When designing your new space, it’s easy to get caught up in the perfect furniture placement or deciding how many throw pillows you need for your accent chair, but how will your space get deemed Instagram worthy if your lighting is completely out of whack?
The lighting in your space can make or break it. Expertly placed lighting can bring an interior design project to life, creating depth and drawing attention to the most impressive areas of the room. The placement and type of lighting you choose will work with the color selections, availability of natural light, room size, and furnishings your space offers.
Here are a few aspects of interior design that are affected by lighting!
Functionality
Lighting must serve a purpose, or it wastes electricity, so it’s important to install lighting with intention. Chandeliers are used in large, open foyers and entryways because of their centrally-themed placement and excellent illumination. Wall lights add length and size visually to an entryway hall and brighten the way.
Consider the style of lighting you want to ensure you get the best directional or luminescent type for the setting. Look into task-specific lighting for desks and other work areas where functionality is more important than overall room illumination. If you’re an avid reader, keeping a stylish lamp on your bedside table will tie the room’s aesthetic together, and it’s an easy way to add functional lighting that you will use daily!
Space
Natural and artificial lighting can help with the illusion of space. Find ways to bring in more full-spectrum natural light if your home is starting to feel like a hermit’s sanctuary. A room without sufficient lighting will feel cramped. Corner lamps, wall sconces, and hanging lights on the ceiling help brighten a room if natural lighting is unavailable and create a visually larger space.
Natural lighting is preferred above artificial lighting because it shows off colors better and adds to the visual space of a room by bouncing off reflective surfaces. Consider skylights or large windows if you want more natural light, or use sheer drapes and curtains to allow the maximum amount of light from your current windows.
Color
Even if you’ve declared yourself to be the queen of neutrals, every color (no matter how bland) is affected by light. Proper lighting can be used to enhance colors within a room. Dark colors make a room feel smaller and cramped, so it is beneficial to test colors using different lighting types during the design planning. Some lighting, such as directional lighting, softens wall colors. The light emitted may be a warm or cool color, depending on the bulb used. It all comes down to what you want the room’s vibe to be. Then, you can decide what lighting you should use to enhance that aesthetic and bring the room’s colors to life.
At Hudson & Crane, our experienced designers understand the importance of proper lighting and how it can impact a room’s overall look and feel. Our interior design services include well-planned lighting elements to guarantee a properly designed space you will love and won’t think twice about featuring on your Insta feed.
Call us today at (202)436-1223 to learn more about our design services!