Great home lighting is about a lot more than just having that one big light in the middle of the room that you switch on when the sun goes down. Accent lighting is a crucial part of home decor and getting it just right will make or break the rest of your decor ideas and spoil all of your staging efforts when it comes time to sell your home. Here are just some simple room by room suggestions:
Great Accent Lighting for Kitchens
DO keep in mind that both great task and accent lighting are essential in a room like a kitchen, where so much is going on all the time. Pendant lights that hang directly over a workspace can be a great way to add attractive yet very functional direct task lighting without overpowering the rest of the space.
DON’T Forget The Ambient Light – Great task lighting is a must but for most of us, there are times when we’d like our kitchens to be a little dimmer, especially if you happen to eat there as well. Under cabinet lighting can be a great way to achieve the look and you will still be able to see what you are doing on the countertop below. Wall lighting is another great choice, especially around a kitchen dining area.
Great Accent Lighting for Bathrooms
DO make sure that you have proper task lighting around mirrors – To get the best look and function out of your bathroom mirrors add two light fixtures at general eye-level on either side of them. If the space you actually have to work happens not to allow this then a great light fixture mounted above the mirror is your next best option.
DON’T use a traditional centrally mounted ceiling light fixture as your only source of bathroom light – A ceiling mounted light fixture usually has a tendency to cast rather weird shadows and often fails to light the bathroom space very well. While having a central lighting fixture in your bathroom is fine – and let’s face it most homes are built that way anyway – you should make sure that it is only a part of a layered lighting scheme that includes wall level accent lighting as well.
Accent Lighting for Living Rooms
DO remember your living room needs to be illuminated by more than just the flicker of the television -We all use our living rooms for a lot more than just watching the TV these days so you need to make sure that you have a good mix of both ambient accent and efficient task lighting in the room. Elegant table lamps, complementary wall sconces and easy to move around floor lamps are all great ways to add both with great style.
DON’T run long wires all across the floor because you do not have enough wall outlets – If the spot you really had in mind for a reading lamp is just too far from an outlet don’t create a hazard for everyone by draping a long extension cord halfway across the room. Instead look for wall sconces that can be angled to provide the right task lighting without running the risk of someone breaking a leg just walking across the room.