How to light your home without making mistakes?

If you consider the lighting of your home to be something you don't have to worry about, you are missing the opportunity to live in a more pleasant atmosphere for your senses. 

It seems simple… and it is, but most people even neglect basic aspects, such as:

• Natural light: this enters through the windows and is a decisive factor in knowing what you can and cannot do.
• Wall and ceiling colour: the lighter, the more light bounces off and the less light you need in the form of bulbs.
• Colour of furniture, bed linen and curtains: the same as in the previous point.
• Light temperatures: each type of light has a temperature that will influence you, making it easier or harder for you to relax or work in a particular environment.

How to light your living room

The living room is the room of a house where most of the time is spent. Between its walls, many types of activities are carried out: from reading to napping. For this reason, the lighting must be flexible and pleasant.

One of the main tendencies is to focus on illuminating walls/ceilings and avoiding illuminating the floor. The following is recommended:

• Warm and homogeneous light using ceiling lamps and complementing them with standing lamps.
• Intensity regulators to create more cosy atmospheres depending on the case.

“The lighter the colour of the walls, ceiling, furniture and curtains, the less power your bulbs will need.”

How to light your dining room

You need to concentrate the lighting on the table, which is the key point of this room. One or more ceiling lamps pointing towards the table is ideal. A cold light is preferable.

There is no problem in supplementing with auxiliary lamps and even intensity regulators.

How to light your kitchen

Light in the kitchen is essential, given that it is a work area. In this case, there are many who prefer a colder light to see clearly.

You can combine overhead lights on areas such as a breakfast table, whilst lighting up areas where you will carry out most activities (e.g. a worktop) in a more isolated manner. This way, you will avoid annoying shadows.

Don't forget that you can also illuminate your furniture from the inside: you certainly want to see the bottom of your pantry in detail.

Mistakes to avoid when lighting your home

• Not providing the necessary lighting points: if you are going to reform your house, make a forecast of where to place sockets or plugs.
• Insufficient lighting: whether due to a lack of light points or because the elements in the room generate shadows, poor lighting can become a problem. Working with light is essential, for example, in the kitchen, to prevent accidents.
• Over-illumination: if the lack of light has negative consequences, the opposite is also not recommended. Too much light can be unpleasant, as well as costly.
• Leave out natural light: take advantage of this natural resource, which means considerable savings.

How to light your bedroom

In this case, it is advisable to illuminate with overhead lights. Bedside table lamps or appliqués next to the headboard are very useful. Ideally, they should have an adjustable head and can be directed (an articulated arm), as this allows you to optimise this light according to how you position yourself for reading (sitting, lying down, curled up, etc.).

If you have a desk, dressing table or dressing room, you should also have a spot light.

Warm lights are advised first and foremost to create a relaxing atmosphere.

“IIlluminating furniture from inside is a good option for bringing personality to a room.”

How to light your bathroom

In this room, the key feature is the mirror, so it is essential to illuminate it properly. Place appliqués on the mirror and on both sides, always trying to reduce the shadow zone.

You can use several overhead light points with predominantly cold lights, which will make your vision easier.

Cold light or warm light? 

Cold lights have a whiter colour, whilst warm lights tend to be more orange-yellow.

The great advantage of cold light is that it allows you to see better, so it is the preference when we talk about a work environment or that requires visual concentration. Its drawback is that, as a decoration, it conveys a feeling of anonymity and impersonality (like in an industrial ship or a dental clinic).

Warm lights are the exact opposite: they are not recommended for working or reading, but they give an atmosphere of tranquillity and familiarity.

The secret is to combine the main lighting of the room (which must be cold or warm depending on whether it is a working or relaxing room) with auxiliary lamps that rise in the opposite direction. A cosy corner within a working environment, or a work corner within a relaxed atmosphere. You decide.

A good way to get diffuse light is to opt for overhead LED lights on a false ceiling.