From your kitchen to your bedroom, lighting plays an essential role in the design of your home. Much like pairing jewelry with your favourite outfit, lighting can be statement-making or play a simple yet stunning supporting role. Either way, making the proper selection will significantly impact the overall mood.

When it comes down to it, there is such a wide variety of lighting sources that it can be challenging to know how to choose the best lighting for your home. And since lighting will completely transform a space (for better or worse), it’s essential to get it right. That is why we always create a customized lighting plan for each project. This allows us to set the desired mood from the start.

So what’s important when it comes to selecting and implementing lighting within your home? Let’s take a look…

Step 1. Understand the Various Functions

Before we select anything, it’s essential to understand the 3 different types of lighting:

Ambient lighting is soft, indirect, and diffused lighting. Think wall sconces, recessed ceiling lights, or the warm glow of a small table lamp. This type of lighting is the foundation of every room.

Task lighting is used to illuminate a specific task instead of brightening up an entire area. This type of lighting is functional for reading spaces, home offices, and kitchen areas. Pendants above an island, under-cabinet lighting, and downlights over the stovetop are great examples of supportive task lighting.

Decorative lighting is generally bright, dramatic, and serves as a focal point within the room. Stunning chandeliers can highlight entryways and dining areas or add beauty to any space. With decorative lighting, size and scale are incredibly important.

And let’s not forget about the best type of lighting to have in your home…natural light. Not only does it increase your serotonin levels (hello, happiness!), but it’s earth-friendly and totally free. I suggest keeping your windows uncovered as much as possible during the day to allow for the natural flow of daylight.

Step 2. Incorporate Layers of Lighting

To achieve a well-balanced aesthetic and proper function, we incorporate a mixture of all 3 types of lighting throughout your home. Ambient, task and decorative lighting will be thoughtfully combined to create a cozy, welcoming atmosphere. This takes some practice, so if you’re doing this on your own, don’t feel discouraged if it takes several tries to find the right composition and collection for a cohesive look.

Step 3. Set the Ambiance with Bulbs and Dimmers

Imagine waking up to a quiet, soothing environment that gently prepares you for the day ahead. As the afternoon arrives, your space transitions to bright and lively. When evening approaches, you set the tone for a warm ambiance that ushers in feelings of rest. The space is the same, but the mood is drastically different. How? Dimmers!

When creating a lighting plan, we ALWAYS include dimmers. This is essential for creating a nice vibe at any time of the day. Another feature to consider is selecting the correct bulbs for your space. We prefer to use daylight bulbs for pot lights and warm bulbs for decorative lighting. Stay away from cool lighting to prevent your room from feeling cold and sterile.

Step 4. Match the Aesthetic of Your Space

When selecting light fixtures for your home, we will ensure that they complement or match the existing aesthetic of your space. For example, choosing a rustic farmhouse chandelier might not be the best fit if your home is contemporary. However, keep in mind that proper contrast can be fun, too! Behind the scenes in our interior design studio, we will pull together several combinations to find the perfect balance for your home’s style and your personal preferences. 

Step 5. Create an Impact with Statement Pieces

Your statement light fixtures will have a massive impact on the overall feel of the space. They set the tone, can feel like art, and are sure to turn heads. We love finding these perfect statement pieces for our clients, and although they can be a little splurge-y, they are well worth it! Prepare to fall in love with our selections. 😉

That’s it for now, but if you aren’t working with us yet, what’s stopping you? We would love to help you see your home in a new light (Get it? New light – Ha!). Reach out to book your complimentary call, no strings attached, and let’s chat about how we can support you in creating a beautiful, authentic, and happy home.

Talk soon!

Staci