotterell & Co will probably have it in stock. Although you can apply a bit of logistical strategy here, too. What if you stuck double surface-spots on the ceiling, perhaps even several in your largest room, and angled them so as to to create the illusion of things in the room being bathed in light?
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