The lighting design of your house should be one of your priorities when interior decorating.
It is often taken for granted and people just add it at the last minute, which results in bad choices.
It is highly recommended that you include it even at the beginning stages of floor planning and space decorating.
Lighting can enhance the ambiance, feel, and general mood of your home.
Not many are aware that poor lighting can hide even your most perfectly decorated room.
Since it can tremendously affect the aesthetic aspect of your environment, you need to plan your interior lighting well.
Here are some things to consider for your interior lighting: Contrast.
To give your space more personality, try to allow shadows and contrasts through lighting design.
If you have an overly even lighting, it might appear bland and boring.
Use it also to highlight the architectural details of your home.
If you have a textured wall, for example, you might want a light that is not too bright so as not to whitewash your wall.
Fixtures.
To save time and energy in choosing different fixtures for every light source, you might like to use fixtures from the same theme or collection.
There are collections available in the same finish for chandeliers, wall fixtures, pendants, and even wall lamps.
Intensity.
Nothing can transform a room as fast as a light dimmer.
You can go from a functional work area to a romantic and dramatic room the next moment.
Installing a dimmer can add flexibility in your lighting.
It is also easy to install.
Efficiency.
A brighter, more durable, and more energy efficient bulb will not only save the earth but also give you lots of savings.
Electricity used from light comprises around 25% of your energy bill so replace all your bulbs with CFLs (compact fluorescent light bulbs).
It is said that a CFL bulb will pay for itself in 6 months.
Existing Space.
As with any other interior design aspect, you should always consider existing factors in the room when dealing with lighting.
Think of your existing wall, its texture, color, and accessories, such as frames or artwork, when positioning and choosing your light fittings.
Consider the function of the room as well.
Is it going to be a work area, such as a home office, or will it serve many purposes? There are different types and approaches for different functions and styles.
You should also plan your lighting design to match furniture placement.
You can't have your reading light far from your bed or reading chair.
As long as you plan it well and you consider all these, you can light up your home and see the big difference.