Light Fantastic – The Right Lighting Can Bring a Room to Life

It’s easy to overlook lighting when you’re designing a new interior, but in fact, it’s the single, most effective element in interior design, enabling you to create exactly the right ambience in your home.

Bedroom Interior Design

First, you need to decide how you will use the space, which features you might want to highlight and how this may change during the day. For example, you may want to use the room as a workspace during the day but prefer to create a cosy haven where you can relax in the evening. Your home has to be functional as well as beautiful.

There are several different types of lighting – overhead lights, wall lights, uplighters, downlighters, table and floor lamps – and you’ll usually need a selection to create the right balance.

Light FantasticAmbient Light

This is background light, usually an overhead pendant light, a decorative light or maybe a stunning chandelier. Installing a dimmer switch gives you plenty of flexibility so you can alter the lighting level to suit your mood and what you’re doing. You could add wall uplighters to bounce light onto the ceiling to give the illusion of extra height and space, or maybe focus on a particular part of the room such as an alcove or a quiet reading area. A table lamp or floor lamp will create a soft pool of light in a specific zone within the room.

Light FantasticAccent Lighting

Accent lights such as a spotlight or picture light are perfect for highlighting an ornament, a piece of artwork or even a large, structural plant. You’ll need to make sure the lighting is angled perfectly to create exactly the right effect.

Light FantasticMood Lighting

This involves using different tones, colours and brightness to create the mood you want – this could be soft, warm tones for a quiet, peaceful seating area or bright lighting for a busy kitchen area where the family get together at the end of the day.

Light FantasticTask Lighting

Create a direct source of light, maybe for working at a desk or reading, using a desk lamp or table lamp – but make sure the light can be angled exactly onto the area you’re using. You’ll also need task lighting in a kitchen to help you see well when you are cooking and in the bathroom where you might need to see clearly to apply make-up.

These are just the basics. Next you’ll have to think about light fittings, control systems and where to position your lights for the best effect. It makes sense to plan the lighting in your new room right at the start when you’re deciding on colours and furnishings. That way your new lighting will complement the room perfectly and really breathe life into your living space.

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Associate Director

Author: Mark Parry

After spending several years garnering experience in the retail and real estate business, I joined InStyle Direct in 2013 and have thoroughly enjoyed my work here. As an Associate Director, I assist a diverse group of clients. Whether it is a private homeowner looking for a completely bespoke furnishing solution or a leading developer or estate agent looking to dress properties to meet business objectives, I have worked with all of them. Customer care is an essential part of my role. The ability to gauge client requirements and suggest a tailored solution is a skill I've honed after working on over 500 projects across more than a decade at this company. Another aspect of my work that keeps me motivated is the opportunity to collaborate with talented designers and cutting-edge suppliers worldwide. I guess bringing ideas to life is as stimulating for a property furnishing professional as it is rewarding for our clients. The sheer excitement in a client's voice and expression upon seeing a completely transformed property is priceless and something I strive for on every project I undertake. However, I do have interests outside of design and furnishing as well. When not drafting a client proposal or meeting with designers, I try honing my horse-riding skills or taking a spin class to keep fit. Football and travelling with my family are other passions that keep me going. In my experience as a property furnishing expert with InStyle Direct, I've had the privilege of contributing to several client successes that I'd like to share with you. From exciting results delivered to clients to the furnishing, interior design and refurbishment stories behind them, stay tuned for more.

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