Designer Tips: How to achieve great lighting!

Something that is often overlooked in design is the lighting of the space, but I would argue that this is the element that can have the biggest impact (and also is the reason a lot of well designed spaces can still feel flat). Last week we talk about some basic principles of lighting (click here to go read it!) - today we are going to discuss how to implement them in your space!

1) Layer your lighting

First tip is to layer your lighting. Reminder: there are three main types of lighting: ambient, task and accent. Ideally, a space has all three types to create a layered affect, but at a minimum should have at least two.

When you’re thinking about lighting in a room, ambient lighting is usually the easiest to achieve. How are you going to light the room at night? Overhead light, table lamps, floor lamps? Do that.

Next, think about what tasks will be completed in the room. Are you going to be reading? Add a reading lamp. Are you going to be writing? Add a writing lamp. Are you going to be eating? Add a pendant or chandelier over the table.

Finally, think about the focal points in your room - this is where you will add your accent lighting. Do you have an amazing painting you want to showcase? Add a sconce that highlights it. Is your fireplace the focal point? Add some sconces to either side or some focused recessed lighting above. Under cabinet lighting is a fantastic way to highlight your countertops and/or backsplash.

2) Check your color temperature

I wrote a LOT last week on color temperature and CRI and all the technical parts of it, so definitely check that out for the reasoning behind these recommendations.

Warm bulbs (2700K to 3000K) definitely have their place and can create a very warm and welcoming environment BUT there are certain rooms they should not be used and that has to do the with CRI or how accurate colors appear in that light. Typically, bulbs with a cooler color appearance (4500K to 5000K) have a better CRI. This is especially important in rooms where being able to accurately see color is KEY, such as bathrooms (hello makeup application), kitchens (food looks better), and laundry rooms (hard to treat stains if you can’t tell they’re there). Cooler colored bulbs are also a great option for the bedroom since the light mimics sunlight and can help you wake up more easily than warmer colors. Personally, I also just prefer cooler color bulbs in general, so I try to use 3500K at least throughout my home, which has fairly neutral undertones and better CRI than 2700K bulbs. In the kitchen, bathrooms, and laundry room I use at least 4500 - 5000K bulbs.

Another thing to note is that the cooler the temperature of your light, the brighter the light appears. Now, how can you implement this? Well, light bulb manufacturers have gotten smart and added a “nutrition” panel to the bulb boxes to make it easier for customers to compare.

You can see the lighting facts panel here - this is on the back of all of the boxes!

If you’ve noticed that your “white” walls or cabinets all appear very yellow, you may want to change your bulb to a higher color temperature first and see if that doesn’t solve your problem before repainting the space. On the other hand, if your space feels really cold and harsh, change your bulbs for something with a warmer color appearance and see if that warms it up.

3) Determine your lighting first

Before you paint your walls, or select your upholstery - make sure your lighting is how you want it. Lighting has a huge impact on how materials appear and a wall may look yellow with an incandescent bulb, white with natural light, and green with a 5000K LED bulb. Please, save yourself some time, energy, and frustration and pick the lighting first before making any other key changes.

This is the same paint chip in six different places in and around my home (basement, outdoors in sunlight, guest bedroom, garage, outdoors in shade, office) taken at the same time of day… you can see how different the color appears based solely on the lighting in the space. This is why you pick the lighting first!

4) Use LED bulbs

My last tip is not really a way to improve lighting but to improve your energy efficiency. Please, please, PLEASE - if you have not already, switch your bulbs to LED. LEDs used to have a bad rep for being very cold, and even ugly but they’ve come a long way… you can even get LED bulbs that looks like old school Edison bulbs but are significantly more energy efficient than traditional incandescent bulbs. No joke, we swapped all the fixtures in our home from incandescent to LED and the energy use (and savings) from that change alone was incredible. Not only are they going to save you money on your energy bill, but LED bulbs last significantly longer (like approximately 11 years) versus a traditional incandescent (and yes, even 8-10 times longer than CFLs), which means fewer replacements and less waste. You can also change the bulb in your incandescent fixtures to LED bulbs - just make sure to use a wattage that is compatible (the box will tell you what the corresponding wattage is). It is literally the easiest change you can make in your home that will save you money and make your home more sustainable.

Check out that energy efficiency and life expectancy!!

If you are feeling even more overwhelmed after reading these tips, reach out! I offer both virtual and in person consultations where I can give you specific tips on lighting for your space and needs - you don’t have to just guess until you get it right! Next week, I’ll share some of my favorite lighting fixtures with you!