Though each part of designing your home is important, few things can impact your home’s overall atmosphere like lighting. The lighting you choose is a key component of portraying the style and the feeling you want within your home. There are a multitude of ways to alter the lighting to suit the tone you desire, including setting the mood, following lighting trends, and incorporating smart lighting.
Setting the Mood
It is no secret that being in the sunlight can impact how you feel, so it should be unsurprising that you can influence the feeling in your home with the choices you make while installing your lighting. As a general rule, lower levels of lighting can encourage a sense of restfulness and intimacy while higher levels of lighting have stimulating effects. Other ways to influence the mood in your space through lighting include:
- Type of Lighting
The type of lighting in a room can have a heavy impact on the room’s ambiance. Floor lamps are ideal for brightening up an awkward or dark area, as well as highlighting specific features of the room. Wall lights are perfect for creating a sense of intimacy and warmth in a smaller space. Table lamps generate a soft, welcoming glow that is great when you wish to tone the light down.
- Dimmer Switches
Once you have added multiple layers of lighting in the spaces you want within your home, you can increase the flexibility even further by adding dimmer switches. Installing dimmer switches allows you to easily switch from the brighter and more functional lighting required during the day to softer lighting at night.
- Controlling Color Temperature
One of the ways lighting is measured in degrees Kelvin (K), so choosing lighting with different degrees will have different effects on your space. Lights with a higher rating, above 5,000 K, will include blue and white lights that are going to be much brighter and more stimulating. Lighting with a lower rating, below 3,000 K, will be warmer yellow for a calm atmosphere.
- Lampshade Choices
The lampshades you incorporate into your home will have dramatic effects on the way the light diffuses within your spaces. An opaque lampshade will direct the light up and down, creating a pooling effect, while a semi-translucent lampshade will generate a soft, diffused light.
- Lighting With Color Capabilities
In addition to the brightness of light, the color capabilities of the lights can also affect the feel within your home. For example, blue, red, or pink lighting is thought to promote calmer feelings and more relaxation than white light. Yellow lighting is thought to be a stimulating color that can make you feel more energized.
Lighting Trends
If you are unsure what kind of lighting you would like to add to your spaces, current lighting trends can help you examine potential options:
- Natural Materials
Though many lights are made from materials like glass and metal, they are far from the only options available. Sustainable and natural materials like rattan, burlap, hemp, or jute can bring an earthy vibe to your home, especially when you are creating a lighting scheme in your coastal home.
- Lighting as a Focal Point
Instead of choosing a lighting fixture that fades into the background of your room, try finding a fixture that becomes the focal point within the space. Whether you are interested in unique shapes or unusual materials, a lighting fixture that doubles as a piece of art can transform the feel of a room.
- Highlighting Other Decorative Items
Lighting can also be used to highlight items that you would like to be the main focus of an area. Particularly in outdoor areas, lighting can be used to draw attention to important objects like a pool or seating area.
- Colorful Combinations
Heavily straying from the generally disliked 2022 trend of minimalism, the maximalist style has become a major 2023 trend. Colorful combinations of lighting within a space curates an area that feels more authentic and individual. Incorporating color into your lighting fixtures creates a layered effect that feels homey and inviting.
Incorporating Smart Lighting
One way to get more control over your lighting is to upgrade the fixtures with smart capabilities. These smart lighting fixtures can be controlled through Bluetooth and/ or Wi-Fi with your phone or with technology like Alexa Echo or Google Home. Once these components are connected to your smartphone or digital assistants, the lighting in your home can be manipulated to suit your needs. Methods for converting regular lights to smart lights include:
- Smart Lightbulbs
The lightbulbs within some lights can be switched with smart light bulbs. These lightbulbs will give you more control over the color and depth of the light, allowing you to tailor the lighting within your spaces.
- Smart Light Switch
In some instances, you may be attached to the existing fixtures in your home, but they cannot be converted by changing out the light bulbs. When this problem arises, you can have smart light switches installed. This may be a long-term solution for your desire to upgrade your home without having to change individual light bulbs.
Though there are many options for smart light fixtures, completely changing the lighting in your home may not be the most effective option. If you’re interested in going this route, try changing out a couple of light fixtures and add more over time. This also lets you get an idea of what features you like most, allowing you to create a space that is exactly how you want it.
Building Your Unique Lighting Scheme
Combining smart technology with the current lighting trends and methods to control the mood within your home gives you boundless management over your lighting scheme.
To help you ensure your space is everything you’re looking for, the team at CRT Studio is ready to help. As an award-winning and internationally recognized interior design firm, our skilled team members can build your lighting fantasy. We will consider a multitude of lighting aspects so that you get the best possible outcome for your home. To find out more about what we can do for your home’s lighting, contact Rob Turner of CRT Studio at (407) 440-4446 or rob@crtstudio.com.
Sources
https://www.homesandgardens.com/news/lighting-trends-207692
https://www.lightingcompany.co.uk/blog/lighting-trends-for-2023-and-beyond/
https://blisslights.com/blogs/blisslights/colored-light-effects-how-they-impact-your-body-and-mood
https://archipro.com.au/article/tips-for-great-mood-lighting-in-your-home