Room-By-Room Home Lighting Guide for Homeowners

Lighting affects the way people feel and function in their home. Without proper lighting, a home can look dark, unclean and smaller than it really is. Good lighting can boost a person's mood, make them more productive and can even make the home look more spacious.

Homeowners who have just purchased new homes often overlook lighting when they're decorating or making home improvements. Failure to take lighting into account can negatively impact the homeowner's experience of the space.

Living Room and Family Room

A combination of natural lighting and artificial lighting makes the living room and family rooms a pleasant place to spend time at all hours of the day. Large picture windows are common in living rooms and when fully utilized, these windows reduce the need for artificial light. Curtains and blinds block natural light and can darken a room easily. Homeowners must be careful to ensure that the curtains they choose will allow natural light to filter into the room.

Creative pendant lighting can be used in lounging spaces to ensure comfort and to make the living room a more graceful space. Small lamps positioned around the room can help keep the living room and family room cozy and attractive. Use of large, overhead lighting should be kept to a minimum, since these light fixtures can be harsh. Recessed light fixtures and track lighting can be used to emit soft, directional light.

Kitchen

The kitchen is a part of the home where light fixture variety can make the room as functional as possible. Track lighting and recessed lighting can be used over dining spaces to create a peaceful environment at meal time.

Task lighting positioned under the cabinets makes it possible to cut and mix food and prepare meals, while pendant lighting placed over countertop seating areas makes the kitchen an enjoyable place to spend time. Homeowners who are designing lighting for their kitchen space must ask themselves: where will I want to spend time? How will I use my time while I am in the kitchen? Answering these questions can help homeowners decide what type of lighting is best.

Bedroom and Guest Rooms

Small lamps make the bedroom and guest rooms seem more inviting and cozy. Use of overhead or ceiling lighting in the bedroom should be kept to a minimum, as these lights can be harsh and bright. Homeowners who want to ensure that their bedrooms and guest rooms are well-lit during daylight hours should keep windows clean.

Bathroom

Good lighting is important for safety in the bathroom. Shadows can lead to slips and falls, and can make proper cleaning difficult. In the bathroom, a variety of different light fixtures can ensure that the space is well-lit. Recessed lighting is common in the bathroom, especially in areas over the toilet, shower and bathtub. Natural light can be helpful in the bathroom, although frosted windows are important for ensuring privacy. Homeowners who install curtains in the bathroom should ensure that the curtains are made of a material that is unlikely to be damaged by water.

Work With an Electrician or Contractor

If you're a new Suntree homeowner who has just purchased a home, you can create a pleasant environment by making changes and updates to your home's lighting. Work with an electrician or contractor to ensure that new fixtures are installed properly. A good electrician or contractor can help ensure that your light fixtures are installed properly and according to local building codes.