Getting the right lighting fixtures and bulbs for each room in your home can be challenging, but if you plan it right, it can help you enjoy your time at home that much more. Let’s take a look at some sample home lighting design ideas for different rooms in a typical home.
For the living room, you’ll want to have enough general lighting for such a large space. This general lighting can come from one or more main ceiling fixtures, or perhaps multiple downlight fixtures that reflect light from the ceiling, providing soft lighting for the entire room.
However, you will most likely also want to include specific task lighting for certain activities that can be done in the living room. This could include reading or sewing. Task lighting is generally best achieved with a floor lamp or table lamp positioned just off the task area and fitted with a sufficient bulb to prevent eyestrain while the task is being performed.
Living rooms can also have features like a fireplace or perhaps a large painting on the wall. Why not install some recessed ceiling lights that focus on these special features to highlight and draw attention to them?
In the kitchen, sufficient lighting is essential to be able to cook and prepare food safely. A large ceiling light, perhaps fitted with energy-saving fluorescent tubes, will most likely provide general lighting for the room. But then consider installing strip lights under your cabinets that will clearly illuminate your countertops and work areas. And maybe some recessed ceiling lights can further focus the light on the sink and stove area. Generally speaking, the more specific task lighting you can have in a kitchen, the better.
Bathrooms have their own specific lighting needs, including a recessed ceiling light over the shower or tub area. But perhaps the most common area for lighting fixtures in a bathroom is around the mirror. This is where you want really soft, delicate lighting that doesn’t cast shadows under the eyes, nose, and chin. Most often this is accomplished with lighting strips on each side of the mirror that contained several small wattage bulbs. Many people find that soft white fluorescent bulbs seem to work best in this area.
In the bedroom, a general luminaire is very useful to illuminate the entire room. But it can also be very beneficial to install specific task lighting in the vanity area. And recessed ceiling lighting placed on a dimmer switch can be used very effectively to set a romantic mood whenever you want.
Hopefully, these home lighting design ideas and suggestions can help you think about how you can better focus the available light in your home from one room to another in the future.
