Shaynna

Lighting would have to be one of the most overlooked parts of decorating in the planning of a home. I cant tell you the many times I have come into a home after the renovation and pointed out the missed opportunities of function lighting, ambient lighting and feature lighting that could have been included in the original design. When doing lighting after the fact it is either ‘make-do’ or costly changes to get the most out of the lighting plan.

Lighting comes in three areas - general, indirect and accent.
General is the functional aspect of the lighting, sometimes known as task lighting. These are the working areas or a space that has a specific function over a surface like a kitchen bench, a desk and filling areas such as the large expanses of floor space.

Indirect is the mood creator or sometimes referred to as ambient lighting. Soft lighting from behind a filtered lampshade, an up-lighter bouncing light from the ceiling, light glowing from behind glass doors and even candles come into this category.

Accent creates interest or drama and can be called highlight lighting. Drawing attention to a piece of artwork, highlight a statue or a grouped collection. Even spotlights washing a wall bringing out the intensity of a deep rich paint colour.

When doing your lighting it is best to start with a floor plan of the room/house and draw in where the furniture will most probably go. Floor plans do change with time but this will give you your best start to work out what are the general areas you will need a wash of light. If you have four or more in one room it is worth switching them in groups of two and with dimmers to give the lighting flexibility. If the room has two exits consider on/off switches at each exit. You have no idea the amount of two story houses that still don’t have switches at the top and bottom of the stairs! Think of what features you have in the building such as interesting architectural angles. Modern homes can come alive with the rightly positioned lights creating shadows and giving a whole new perspective to the envelope of the room. Period homes have beautiful mouldings that are generally lost in the evenings, think of certain areas such as corbels and rails that would take on a new form when highlighted as you would a work of art.

Then consider the mood you want to create be it a lounge room, bedroom, kitchen or reading room as this is what will draw you to the room time and time again.

You can turn your décor into a chameleon but putting these lighting strategies to work. Combinations such as accent and general, indirect and accent and general and indirect but never the three together as you will be in danger of overkill.