Your home should not only be a reflection of your style – it should also cater to your daily needs. Lighting is a vital element that influences the overall atmosphere, mood, and functionality of a space so it’s important to get it right! Balancing form and function can be challenging, but it is possible and the result is worth it. With a few tips and some pictures for inspiration, we promise you can achieve the perfect balance – every room in your house will shine!
Kitchen
A well-lit kitchen ensures a safe space to prepare meals and gather to enjoy them. When you’re working with sharp tools like knives, safety is non-negotiable! To get the most out of your lighting, install overhead lighting for indirect lights and include more directly above any workspaces. Choose lights that pair with your kitchen’s design for a look that’s gorgeous and safe! Look for fixtures that match your cabinet color or hardware finish to seamlessly incorporate a new fixture into an existing space.
In this kitchen, overhead track lights provide indirect light to the entire room while a gorgeous pendant hangs over the island for more task lighting. The lights in this space blend seamlessly into the overall aesthetic with clean lines and a matte black finish that matches the cabinets.
The only thing this kitchen is missing is under-cabinet lights! They’re simple to install and would beautifully highlight the alcove while also making it easier to work in that space.
Bedroom
Your bedroom is one of the most critical rooms in your house for your health – it’s where you sleep! Improving your sleep is key to having a better mood and overall improved health. According to the Sleep Foundation, “Light is the most important external factor affecting sleep!” Your body’s internal clock (or circadian rhythm) is particularly sensitive two hours before bed and one hour after waking up. That means more light in the morning will help you wake up faster and less in the evening will help you have a better night’s sleep.
In a bedroom, having several light sources can help you customize the amount of light you’re exposed to, so it’ll work for both waking up and winding down for the day. You can also install dimmer switches for the same purpose. More lighting also means more gorgeous design pieces to work with!
This bedroom’s pendant provides ambient lighting so you can see your clothes in the morning, and the bedside lamp is perfect for making it through one more chapter of your bedtime book! In the morning, turn all the lights on for plenty of visibility and to help your body wake up. At night, just turn on the lamp to wind down for the day.
This room is also the perfect example of balancing beauty and practicality! It’s a stunning room with to-die-for details like a customized headboard, tons of cozy textures, and coordinating pastels (the pink on that light is swoon-worthy!). We’ll definitely be stealing some of these ideas for our own homes!
Bathroom
The bathroom is an essential room in your house. It’s a very functional space where you meet your basic hygiene needs, but it’s also a place for privacy and relaxation. Designing a place to fill both functions is vital to your overall well-being! You deserve a retreat from the hustle and bustle of your life.
For a bathroom’s lighting to meet both requirements, it needs to be adaptable. For getting ready you need clear, bright light. For relaxing, you’ll need soft, warm light. Get this balance with a dimmer switch, a color-changing LED light, or a combination of fixtures that can be used on their own or together to get just the right mix.
Welcome to self-care central! This bathroom already has gorgeous natural light, so the lighting is the icing on the cake (for early mornings, later nights, or more light on a rainy day). The pendant lights are perfect for a well-lit, relaxing bath, and a back-lit mirror ensures an extra glow for your skincare routine. The LED light strip tucked into the ceiling above the shower creates the perfect mood for both slow-wake-up mornings and wind-down-after-a-long-day evenings. The simplicity of this design is complimented perfectly by the understated light fixtures.
Office
A well-lit office space within your home can enhance your productivity and focus! It provides a designated area for concentrating on tasks, free from distractions commonly found in other parts of the house. A home office helps create a work-oriented environment, allowing more organization and efficiency. But home office lighting can be so much more than a boring ceiling light and basic desk lamp.
When you’re designing and lighting an office space, start by adding ambient or general lighting. Then, you’ll need to consider where you work – are you a couch-dweller, a desk sitter, or both? Add task lights accordingly to help with mental focus and avoid eye strain! The last thing you want is distractions due to improper lighting. Put in a little effort up front and your productivity will pay you back!
This office is moody and we’re here for it. We can’t get over the warm wood accent wall paired with the black-and-white color palette! Pendants are perfect for overhead lighting and the desk lamp is a great addition for unavoidable late nights working on a project. In a room this pretty, you might not even mind the excuse to spend more time in it! This home office screams productivity and comfort – a delicate balance to achieve. We’re impressed!
Nooks
Every home has under-utilized nooks and crannies. An unused corner is an opportunity to give the space a purpose. Once the space has a purpose, you can light it accordingly! Do you need an extra workspace? Add a small desk and a small stool with a lamp! Looking for a cozy spot to read? Add a chair and a pendant or floor lamp. Nooks are what make give your house a personality that’s unique to you – and choosing fixtures that both meet your needs and make you happy to look at will help that personality shine through!
This oversized couch is the perfect place to cozy up with a book or take a late-afternoon nap. The exposed bulb pendants give extra lighting without sacrificing the gorgeous aesthetic. This designer didn’t waste a square inch in this nook-turned-oasis. Giving an unused corner a purpose is the essence of good design!
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Fashion and functionality are two sides of the same coin! Both are essential to a happy, smooth-running home. By evaluating your family’s needs in each of the rooms in your house, you can plan lighting placement. Then, with some help from our experts, you can choose the best fixture for your room and aesthetic. Give us a call when you’re ready to get started creating a beautiful home with a purpose!