How to Light Your Home - 12 Best Lighting Tips

Amazing, well thought out and creative lighting can take any room in your home to the next level. It can help set the perfect mood and elevate the space you are working with. We have put together a list of the 12 best tips on how to light your home below to help you out. 

1. Embrace natural light

Embracing the natural light that comes into your home is key to optimising your home’s lighting. Natural light is the foundation of any lighting plan. Identifying where natural light enters, will help you see where the natural light does not cover, so you know where you need artificial lighting to target.

Additionally, natural lighting will help you save electricity. To reduce the amount of electricity you use, you should rely on natural lighting as much as possible. It is free after all! 

2. Task lighting

A great way to look at the lighting in your room is to see it as zones. For example, in your living room, you might have a reading zone, a television zone or a decorative zone. This will help you set up task lighting, which is an effective and efficient way to light your room.

For example, if you read in your armchair, then you will want a down-pointing light so no shadows are cast over your book and you can see words. This is an example of task lighting. 

Task lighting saves lighting the entire room, which can increase your electricity usage and bills. Also, lighting up the entire room may not be sufficient, as the zone could be in a dimmer area where the light does not reach. 

3. Layer lighting

Using multiple lighting sources is an excellent way to light your home. It can help create the perfect mood and atmosphere in your home. A rule of thumb is to aim to have at least 3 light sources per room. Even in small spaces, this should apply, but consider using less powerful bulbs in these spots. 

You should consider ceiling, wall and floor fixed lighting. As well as experimenting with different lamps and what lengths they will stand at. This can help create a truly unique and creative lighting system in your home. 

4. Statement lighting 

Statement lighting involves choosing a dramatic piece to hold the light. This could be a sculpture, art piece or having a piece specially created for you. The possibilities are endless for statement lighting.

You could place statement lighting in a room to create a centrepiece, which will leave any guests to your home speechless - in the best possible way. A great way to do this is by choosing lighting that wouldn’t usually go with your style. For example, if your room is modern with a bright colour scheme, then consider something vintage which is dark in colour. 

5. Neon lights

Neon lights are trending right now. The combination of nostalgia and modernity of neon lights has made the boom in popularity. Many homeowners are getting their favourite words or phrases e.g. love or home, made as neon lights for their walls. Others are getting icons like love hearts or lightning bolts.

The bright colours of neon lights add a pop of colour and quirkiness to your room. 

6. Atmospheric lighting 

To create atmospheric lighting in a room in your home, you should first decide what you would like the mood to be. You can consider lighting features such as the colour of the lighting, scale and ambience. Combining these elements will help you create the atmosphere that you desire. 

7. Antique lights

Antique lights are a unique and sustainable way to light your home. Hit your local antique shops or auctions and find an old light that you like. Antique shops usually have great prices. Even if it is not fully functional, they are usually affordable to repair as well. Generally, helping you save money.

By purchasing antiques, you are buying into a more sustainable lifestyle. Also, it is unlikely that anyone you know will have the same light! Making the lighting unique and personal. 

8. Choose the right bulb

Choosing the right bulb is crucial to the lighting in your home. If you choose a bulb that is too bright, it could knock off the room’s atmosphere. But if you choose a bulb that is too dim, you might not be able to complete tasks properly. Below are some questions to consider when choosing a bulb:

• How bright do you want the room to be? The higher the wattage, the brighter the bulb. 

• What is the desired atmosphere? What colour temperature do you need the bulb to be to match this? 

• Are you concerned about energy efficiency?

• What colour would you like your bulb to be? 

9. Mirror lighting

Mirror lighting is both a practical and visually aesthetic way to add lighting to a room in your home. It will make tasks like shaving, putting on makeup or plucking your eyebrows much easier and possible at any time of the day or night. You can add lighting to your mirror by placing LED strip lights around the perimeter of the mirror. 

10. Consider shadows

Shadows are often overlooked during a lighting plan and can be an annoyance daily if cast. Great ways to avoid casting shadows with lights include: 

• Using task lighting 

• Using elevated lights 

• Use light coloured lamp shades

11. LED lights

LED lights are a fantastic way to light up your home. We cannot recommend using LED lights over halogen or incandescent lights enough. Not only will they help you save money and reduce your carbon footprint. LEDs also look significantly better.

With LED lights, there are more options over the colours and designs. For example, strip LED lights can be cut up and put back together, as well as stuck anywhere you would like. Strip lights are a great way to add lighting to your desk, bookshelf or mirror. You can get experimental with the lighting by purchasing RGB LEDs, and finding the perfect colour to match the mood of the room

12. Dimmers

Dimmers are a great way to control the lighting in your room as well as save on electricity bills. You can dim the lights in the evening to create a more cosy atmosphere, or brighten them up during the night if you are doing housework.