Decorating
How to Light Every Room in Your Home Beautifully
Create the right ambience throughout your home with this expert, room-by-room guide to devising a lighting plan
Lighting is one of the most important design aspects of a home: get it right and being in the space will be a pleasure; get it wrong and you’ll never feel comfortable in the room.
If you’re deciding between ambient, task, accent or decorative lighting, consider first how you’ll be using each space. This will make it easier to create a lighting plan that will give you the perfect illumination for every area.
If you’re deciding between ambient, task, accent or decorative lighting, consider first how you’ll be using each space. This will make it easier to create a lighting plan that will give you the perfect illumination for every area.
Kitchen
It’s very easy to over-light your kitchen with downlights. For the best kitchen lighting, resist the temptation to fill all of the blank ceiling space with spots, and instead light the work spaces and dining table really well.
It’s a good idea to position pendants over your dining table or kitchen island, but put them on separate switches so you can control the atmosphere.
Discover stylish ways to include wall lights in your kitchen
It’s very easy to over-light your kitchen with downlights. For the best kitchen lighting, resist the temptation to fill all of the blank ceiling space with spots, and instead light the work spaces and dining table really well.
It’s a good idea to position pendants over your dining table or kitchen island, but put them on separate switches so you can control the atmosphere.
Discover stylish ways to include wall lights in your kitchen
Open-plan spaces
When planning your lighting scheme for an open-plan living space, you should do so with the location of your furniture in mind, rather than simply focusing on the ceiling. By doing this, you’ll be able to light the different zones more effectively.
Don’t rely solely on ambient and overhead lighting – this kind of lighting is purely functional and gives an overall illumination for a space. Make sure you include some secondary lighting, such as floor and table lamps. Not only will these help to dress a room, they’ll also create an atmosphere.
Once again, avoid the temptation to over-light the room with too many fixed downlights, as the result will be harsh and might create glare. Instead, position directional fittings, so they can be aimed at the walls to reflect light back into the room.
Need a professional to help? Find lighting designers in your area
When planning your lighting scheme for an open-plan living space, you should do so with the location of your furniture in mind, rather than simply focusing on the ceiling. By doing this, you’ll be able to light the different zones more effectively.
Don’t rely solely on ambient and overhead lighting – this kind of lighting is purely functional and gives an overall illumination for a space. Make sure you include some secondary lighting, such as floor and table lamps. Not only will these help to dress a room, they’ll also create an atmosphere.
Once again, avoid the temptation to over-light the room with too many fixed downlights, as the result will be harsh and might create glare. Instead, position directional fittings, so they can be aimed at the walls to reflect light back into the room.
Need a professional to help? Find lighting designers in your area
Living room
If you have a separate living room, it’s nice to try a different kind of lighting treatment in that space. This will give it a completely different atmosphere to the rest of the house.
For example, you could keep the ceiling completely clean and install a mix of wall lights and lamps. Or, if you have built-in joinery, you could include some cabinet lighting to create ambience.
A recessed ceiling – or soffit – with concealed lighting, as seen in this room, also works really well, as it creates a feature even when it’s not illuminated.
If you have a separate living room, it’s nice to try a different kind of lighting treatment in that space. This will give it a completely different atmosphere to the rest of the house.
For example, you could keep the ceiling completely clean and install a mix of wall lights and lamps. Or, if you have built-in joinery, you could include some cabinet lighting to create ambience.
A recessed ceiling – or soffit – with concealed lighting, as seen in this room, also works really well, as it creates a feature even when it’s not illuminated.
Study
In an office space, you need to go for really good task lighting. This is where the light provides focused illumination in an area where a task needs to be carried out.
A desk lamp and a secondary floor or table lamp would be adequate. You could consider putting these on a 5 amp circuit so they could be operated by the main light switch.
In an office space, you need to go for really good task lighting. This is where the light provides focused illumination in an area where a task needs to be carried out.
A desk lamp and a secondary floor or table lamp would be adequate. You could consider putting these on a 5 amp circuit so they could be operated by the main light switch.
Bedroom
Never rely solely on downlights to illuminate a bedroom. In fact, it can be sufficient to simply light the room with lamps on a 5 amp socket, or with wall lights or two, even-hanging pendants either side of the bed.
Your choice of bulb is very important, too, as the colour of the lighting in your home can completely transform the look and feel of your décor. Avoid cool colour temperature bulbs in bedrooms, as they can actually affect your sleep. Opt instead for a bulb that radiates a warm light.
Colour temperature is measured in degrees Kelvin. Any bulb between 2400-2700K will be warm, 2700-3500K will be lukewarm, and anything over 3500-4000K will be cool. Most good bulb brands will display these ratings on the box.
Never rely solely on downlights to illuminate a bedroom. In fact, it can be sufficient to simply light the room with lamps on a 5 amp socket, or with wall lights or two, even-hanging pendants either side of the bed.
Your choice of bulb is very important, too, as the colour of the lighting in your home can completely transform the look and feel of your décor. Avoid cool colour temperature bulbs in bedrooms, as they can actually affect your sleep. Opt instead for a bulb that radiates a warm light.
Colour temperature is measured in degrees Kelvin. Any bulb between 2400-2700K will be warm, 2700-3500K will be lukewarm, and anything over 3500-4000K will be cool. Most good bulb brands will display these ratings on the box.
Bathroom
This is a steamy spot, so you need to ensure the fittings you choose are suitable for use in a bathroom. They should have an IP rating of at least 44.
It’s really nice to have a mix of lighting options in a bathroom. You might like an atmospheric glow for when you’re relaxing in the tub, for example, and functional lighting for when you’re putting on make-up or shaving. So a mix of overhead lights and under-cabinet spots or wall lights on separate circuits works really well.
Shop for lighting room by room
This is a steamy spot, so you need to ensure the fittings you choose are suitable for use in a bathroom. They should have an IP rating of at least 44.
It’s really nice to have a mix of lighting options in a bathroom. You might like an atmospheric glow for when you’re relaxing in the tub, for example, and functional lighting for when you’re putting on make-up or shaving. So a mix of overhead lights and under-cabinet spots or wall lights on separate circuits works really well.
Shop for lighting room by room
Garden
When it comes to lighting your outside space, it’s a good idea to pick a particular plant or feature and light it really well. By doing this, you’ll create a focal point that will connect you to the outside.
Be conscious of your viewing points from inside the house – your lighting scheme should work to highlight parts of the garden.
Tell us…
Have you successfully lit a particular room in your home? If so, please share your tips and photos in the Comments section.
When it comes to lighting your outside space, it’s a good idea to pick a particular plant or feature and light it really well. By doing this, you’ll create a focal point that will connect you to the outside.
Be conscious of your viewing points from inside the house – your lighting scheme should work to highlight parts of the garden.
Tell us…
Have you successfully lit a particular room in your home? If so, please share your tips and photos in the Comments section.
A hallway is a transient space where people pass through rather than hang out, so it’s the perfect room in which to be a little brave with your interior lighting design.
You could make a real statement with an unusual or decorative pendant light, for example, which will both illuminate the space and be a feature in its own right.
If you have a long and/or narrow hallway, a good tip is to have some downlights installed off-centre. By placing them closer to the wall, you’ll create a lovely scalloped or striped effect where the light washes down. This is also a nice way to highlight any architectural features or artworks, too.