Everyone likes to change up their house’s ambiance every now and then, but did you ever think about using your house’s lighting to accomplish that? Homeowners generally think of the upholstery, furniture, wall colors, and new decor when they think of switching things up, but an equally dramatic way to change up the mood of your house is to rethink some of the lighting inside and outside and what you might be able to add or change that could give you a chance to express yourself uniquely.
Before you get too caught up in the many ways you can begin to use lighting in your house in new ways, you need to make note of the purpose of lighting in each room. You don’t want to change up the mood of the kitchen lighting only to realize there isn’t enough light to cook by anymore, and you don’t want to add so much drama to a bedroom or living space that you realize that your spaces are no longer cozy or intimate. Know the purpose of each room before committing to any lighting so that you know how much light you practically need before you make any changes for aesthetic purposes.
1. Increase Light Sources
One often-overlooked way to improve the lighting in any room is to increase the number of light sources in that room. This not only can give you options when you want to set a certain mood, but it can create a visually dynamic look to any room when done well.
There are generally three different kinds of lighting, general overhead lighting, specific or table lighting, and directional or decorative lighting. Layering these light sources is a great and often cheap way to quickly change up the mood of a room.
General overhead: General overhead lighting should be the backdrop, the most basic of the lighting. It should cover the most area, but also is generally the softest and least obtrusive. This can include ceiling fixtures, pendant lights, and chandeliers.
Specific or table: These are often brighter lights, but they are more specific when it comes to the lighting space. They can be table lamps, standing lamps, or wall sconces.
Directional or decorative: This kind of lighting has quite a bit of variance, from candlelight to spotlights, and it is generally more for accenting a room, not providing the main light source. There is a chance to be a little more experimental here since these lights do provide the primary lighting for the room so feel free to experiment with types and even colors of lights to see what creates the most desired effect.
2. Install Dimmer Lights
Swapping out dimmer lights in place of standard lights is a super-easy way to be able to quickly adjust the mood of a room without adding any fancy light fixtures or lamps. As with changing out any light fixture, you should probably hire an electrician to help make the changeover, but it would be worth it for how convenient dimmer lights are to use.
3. Strips or Strings of LED Lights
Strips or strings of LED lights are incredibly versatile and there is a great deal of flexibility in how and where you can use them. You can use colored ones and timed lights, and they can be placed visually anywhere. A few common locations include staircases, kitchen counters, around ceilings, and along hallways. They are cheery while also creating a cozy and intimate mood.
4. Spotlights
One of the most dramatic ways you can spice up your home with lighting is to use spotlights to highlight certain elements or parts of your home. Spotlights create drastic shadows, dramatize small spaces, and draw attention to whatever they are highlighting. This makes them perfect for displaying art or plants, or for creating alternative moods for kitchens and hallways. They come in up light and below lights and with a little understanding of how they are best used, you can give your home some flair by using them.
5. Add Outdoor Lights
Outdoor lights are often only thought of in terms of floodlights and basic front door lights, but rethinking some outdoor lighting could change the whole ambiance of your house as well as give you more reason to spend time enjoying your evenings and nights outside.
Spotlights can be used outside too. They can lights up the exterior walls from above or below, creating a particularly stunning house front display. You can also use spotlights to showcase trees or statues or anything in the front or back of your house that you want to draw attention to.
Another way to light up the outdoors is to set up garden lights in your flowerbeds, or path lights along any walks to your front or back doors.
Lastly, you can invest in some varieties of patio or deck lighting. This can be in the form of tabletop lighting, string lighting, candles, or outdoor wall sconces.
Help with the Setup
When it comes time to set up your new lighting, it is recommended that you hire a licensed and professional electrician to handle the changeover. Installing light fixtures can be very complicated and can be a dangerous job. If done incorrectly, bad wiring can lead to electrocution, fires, and damages that result in costly repairs.
Electricians are licensed to correctly rewire new fixtures and will know if the particular light fixture you want to use requires more ceiling or wall support to safely be installed. A company like Tactical Power Electrical Services is certified and licensed to professionally handle all your electric needs, from installing new lighting to rewiring current lighting, and could even recommend possible new lighting.
This year, instead of just painting your walls a new color or buying a new couch, consider switching up your lighting to create some new ambiance instead. There is something out there for every house and room, and it can be a unique and fun way to let your personality and creativity shine through this year.
