Light up your home!
Posted on January 6th 2014
We often write about design elements in a new build, such as flooring choice, window treatments, colour combinations etc but today I’m going to focus on lighting!
It’s one of the most important design feature’s of a home shouldn’t be an after thought! It’s crucial you get this right from the beginning to save the hassle in changes down the track.
There are a few important things you should factor in when discussing lighting in your home. It’s not just about having the latest fan-dangle light fitting… It’s about functionality, energy efficiency and practicality!
The wiring in your home is done well before the plaster goes up, so this is why it must be discussed in the first stages of planning. Ask yourself… What is this room predominately used for?
Say it’s the study, you want bright natural lighting that allows for easy reading and headache free luminosity.
Kitchens are usually well lit with natural light from windows, so this is where you can get your inner designer out and choose decorative pendants etc to make a statement.
The bedroom… dimmer switches are always a good idea in a master bedroom. They can change the mood of any room, create ambiance but are still so practical.
Bathroom’s… Ladies…. we all know how important it is to have good lighting when putting on our makeup! So remember this when choosing lighting for the bathroom. Personally the more the merrier I say, avoid the shadows and dark spots with bright (but warm) downlights.
So what else is there to think about…?
Placement of switches! Make sure your switches are placed on the same wall as the door of the room, sounds like common sense… but trust me, switches can end up in some weird spots! You can also have multiple switches for the one light, this can be handy in hall ways or large rooms.
So now think about bulbs… when they first came out, energy efficient bulbs were a harsh white light, nearly clinical. Technology these days has advanced and sees the creation of energy efficient bulbs that don’t take 5 minutes to warm up. They also have a yellow light now that gives the warmth of a traditional bulb and are much more cost effective to run.
So when it comes to the use of lighting in your home, really asses your families needs and wants. Makes all the difference in the long run!
Image credit: Schrader and Companies