Super-Smart Lighting Ideas to Brighten Your Home

Everyone knows that lighting is one of the most important parts of an interior design. A room without a lot of natural or artificial light can feel dark, cramped, and oppressive. In other words, it becomes a place that no one wants to be in.
There are three general types of lighting that you need to consider when designing a room’s interior
1.  Ambient lighting
2. Accent lighting
3. Task lighting
Using all three together is the best way to brighten up any room. To ensure that your room’s design is as bright and functional as possible, try combining a few of these super-smart lighting ideas throughout your home.

1. Ambient Lighting Ideas

Ambient lighting permeates the entire room. Richmond replacement windows give you ambient light, as do lights that are installed on or in your ceiling. This is the light that you turn on as soon as you enter a room, and no matter what other light you may have installed there, ambient lighting is usually always on when you’re using a space. Good ambient lighting should illuminate the entire area evenly, yet be in the background of the design at the same time.

A few tricks to ensuring that your ambient lighting is up to the task of brightening a room include:

• Using mirrors opposite natural light sources in dark rooms to double the amount of natural light in the space
  
• Using a combination of recessed lighting and domed ceiling lighting fixtures within the same room – recessed lighting gets you some of the best ambient lighting around, while a few well placed domed fixtures give your room a little extra style and interest
  
• Using dual fixtures in one room – this used to be a no-no, but new trends in lighting are emerging that say that it’s totally fine to install two fixtures – even if they don’t match – at opposite ends of a room to bring in more light
  
• Using decorative track lighting in modern homes – follow the lines of your furnishings, counters, or cabinets with the track to add style as well as light

2.  Accent Lighting Ideas

Accent lighting is the additional light that brightens a room while decorating and highlighting the space at the same time. Accent lighting can take on a few different personas. Sconces on either side of your bathroom mirror, pendant lighting above a kitchen peninsula or dining room table, and recessed spot lights above wall art are all examples of accent lighting. They are illuminating a specific spot in the room to help show it off and brighten a smaller area.

A few new trends and smart ideas in accent lighting you can try in your home include:

• Hanging drum pendants in sleek, minimalist designs as part of the trend sweeping through kitchens and dining areas of modern and transitional homes
  
• Using sconces and pendants that have a white finish to them – the white color is not only unobtrusive and unlikely to go out of style, it also makes the entire space look brighter
  
• Making your accent lighting part of your décor by using industrial and global inspirations such as art glass, etched metal finishes, and warmer metal tones to draw the eye to the fixture and make it more than just a source of light
  
• Using lanterns designed for the indoors – people have been bringing outdoor lanterns in for years and manufacturers have finally listened with a brand-new line of indoor lanterns that really cast a lot of bright light, while adding a unique accent and style to a room

3.  Task Lighting Ideas

Task lighting is one of the most important, and yet overlooked types of lighting in the home. This is the light that illuminates only the area that you are currently working in – and nowhere else. Under cabinet lighting in your kitchen or a reading lamp on your desk are great examples of task lighting. The idea behind task lighting is that you while you could use the space without it, why should you have to? Task lighting makes it easier to see areas that may get cast into shadow, particularly during times of day when there isn’t any natural lighting around such as in the evening.

Smart ideas and trends in task lighting include:

• Using bright white light fixtures in areas such as under cabinet lighting to provide the most natural looking light to darker areas
  
• Installing long lights or tube lights beneath cabinets rather than small recessed or touch lights, because they give you more even lighting over the entire area
  
• Installing adjustable sconces on or just above the headboard of your bed to give you perfectly placed reading light
  
• Using bathroom sconces that have long, flexible necks to allow you to move the light closer or further from the mirror so you can get the right amount of lighting for the task at hand

Enhance Your Interiors

Lighting is one of those areas of design that don’t get nearly as much emphasis as they should. The best lights are the ones that illuminate your home so perfectly that you never feel like you’re in the shadows, regardless of where or when you’re working in the home. In addition, good lighting should complement the rest of your décor, fitting seamlessly into your interior design. Pay a little extra attention to your lighting choices throughout your home and make better use of your entire space.
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