What are 3 Tips for Lighting your Home?

Many customers who visit our showroom ask our design team “What are 3 tips for lighting your home?”

Do you want to modify the atmosphere of a room quickly and efficiently? Then consider improving your lighting. New lamps and fixtures are an easy way to add the final touches to a newly renovated room or breathe new life into an existing area, whether you're switching out a pendant or looking to illuminate a dark nook with a bespoke floor lamp.

If you're thinking about lighting your home optimally, there are three tips you should know about.

1. Brighten things up by adding light fixtures in dark corners

If you're looking for a quick and easy way to brighten up your home, think about adding some extra lighting. Not only will it illuminate dark corners but it will help to make your rooms look larger, create ambience and provide a decorative element that will bring visual interest to your space. Here are some guidelines:

• Create layers: This is a wonderful way to achieve a sense of balance, so don’t be afraid to use at least three sources of light in each room. This can be a combination of ambient, task and accent lighting to suit your needs.

• Find a focal point: Whether you’re using suspension lights, table lamps or wall sconces, not all lighting should be the same size. Instead, choose one of them as a focal point and make sure that the rest serve as complimentary accent pieces that bring both functionality and aesthetic value to your room.
• Consider proportion: Lighting should neither overpower nor get lost in a room, so make sure that the fixtures you choose match the dimensions of your space. You also need to ensure that you find the right light for the height of your ceiling. The lower it is, the shorter the pendant should be. By the rule of thumb, if you’re gracing your dining room with a spectacular chandelier, make sure that the bottom of the light fixture is a minimum of 76 cm above the top of your table.
• Use dimmers: Dimmers will allow you to adjust the light intensity in your room to suit its current purpose. For example, if you’re drawing or sewing you can turn them up for optimal visibility, but if you’re having a romantic evening for two, have them on a low light for a more relaxed vibe.

2. Choose the right type of light bulb for your needs

The right kind of lighting can help us focus, relax, de-stress and even influence our health, so it’s important to choose the correct light bulb for your needs. Here are the most common options available:

Incandescent bulbs

Incandescent bulbs are the most traditional form of illumination and have been around for decades. While inexpensive and readily accessible, they are energy-guzzlers and generally don't last as long as LEDs or CFLs, making them a bad option in terms of eco-friendliness.

CFLs

CFLs use up to 75% less energy than incandescent lighting and produce very little heat. They also last longer, making them a great option for most domestic lighting needs.

LEDs

If you’re looking for a long-lasting, efficient way to light your home that will reduce your carbon footprint significantly then LEDs should be your first choice. They also come in different colour temperatures and styles enabling you to pick out the right combination for your specific home.

3. Place your lighting in strategic places

When adding new lighting to your spaces, it’s important to place them in strategic sections of your room taking into account their purpose and functionality. In order to do this, you need to understand the differences between the various types of lighting and how best to utilise each one.

Ambient lighting:

This creates general luminance in every room and will set the overall mood and tone. Pendant and suspension lamps are the ideal way to do this as they are hung at ceiling level, enabling them to flood the entire space with even light.

To enhance your home, find something striking that can become the focal point of your room like the stunning Gardenia pendant light from our custom collection. With its elegant circular spheres and metallic finish, it will bring a touch of sparkle to your ensemble.

Task lighting:

Task lighting is more intensified and needs to be placed in areas where you’ll be doing focused activities like reading, cooking and working. Floor and table lamps are the easiest ways to do this and can be moved around your living spaces as needed. For kitchens and bathrooms, use under-cabinet lighting instead.

The Randolph floor lamp by Laskasas will add a sleek, modern aesthetic to any refined study area while providing the luminance you need to work comfortably at your desk.

Accent lighting:

Accent lighting will allow you to highlight specific design features in your room such as sculptures, pillars and paintings. Wall sconces and down-lighting are ideal for this.

For something soft and organic, we recommend Serip’s Nenufar collection. Made from top-quality Murano glass, it is a whimsical piece that is reminiscent of nature and will infuse your space with a gently diffused glow.

In Conclusion

Having a well-lit home is absolutely essential to creating a warm and inviting interior and can brighten up and elevate your living spaces.

At FCI London we have a beautifully curated range of lighting options to choose from, and our top interior designers are on hand to help pick out the perfect piece for you. To get the ball rolling, get in touch with us today or visit our expansive showroom for a guided tour.

If you need some fresh ideas, browse through our interior design project portfolio. We’ve worked on some spectacular spaces over the past 40 years and have created lighting solutions that will inspire!