Bright Ideas

Proper lighting makes it easier to enjoy our homes by creating the right ambience. Knowing which style and type of light and its location will make a significant difference to your home’s overall appeal. Worcestershire interior designer, Elaine Lewis, offers up top tips and 2017 trends for lighting your perfect home

Have you ever walked into a room, looked in a mirror and thought, ‘Wow, I look good’ . . . and then turned round and noticed that everyone else looked fabulous too? Lighting is the ‘magic dust’ of interior design and should never be overlooked. Incorporating lighting into your home defines the mood of the space and the definition of its usage; and it has a huge impact on perception.

Layer the lighting

If you play by the rule that you layer at least three types of light in every room, you can’t go far wrong. Start with ambient lighting, which fills the room and usually bounces off the ceiling, softening the shadows on people’s faces. It is akin to the daylight that travels through windows and doors, which flows naturally into a room. This form of indirect light makes people feel comfortable and gives a sense of warmth.

Remember then to add in at least two other light sources in the form of lamps, task lighting, floor lamps, picture lights, cabinet lighting or just some simple uplighters to give warmth and glow to a favourite ornament in the corner of a room.

Choose the right task lighting