5 Tips for Choosing the Right Type of Lamps and Lighting
Accessorizing your home is really where your personality and individual touches become apparent, and proper lamps and lighting are perhaps the most important elements when it comes to interior design and creating a home right for your lifestyle. Here are five areas to pay attention to when considering the right kind of lamps and lighting for your needs and specific environment.
1 Determine what type of light you want. Light bulbs offer vastly different types of light and color bands that are not right for some applications. Halogen, fluorescent, and LED bulbs all have their own benefits and degree of warmth and it is important to determine which type of light is right for you specific application. For example fluorescents can provide that missing ambient lighting that will fill in shadows, reduce contrast, and light vertical surfaces to give the space a brighter feel.
2 Choosing the right color of light. Keep in mind how the color of the light fixture will affect the look of you environment. If you choose an off white fixture, or even fixtures with bolder colors like blue or red, the light in the room will have a slight tint to it, which may add a warmer and more inviting feel to the room. You can also choose specific bulb colors which can be added to any existing fixture for very small investment.
3 Choosing the right fixture. There are so many types of light fixtures and it is important to size the decorative fixture to the space. Not all rooms can accommodate a large amount of wattage so make sure the size proportions are correct. If you have a larger space, you'll need a larger fixture. Consider the angles the fixture will be viewed from, if you'll be able to view the fixture from above, make sure to select a foyer chandelier or pendant that looks attractive from second story viewing.
4 Accentuating specific elements. Light is the most cost effective and easy way to really change the mood of a room, and casting shadows and wall washing will bring out certain features while hiding others. Wall sconces may be just the right amount of light to fill a home theater or hallway without brightening the entire room, while recessed lamps work well when you want to pay attention to certain areas as they cast downward. To me nothing looks better that a great piece of art properly illuminated in a dimly lit room.
5 Lighting on a budget. Pricing for lighting and bulbs is just like any product you shop for and prices range drastically. Often yesterdays designs are tomorrow's clearance items and it is important to compare prices and be willing to be flexible with name brands. The internet is a great place to shop and compare prices as well as look for deals on clearance items. You may even consider simply changing the shade on an existing lamp to give it a fresh new look.
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buellersway
I never gave a lot of thought to the lighting in my place. When I moved in the condo association gave me a ton of the screw in florescents to save money. They take forever to start up though and as it is a very large space, many times I feel as though its too dark in corners and lacking warmth that adequate lighting can provide. I think I'll invest in some quality fixtures and experiment with their placement for my next project. Thanks for the info.
Dana
Wow!
The effect of proper lights used in different ways looks amazing in the above pics. Proper lighting is as important as the right shades of the other decorating items in interior designing.
Shehnaaz
These were very well explained
Thanks