How to light up your home

Types of lighting fixtures and room-by-room insights

During the design phase of the spaces of a house, the lighting technique is often set aside, as considered irrelevant or to be developed after the preliminary design phase; but that is not exactly how it is.

Light is one of the most important factors in a home, and to set up the correct lighting is perhaps not as simple as it appears. Many homes are poorly lit these days: some are very dark, others are over-lit with dizzy colours. Finding the right balance can certainly be a challenge, but excellent results can be achieved using the right devices.

To define the type of lighting suitable for certain environments it is first necessary to distinguish three different types of lighting:

Task lighting intended for the illumination of certain surfaces that require the user's attention, such as kitchen work surfaces, stairs, desks, etc.;
Ambient lighting is the classic general lighting that provides an overall illumination of the spaces; it is usually soft and uniform, and must not create excessive contrasts or shadows;
Accent lighting, used to spotlight objects or architectural details. It should be sporadic and brighter than the ambient lighting to stand out and draw attention.

ENTRANCE AND CORRIDOR

If there is an entrance and a corridor (not an open hallway), the lighting must be arranged in such a manner as to create a welcoming and practical atmosphere. Depending on the sizes of the spaces, you can choose to use a large chandelier, spotlights, or a floor lamp in the entrance. More particular and artistic lights can be placed along the corridor to avoid that it looks like just a passageway. If the corridor is long, recessed spotlights are the most plausible choice. Another possible solution is to use LED strips; however, this solution must be studied in detail to avoid mistakes and to prevent the corridor from resembling an airstrip.

LIVING AND DINING ROOM

The living room is the environment where we usually carry out most of our activities, even during our free time. This room requires various types of lights: the table lamp for reading, the floor lamp near the sofa, the chandelier for the ambient lighting and the accent lighting on furnishings and details. The choice of the chandelier is particularly important because, in addition to illuminate the entire environment, it also allows you to emphasise the style of your furniture.

The use of a dimmer allows you to have a total control over all the lights due to the possibility of adjusting their intensity; a warm and suffused colour is perfect to create a welcoming and familiar environment.

As for the dining room, the light points should be placed over the table in such a manner as to show it up and allow a uniform and pleasant lighting. In this case, the pendant lights are the most suitable solution. It is important to install them at the right height, because - otherwise - they could blind the guests and even alter the colour of your courses.

KITCHEN

The design of the lighting and its arrangement in the kitchen is one of the most important factors to be able to use its spaces and functions to the best. We cannot deny that cooking or washing the dishes in a dark kitchen is very annoying; furthermore, it can also be dangerous to handle certain tools in suboptimal lighting conditions.

The kitchen certainly needs a chandelier for the ambient lighting, in addition to spotlights or task lights to illuminate the cooking area and the sink. It is important to properly positioning the lighting fixtures as they should not create shadow areas.

BEDROOM

The bedroom is the place where we relax after a long busy day, and its lighting plays a decisive role. It is surely important to place a chandelier or a ceiling light (allowing a more delicate light) to illuminate the room for any need, but the most important light points are certainly the lampshades or the table lamps that create a relaxing and welcoming environment. The use of halogen spotlights or fluorescent tubes is preferable for walk-in wardrobes, as this type of light does not damage the fabrics and does not alter the colours.

CHILDREN'S BEDROOM

This room requires a right combination of lights designed in detail, because our children spend most of their time there and they need the right light for both playing and studying. Playful or functional solutions, such as the track spotlights, can be used to make the environment more functional, as they can be adjusted and positioned according to their needs. Safety is also particularly important; so, it is better to install as few sockets as possible and to use stable lamps with heavy bases.

BATHROOM

Interlocking lamps, spotlights, ceiling lights: a bathroom should be equipped with various lighting fixtures to make the most of its lighting. Therefore, the lighting in the bathroom should be functional, clean, and pleasant. The mirror needs a soft light that does not alter the colours; in this case, bright spots or a mirror with built-in lights are the perfect solutions. The tub and the shower also need suitable lights to make the environment relaxing and welcoming. In general, the light should be homogeneous in such a manner as not to hinder normal daily operations, such as washing, making up, etc.

In conclusion, even if it may seem almost a paradox, to well illuminate a house it is necessary to begin from a preliminary study of its natural light. All subsequent choices will be made on the basis of this study to create a unique, perfect, and detailed environment for your house: in other words, your dream house.

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