Lighting: Things to Consider

We can’t place enough emphasis on the importance of lighting when redesigning a home. Often renovators can get so wrapped up in flooring, paint and fabrics that lighting becomes an afterthought.

Good lighting can transform a space, create mood, atmosphere, comfort and even luxury. The lighting position, combination, design and brightness should all be considered in your interior plans from day one.

Position

Look at where lighting is required in the room. What do you want to highlight? Dark spaces such as alcoves and awkward corners are usually crying out for a lamp or wall light. You may also want to illuminate artworks or architectural features; this can manipulate and flatter the space, drawing the eye to the most beautiful elements of your room.

Combination

To create drama, style and sophistication, lighting should be approached in a similar way to fabrics, with layering. To arrive at the right mix of lighting for your space, you must firstly open your mind the full range of options and decide which types are appropriate for illuminating the chosen areas of the room. Pendant lights, table lamps, floor lamps, spotlighting, chandeliers are just a few to consider.

Brightness

What is the functionality of the room? This is perhaps the most important question to ask yourself when deciding upon brightness. A kitchen will practically require bright lighting while a lounge calls for more options. If your interior space has a variety of uses, dimmer switches are ideal. They provide you with bright light when you need it, and softer light settings to change the mood and create ambiance at night.

Design

When making lighting design choices, you must consider the space. Is it big, small, contemporary, traditional? Large, statement ceiling lights can look amazing in generous high ceiling rooms, but could feel overbearing in smaller properties. Equally, small shades and light fittings in large rooms could feel insignificant or simply be lost.

Don’t be afraid to mix styles, it can absolutely work, just make sure that the piece complements other aspects of the interior. This could be through a deliberate juxtaposition of different styles, a matching colour scheme, or even coordinating the light shade fabric to other soft furnishings.

Ultimately, when you bring in a new piece (whether it’s a light fitting or not) you should always consider all the other aspects of the interior design, does it fit? Never consider a piece in isolation.

To view a stunning range of light fittings and more, visit our Shop. Our range is a unique collection of carefully curated pieces from around the world, all chosen by the award-winning designers at Nielsen House.