How to Choose the Right Lighting for Your Home
Getting lighting right
Not sure how to light your space? Make sure you get it right with our handy guide.
The Kitchen
Lighting in a kitchen needs to be practical and stylish, and if you’re planning on using it as a dining space too, atmospheric.
Counter lighting is essential if you do a lot of cooking as this will illuminate your preparation perfectly. Don’t feel you have to restrict yourself to boring under-counter strip lighting as wall-mounted angled lights are all-together more stylish (as shown here) and allow you to direct the light exactly where you need it.
Ceiling spot lights work well as your main light source, particularly ones which are recessed and if you are going to include a dining table, it’s well worth hanging a pendant light over it.
The Living Room
The living room is where, space permitting, you can really afford to go to town with a multitude of light sources.
A central pendant light is a good place to start, while a couple of lamps housed on side tables can be used to create a cosier atmosphere. Standard lamps look particularly impressive in a living space and are perfect next to a sofa.
One like this, with its large shade, offers a softly diffused light and creates the perfect reading spot.
The Dining Room
Much like living spaces, dining rooms usually offer space to play around with multiple light sources. A light over your dining table is a must for both practical and style reasons.
A single large pendant light looks great but if you want to try something a little more show stopping, why not create use a cluster of pendants by choosing the same or different designs and hanging them at varying heights close together.
Wall lights are also a good choice for dining rooms too, particularly if you want to switch off your main light and create a cosier atmosphere for supper parties. They’re also great for illuminating special artwork.
The Bedroom
Harsh lighting should be avoided at all costs in a bedroom to ensure it is a sanctuary to rest and sleep.
A large central lampshade will create a softy diffused atmosphere while allowing enough light for getting ready in the morning. Bedside lighting is essential for reading in bed and there are a number of ways to install them: choose from a traditional lamp on a small table, wall lights – which are a good option if you don’t want or have the room for bedside tables.
Alternatively, you could try the increasing trend of hanging pendant lights from the ceiling each side of the bed as shown here.
The Bathroom
The bathroom can be a tricky space to light, especially if you haven’t got a particularly large space.
Lights used in bathrooms carry an IP rating and you’ll need to check what IP rating you’ll need to determine where you can place your lights.
A central ceiling light is a probably the safest option in the bathroom although you will still need to be mindful of their proximity to water sources while lights placed next to a mirror can help increase the sense of space and light.
Finally, please, please use an electrician to install and lighting in bathrooms – as we all know, water and electricity are not a healthy mix so it’s definitely best to leave it to the professionals.