Lighting Design Ideas For The Different Parts Of The House

A huge part of successful interior design  is getting the lighting just right - but this can be tricky and it can depend on what part of the home you’re trying to illuminate as to how best to go about it. To help you get it right, here’s a quick room by room guide from us here at UK luxury table lamps company Decolight 

This is usually the smallest room in the house and a good rule of thumb to follow when redecorating small spaces is to pre-plan as much as you can. Installing lighting options at different levels can help to create different moods, so include some ceiling lights but temper these with others on the wall as well.

LEDs can also be used to great effect in this part of the house and you can really think outside the box, perhaps having them lighting up your mirror or using them in your faucets to create a really interesting sink area. Using light sensors can also help create a sense of luxury - and they’ll be very convenient if you need to pop to the bathroom in the middle of the night.

Task lighting should also be a consideration if you use the bathroom as a space for makeup application or for shaving purposes.

Think about how you use this space, as this will dictate what lighting arrangements are the most suitable. Do you read in bed a lot, for example? If so, then you might want to prioritise adjustable wall-mounted light fixtures, so you can direct the light as you see fit.

More contemporary style bedrooms could benefit from the introduction of floor lamps for a sleek look and don’t forget to bring in a few table lamps here and there as well. Dimmer switches are perfect for bedrooms because you can adjust the light levels to create a relaxing atmosphere, sure to help you get your eight hours each night.

This is one of the most used rooms in the house and as such, it’s essential that you get the lighting just right. They say that the living room is fast becoming the hub of the home, overtaking the kitchen, so you need to make sure it’s a hospitable environment for all sorts of different activities… and lighting is key in this regard.

Firstly, create a layer of ambient lighting by using a centralised ceiling fitting and then building the rest of your lighting up around this. It’s best to try and avoid creating harsh shadows and bright pools of light, so take care when using different sources.

Task lighting can be used to great effect in this part of the house, so think about if you have a favourite reading chair or somewhere you like to knit, and make sure that the lighting is well suited to this purpose.

And if you want to hang lots of art in this part of the house, make sure that you use accent lighting to really show it off so that it captures people’s attention as soon as they walk into the room.

No doubt you spend an awful lot of time in this part of your house so, again, lighting is especially important. You do need to think about how you’re going to use your lights in a practical way, as well as how they look and the kind of mood they create in the space.

Assess how much natural light floods the room as this will inform your lighting choices to some degree. Also work out where the darkest places in the room are and which lack the most natural light, because you’ll need to ensure that there are lighting options installed to counteract this.

Task lighting is an absolute necessity in this part of the house because you need to be able to prep food and cook in a safe environment - which you can’t do if you can’t see. You could use ceiling downlights and LEDs or strip lighting underneath your cabinets to help with this.

Pendants over kitchen islands are very popular for homeowners at the moment, so think about whether this look would work in your house. Don’t forget about light colour as well as the quality of light, choosing bulbs that make the space feel as welcoming as it possibly can.

The colour of lighting is measured in kelvins (K), but you’ll likely want to have a warmer light colour for your dining or living areas of the house. So perhaps opt for something around the 2,700k mark that will light the space without being harsh.

Whatever you plan to do in any part of the house, make sure that you call out professional and experienced electricians to do the work for you - unless you have the necessary skills and qualifications yourself. You may find that you invalidate your insurance policy if you do the lighting work yourself and problems arise later down the line.

If jobs are notifiable, for example replacing consumer units or adding new circuits, they have to be carried out or certified by building control or a registered competent person.

We’d love to hear how you plan to light your homes up this year and into the future so get in touch with us to let us know what you’ve got in mind for illuminating your living spaces right now.

Here's how to create a lighting plan to illuminate your home effectively.