Whether it’s for reading, working, or relaxing, the right lighting can enhance the look and feel of any space in a home. 

Needless to say, the same kind of lighting doesn’t suit the entire house. Therefore, lighting fixtures should be chosen according to the space. What works for the bedroom may be too faint for the living room, while outdoor lighting is too bright for the bedroom, and so on.

Knowing what kind of lights to use for illuminating each room can significantly enhance your home’s interior and quality of life. Style and function are two essential elements that can help you decide on a lighting fixture for your home.

The best thing about the right kind of lighting is how its diffusion makes the space more appealing and inviting. Any room that has the right illumination will appeal to you more and encourage you to enjoy that environment more – you and others as well!

So, whether improving the lighting of a specific room or giving a lighting makeover to the entire house, keeping the following tips in mind will help you achieve the best results.

Living room

Instead of focusing on one particular kind of illumination, living rooms should be equipped with layered lighting.

This is paramount because the living room is where people tend to assemble for long periods of time; engaging in a wide range of activities including talking, relaxing, reading, watching TV, playing with kids or pets, and working on a laptop. Instead of recessed down lights, living rooms lights are better bouncing off the ceiling because that creates a sense of brightness.

To make lights bounce off the ceiling or walls, cove or valance lighting should be used. Soffit or valance lighting, or plug-in floor lamp torchieres can also be used to wash the walls with lights.

Two other fundamental elements of living room illumination are task lights and accent lights. Task lights are meant for activities like reading or using the laptop or simply relaxing.

Table lamps or adjustable LED lamps are ideal for task lighting when illumination is not required for the entire room. Accent lighting is often used to focus on a certain element of the house, such as a showpiece, a fireplace, or a sculpture. They are usually used as track lights or even uplights placed on the floor.

Bedroom

The cozy haven in the house is the bedroom. Reading, relaxing, and organizing the closet are some of the most common activities in the bedroom, and the illumination must be chosen accordingly.

For bedside reading, the illumination should be in the form of wall-mounted light fixtures with adjustable arms so that the light can be turned in every direction.

If there is more than one bedside light, they should all be operated by their own respective switches, either mounted on the fixture itself or on the wall within easy reach.

Ambient lighting makes the bedroom cozy and relaxing. To provide ambient lighting, floor lamps, architectural lighting, or even scones on the walls can be used. Bedrooms are meant for relaxing and sleeping in bed, so it is best to avoid wall or ceiling mounted harsh lighting that might hurt the eyes when viewed from the bed.

The paint color of the bedroom walls must be considered when planning the illumination, because dark-colored walls reflect less light and vice versa. To provide illumination for a closet, ceiling-mounted or recessed lighting is used.

If you are considering a traditional lighting plan for the bedroom, then only floor and table lamps may be used. However, if you want a modern approach to bedroom illumination, wall-mounted fixtures, table lamps on the nightstands, and a pair of wall-mounted sconces near the closet or dresser could be installed.

Kitchen

The kitchen is where intense activities like cooking and cleaning take place. The kitchen also tends to be a gathering space for the family, especially if there’s a breakfast island or a dining nook.

Therefore, the kitchen needs illumination bright enough to aid in the tasks while not being too harsh. The counters and the sink are where task lighting need to be put, because that’s where most of the work takes place.

Sinks are normally located by the windows, and that’s to make use of the natural light. Placing the sink near the window is still a recommended layout according to lighting experts.

The natural light can be enhanced with ceiling mounted or recessed lights above the sink. Undercabinet lighting must also be considered because it illuminates the countertop without casting shadows.

Bathroom

A critical space in the house is the bathroom. Even though understated, this is a vital room in the house because this is where personal grooming and taking care of daily needs take place. Because people view themselves in the mirror in the bathroom, there needs to be careful consideration of the placement of lights.

A big mistake is to have a central ceiling-mounted fixture casting shadows on the person when standing in front of the mirror. Instead, the light must be placed on either side of the mirror.

If the bathroom is small and there can either be an overhead fixture or wall-mounted fixture on the sides of the mirror, lighting experts suggest choosing the latter, because they don’t cast shadows.

In an older bathroom, the common illumination design will usually feature a central ceiling-mounted light and a light above the mirror. In newer, modern bathrooms, these fixtures are removed and replaced with wall sconces on either side of the mirror and also on a wall offset from mirror position.

If your bathroom doesn’t get enough natural light, consider a light fixture that is suitable for both day and evening use without being too faint or too harsh.

The main purpose

Entryways, staircases, and outdoors must also be considered when picking lighting fixtures. Remember, the wall paint colors and the overall design of the house guide the selection of illumination. Lighting for the house should be bright enough to enable proper viewing but not too harsh on the eyes.