When it comes to interior design, there is no tool more powerful than lighting. Lighting has the ability to set the mood in the room and create a look, yet most homeowners do not know how to use light effectively which can leave a room feeling incomplete and lacking style.
The key to successful lighting is being aware of the different types of lighting and how it can be used in a room. Read on to find out more…
General Lighting
The most basic form of lighting in interior design is general lighting. This is the foundation of a lighting scheme and used to provide visibility to the entire room which makes it more functional than stylish (but absolutely essential). This usually comes in the form of overhead lighting and pendants which illuminate the entire room.
Task Lighting
The next layer of light to consider is task lighting. As the name implies, this is lighting that enables you to carry out a certain task that requires additional lighting. This could be lighting for reading, studying, cooking, writing etc. It most typically comes in the form of table lamps and you can find stylish versions from places like Cox & Cox which will improve the look of any room.
Accent Lighting
Accent lighting, meanwhile, draws your attention to a particular area of the room so it is used to create focal points. Accent lighting is usually used to highlight certain areas, such as artwork or a unique design element which can look fantastic and highly stylish particularly if you are highlighting an attractive feature of the room. This can be achieved in a few different ways but track and recessed lighting or a wall-mounted fixture will work best.
Tips
The key to success when it comes to lighting a room is to utilise the above three layers for a complete feel in the room. Additionally, you need to make sure that you consider each room and what it is generally used for. It is also worth considering dimmer switches because they can give you much greater control over the lighting in a room and allows you to easily change the “mood” in a room.
It is amazing the difference that good lighting can have on a room yet many homeowners do not know how to utilise artificial lighting in interior design. The above are the main types of lighting to employ and each is an important layer in the complete lighting design which can be used to set the mood and complete the look.
