When decorating decisions are looming, it is often likely that the majority of your focus turns to the prospect of the traditionally big decorating decisions – furniture to sit on, art to hang, and colors of paint for your walls. The one aspect of decorating that is often neglected in this process is lighting. Traditionally a decorating afterthought, lighting is extremely important when planning out the style of a room. With these handy lighting tips, you can be sure that finding the right lighting will be a no-brainer.
Directional Lighting
It isn’t enough to simply think about how your fixtures and lamps look, but it’s also important to consider how they cast light across your floors, walls, and ceilings. Lighting directed on art or shining down from above mirrors can call attention to your favorite pieces on your walls. Track lighting is another great way to direct lighting around a room and highlight furniture, art, or other decorative elements. Light can also be used to make rooms appear larger than they are. By lighting a corner of a room that is commonly used for reading, the room appears to have two separate uses and thus seems much larger.
Consider CFL’s or LED’s
Energy efficient lights such as Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFL’s) or (Light Emitting Diodes) LED, are a great alternative to incandescent bulbs. CFL’s truly cut down on energy costs in the home, using between 20-30% of the energy as well as lasting more than ten times as long as standard incandescent bulbs. Saving this electricity isn’t just good for your bank account bottom line, but it is also great for the environment as well. Pulling less electricity off the power grid means less energy from coal-fired power plants and, in turn, less greenhouse gas emissions overall. CFL’s and LED’s aren’t just a boon for the environment though; they can also be a versatile lighting solution. From dimmers to multi-level bulbs, modern energy efficient lighting sources can do nearly anything a typical light bulb can do.
Don’t Forget Natural Light
While lamps and light bulbs can do wonders for lighting a home, it is an eternal truth that nothing beats the power of natural light. Accenting natural light can make any room feel bigger and brighter. One of the best ways to draw natural light in is with walls that are painted with lighter shades. Darker rooms absorb light and make a room seem smaller. Another way to disperse light in a room is to place a large mirror across the room from a large window. As natural light shines in, the mirror will reflect it and double the natural light in the space.
As we exit the dark winter months and transition into spring, we hope these tips will help you as you decorate with the power of light! As always, when it comes time to organize around the house, Closet & Storage Concepts of Charlotte is here to help. Give us a call and let us help you get your clutter under control!