Proper lighting is crucial for interior design, yet often overlooked, leading to common mistakes that can ruin a space. This content outlines key lighting errors and offers practical tips to enhance any room's atmosphere and functionality.
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lighting has the power to make or break
a space unfortunately
unfortunately
it is often an afterthought and what
otherwise may have been a well-designed
room can be quickly ruined by poor
lighting choices
in this video i'll go through the three
common lighting mistakes and four useful
tips that you can easily follow
mistake one
incorrect color temperatures
one of the biggest sliding mistakes that
often come across is using an incorrect
lighting temperature
color temperature is a spectrum measured
in kelvin ranging from 1000 to 10 000
kelvin going from warm to cool
the four main categories of light colors
are warm white
soft white
bright white
and daylight
warm white bulbs are 2700 to 3000 kelvin
and a mid or warm golden yellow light
it is a typical color emitted by an
incandescent bulb
warm white globes are most suited to bedrooms
bedrooms
living rooms and dining rooms as they
create a cozy inviting and calm atmosphere
atmosphere
soft white bulbs are 3000 to 4000 kelvin
and are slightly cooler than warm white bulbs
bulbs
they emit a yellowish white light
these bulbs are most appropriate to be
used in the bathrooms or kitchens as
they create a friendly and bright atmosphere
atmosphere
bright white bulbs are four thousand to
five thousand kelvin these lights emit a
color that is between white and blue
in terms of home applications
these flights are most suited to being
used in the home office or garage
the final category daylight is actually
quite deceptive
many of us think that daylight
corresponds with the globe that will
create a bright
light and airy space
however it actually creates the opposite
effect in fact
daylight bulbs create a sterile and cold
atmosphere as they emit blue tone light
these bulbs are usually used in hospital
commercial or office spaces as they
maximize color contrast which makes us
more alert and improves concentration
they create the opposite of a warm and
cozy atmosphere that you typically want
in a home
so it is best to avoid them where possible
possible luckily
luckily
these days you can get smart led bulbs
where not only the brightness of the
lights can be altered
but also the temperature
all through an app on your phone
a remote or another smart device like
if you have smart bulbs in your home but
set at the wrong temperature
this becomes very easy fix personally
personally
i like to use phillips heel bulbs as
they are very stable
produce nice color
and are intuitive to use
however these swoops can be quite pricey
so a budget alternative is the ikea trot
free system or the lifx system that
falls somewhere in between
i have this bulbs linked down below in
the description box so you can check
them out
mistake 2
mixing color temperatures
closely related to choosing the wrong
color temperature
another common mistake is having
inconsistent temperature in a single space
space
while you should use a warm white bulb
in a bedroom and a soft white bulb in a
bathroom you shouldn't mix this to color
temperatures in a singular room
this is because when two lights of
different colors are in close proximity
the differences in temperature became
very apparent
which is startling and creates an uneasy
disjointed feel in the room
it makes furniture and room decor as
well as skin tones look off
you may be wondering
what to do in the open plan space where
the living and kitchen areas are in the
same space
the general rule is that a kitchen
should have a cooler tone light than a
living area however
however
in this instance a compromise can be
made by using a color temperature in
between warm white and soft white so
that we have a consistent temperature
mistake three not layering lighting
the third mistake is not using enough
types of lighting throughout a space
this is one of the biggest mistake that
i've personally made in the past
there are four types of lighting used in homes
homes
overhead lighting
ambient lighting
task lighting and accent lighting
it is important to use at least two if
not all of these lighting types in a
room at various places and heights so
the light is evenly dispersed
this process is known as layering lighting
lighting
overhead lighting most commonly comes in
the form of ceiling lights
pretty much every room in the house has
overhead lighting
and many people make the mistake of
slowly relying on it as their light source
source
as the light source is from above this
type of lighting often creates a very
unflattering shadow onto people and objects
objects
especially if it isn't used with other
types of lighting
next there is ambient lighting
this type of lighting has a soft natural feeling
feeling
an example would be a lamp or pendant
with a fabric shade or an opaque glass
shade as they create a soft warm glow ultimately
ultimately
you should aim to have a few of these
spread out across the room to evenly
tusk lighting also known as directional lighting
lighting
this is used in areas where a specific
task is completed
such as reading
writing or preparing food
in contrast to ambient lighting that
serves both an aesthetic and functional purpose
purpose
task lighting is the most functional
layer of light
it is much brighter and has a narrow
beam rather than ambient lighting that
is dimmer and has an even glow
some examples of task lights are table
lamps bathroom vanity lights track
finally
accent lighting
this is the least functional and most
aesthetic form of lighting used to bring
attention to certain areas or objects
such as an artwork
furnishing or architectural details
it is often used to make the space more
dramatic and stylish by increasing contrast
contrast
accent lighting is generally brighter
than ambient lighting
so it should only be used sparingly
a few examples may be recessed led light
strips under vanities or behind mirrors
recessed spot ceiling lights or track
lights that are angled to accentuate a
certain object or feature in a room
if you own your own home there are
unlimited options for layering lighting
such as pendant lights chandeliers wall
sconces and track lighting to name a few
if you're renting
some rental friendly solutions include
table lamps
floor lamps overhead lamps and light
strips as they don't require drilling or
routing cables
if simple drilling is allowed a scone or
wall lamp can be a great addition
just make sure to hide the wire using
cable routers
combining the sliding types at varying
heights and locations throughout a room
can really elevate the space
it creates a dynamic environment as
colors textures and other design
elements are enhanced
tip 1
match lighting fixtures to other
elements in the room while we have
mainly been focused on how to enhance
the feel of a room
it is equally important to consider the look
look
when choosing lighting fixtures
you want to match them to other elements
in your home for continuity
this can be done through color texture
texture
or material so that the space feels
cohesive and not siloed
one of the simplest way to do this is by
matching your lighting fixtures to your hardware
hardware
as an example in your kitchen you may
have matte black hardware such as tabs
or cupboard handles
you will want to match these features
with lighting fixtures that is also
matte black so the space is cohesive similarly
similarly
if you have matte black elements in your
living room
a matte black floor lamp could complete
the look
this tends to be more profound in the
bathroom where you have a lot of metals
going on
you'll often see designers using similar
material or color for the sconces or
lamps as found in the hardware to create
a cohesive look
the same concept also applies outside of metals
metals
such as matching textures like the tan
or using similar fabrics that speak to
each other
tip 2
diffuse your light sources
another tip is to diffuse your light
sources as it reduces harsh shadows
diffusing light sources has a similar
effect to a cloud going in front of the sun
sun
when it's cloudy you can see more
clearly than when you're in direct sunlight
sunlight
this concept is also used in photography
and filmmaking as the subject under a
diffuse light looks much more flattering
than a direct light
incorporating lime shades or opal glass
shades will help soften and break up the
light to make the space more flattering
for both the people and objects around it
it
while sometimes you may want an exposed
light for visual interest
consider also having a source of diffuse
light to evenly lit the room [Music]
[Music]
tip 3
use dimmers
on a similar note
it is important to be able to adjust the
brightness of lights depending on the
time of day and task you want to accomplish
accomplish
you don't want to have a super bright
light before going to bed or dim light
when reading
dimming lights give you the ability to
alter the atmosphere of your space as an example
example
you may want to turn down the lights in
your dining room when entertaining to
create a more intimate atmosphere traditionally
traditionally
lights could only be dimmed through
hardware on the light switch
however nowadays it can be done
digitally through smart bulbs
as i mentioned before i like to use
philips hue bulbs that can be dimmed
through an app or remote but there are
also budget alternatives such as the
smart loops are a great option for
renters however
if you're thinking of renovating or if
you're in the process of building your
own home
integrating traditional dimmers or smart
switches works well and isn't too expensive
tip 4
light your outdoor spaces
the final lighting tip that is often
considered as an afterthought is sliding
outdoor spaces including your balconies
and backyards at night time a pitch
black window encloses an interior and
makes it feel small by adding lights
outside such as outdoor sconces
spotlights in a pot plant
or by lighting up a tree with very
lights you can make your room feel
larger as it encourages you to look
outside which creates the illusion of a
larger space
while it does take some time and
patience to perfect lighting in a room
it is well worth the effort so you can
enjoy a properly lit room no matter the
time of day or task
if you enjoy this educational time video
let me know in the comment section below
what topics you want me to cover next
thanks for watching and i'll see you in
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