Top 5 Tips To Illuminate Your Home

Have you ever walked into a place and been instantly seduced by its ambiance, yet not knowing why? The lighting was probably the reason. When the lighting is executed impeccably, you won’t notice it per se, but you will appreciate the ambiance the room provides. A well-lit home should have a variety of light sources of varying intensities. So, without further ado, let’s dive into this blog and learn some of our best 5 tips for lighting your rooms just right.

1. Consider the use of the room

Before you buy your chandeliers, wall sconces, and pendant lights, consider how you will use each room. For example, a chandelier with a dimmer switch is good for the dining room, while in the kitchen, pendant lights over the counter and recessed lights around the room help with meal preparation.

In the bedroom, table lamps or wall sconces on either side of the bed are to be considered for reading, and a pendant is appropriate for general room lighting. In the bathroom, a combination of recessed lights and wall lights on either side of the mirror make the morning and evening ritual more enjoyable.

2. Place your dimmers strategically

Dimmers, commonly known as dimmers, offer great versatility in terms of lighting intensity. They allow you to adapt the room to any occasion, activity, or time of day. Multi-functional rooms such as the family room, living room, and dining room are where you should prioritize the installation of a dimmer. However, dimmers are also useful in bedrooms and bathrooms to dim the lights at night.

3. Know your bulbs

Different bulbs serve different purposes:

• Fluorescent tubes: These should be avoided in a residential setting, as their very bright light can cause eye strain. However, they can be used in the home if they are installed with a dimmer switch.
• Incandescent bulbs: They are destined to disappear, as their energy efficiency has been largely surpassed by LED, halogen, and CFL bulbs.
• LED bulbs: They are growing rapidly, as they have an incomparable lifespan, multiple aspects (such as LED ribbons to stick under cabinets), and lighting that does not heat up. However, their price is still high, and their light beam is sometimes considered too white or even almost blue.
• Compact fluorescent bulbs: These are miniaturized fluorescent tubes that are folded in half, in thirds, in fourths, or rolled up and have a regular bulb base. They are more energy efficient than incandescent bulbs, but they also have a number of drawbacks: the light output is often slow after they are turned on, and they are an environmental pollutant if released uncontrolled or if they break because of the mercury they contain.
• Halogen bulbs: Like incandescent bulbs, they are destined for extinction, being quietly replaced by other less energy consuming and especially more economical options. However, many types of recessed lighting still use them exclusively. You will have to find a replacement.

4. Think about spot lighting

It is a common belief that recessed or track lighting is used for general room lighting. This is a mistake. A well-lit room should have areas with task lighting to create distinct zones or to highlight certain points of interest in the room: a painting on the wall, the fireplace in the living room, the kitchen countertop, the reading area in the living room, etc.

5. Finish with accent lighting

Accent lighting highlights an object or architectural detail in the room, isolating it from the overall space. For flat objects, such as artworks, it is recommended to use unidirectional spotlights (directed beams).

However, objects that are raised cannot be illuminated in one direction; instead, use multi-directional lights, which will cut the object out of the space. Table and floor lamps also have the effect of highlighting a small area of the room. They succeed in creating an intimate space dedicated to a single activity, set back from the rest of the room.

Looking for help?

Formed in 1992, BCR Electric Limited is dedicated to offering prompt and professional electrical solutions for projects of any size in Niagara and Haliburton. Their team can efficiently handle all of your residential, commercial, industrial, or institutional projects! So what are you waiting for? Call them today and make all your dream become a reality with their team of experts!