Ceiling lighting

Did you ever think about what would the world look like without any man-made sources of light in it? Quite dreary, one would imagine. There is a lot to be said about a good lighting in your home. Windows and doors are part of the bare bones of any house as they bring in the natural sources through which we experience our world.

When it comes to our homes, lighting can support the way we perceive and correctly define our indoor space. It has the power to make you instantly relaxed or overwhelm you with a sense of anxiety. So how do we use ceiling lighting fixtures correctly and what do we need to consider?

1. Consider the shape and height of your space

• A ceiling light fixture should compliment and accentuate the curves of the room. If your room has sharp edges, maybe using a fixture with rounder shapes will soften it. If your space is not very well defined, using more angular shape will help add definition. Another important feature to consider is the height of your ceiling. If your home is a split level with a high entry ceiling, a low hanging chandelier is a way to accentuate the room. If you have a cottage style home with regular height ceilings, a flush or semi-flush mount fixture is most appropriate.

 

2. Make a style statement

• The style of your home will ultimately command the type of a light fixture. It is absolutely essential to honor that, especially in the entryway. You can mix and match styles in other rooms like kitchen and dining room, but living room and entryway should more strictly honor the style of the house. There needs to be some cohesiveness in the flow from room to room. It does not mean you need to use the same color or finish in everywhere. It just means that as you flow from one room to another, there need to be an anchoring element (maybe a brass chandelier in the entryway and a brass lamp in the living room).  Fortunately, today's lighting market provides buyers with endless options of many variations and combinations of finishes and styles.

3. Quality of light

• Using very bright lights causes glare, which makes your pupils dilate and consequently makes the surrounding space appear even darker. It is essential to light your space evenly or have light fixtures in a few key areas of the room. If you are using a chrome fixture do not use ice cold light bulbs. Warm up and soften your space with warmer color rendering. There is a whole science behind the use of CRI (Color Rendering Index) and Kelvin temperature (warm yellow versus colder white and blue). Always be mindful in what way you use your space. Warmer colors make your space more relaxed thus more appropriate for residential living while the cooler colors make your space brighter thus more appropriate for work related environment. 
• It is a great support to customize your lighting options with dimmers, timers, motion sensors. It can provide more comfort and ease of use. 

4. Think beyond your ceiling light

• The best lighting design incorporates multiple layers of lighting. Your ceiling light provides an overall ambiance in the room. Supporting them are wall sconces and pendants to provide an accent light which draws an attention to a particular feature. Task lighting (desk and floor lamps) illuminate a specific activity. They all work together and provide for a symbiotic relationship.

In today's world of design, lighting should have a central stage but it is rather behind a curtain. I hope that this short review will shine some very needed light upon your projects. Remember, your lighting choice can make a room look and feel beautiful or make you unaware you are even present in it.