Lighting
in a space goes a long way to provide that feeling of warm, cozy, and inviting,
or bright, fresh, and energetic. The
lighting you choose for different areas serves varying purposes to finish off a
space with the feel you were going for.
The best lamps and overhead lighting in the proper settings can really
help your home shine.
The
kitchen needs adequate light, because it is full of work surfaces on your
countertops and kitchen island. You need
brighter light that hones in on the spaces on which you cut, chop, stir, and
mix. “Can lights” in the ceiling create
a more contemporary option, as they highlight spots throughout the space while
being flush with the ceiling. For larger
kitchens, these work very well, spreading out your lighting versus having one
central fixture. If you do have a
kitchen island, a large overhead fixture or pendant light can be decorative as
well as functional to shine down on the kitchen’s centerpiece. Upper and lower cabinet lighting takes light
to the next level. Strips of lighting
mounted above and below your cabinets both cast a nice glow toward the ceiling
as well as directly lighting your countertop surfaces. When just one set or the other is illuminated
in the evening, the soft light is perfect when the kitchen is not in full
service.
Lamps
add light in spots not covered by overhead fixtures, all the while being
decorative accent pieces. When selecting
lamp bases and shades, since stores often offer you mix-and-match options,
consider their height as well as their style.
Lamps on end tables in living room seating need to be at a height that
has their shade doing its job: casting the light up, down, and then out. If someone is sitting on the sofa beside the
end table and lamp, they should not be able to directly see the bulb, as that
would cast a harsh, too-bright light in their face. The same principle applies to bedside
lamps. Lamps that are too tall or too
short for these locations make for a less-inviting, squinting environment. Lamps that are placed behind seating on a
sofa table can have the lowest recommended watt bulb installed, because these
lamps are more decorative than read-by-the-light functional.
Stand
lamps are fitting for the corner of a room or in a key spot along a wall,
because their function is to cast light up from their elevated top. Small, decorative pendant lights over a
kitchen bar spotlight that eating surface while being reminiscent of a coffee
bar or restaurant counter. Bathroom lighting,
whether one central fixture or decorative lighting over the sink and shower,
should reflect the feel you’re going for in that space, whether that’s a
relaxing retreat or an energizing main stop in your morning routine. Your home’s lighting should be your desired
meeting of form and function. Now that’s a bright idea.
DesignInMind column; appeared in the Valley Morning Star September 30th.
