What kind of lights would you like to use for your home decor?
Last Updated: 29.06.2025 06:50
Even though hallways are often seen as just transitional spaces, they should not be ignored in home design. If you have artwork in the hallway, direct light onto the art, adjusting the distance based on its position.
In the bathroom, where you wash your hands, use the toilet, and shower or bathe, you’ll have items like the sink, mirror, toilet, shower area, and bathtub.
2. Don’t use just one type of light.
If you often read or use your phone while sitting on the sofa, add a floor lamp or wall lamp with a warm color temperature. Make sure the light doesn’t shine directly on you or the sofa; instead, direct it towards the floor or the coffee table. Adjust the lighting to whatever feels most comfortable for your activities.
2) Dining Room:
For basic lighting, use 1-2 recessed lights depending on the size of the space. Install LED strip lights inside the cabinets to make it easier to find items. It's also useful to leave a gap of about 4-6 inches (10-15 cm) at the bottom of the cabinet for storing slippers; adding LED strips in this area can help with visibility.
- Larger Bathrooms: Use a waterproof gypsum board ceiling, which allows for recessed lights to provide overall lighting.
Remember the universal rule: Direct light onto the objects you want to illuminate.
For most people, the focus often starts with strong interior decoration desires. But then, we begin to seek out that higher level of lighting design, which is often overlooked. It’s like realizing that lighting acts as a filter for your space. No matter how many fancy decorations or expensive artworks you have, without the right lighting "filter," they don’t shine.
Why is Laura Loomer considered a controversial figure within the conservative media ecosystem?
4) Kitchen:
2. Layered Lighting: Use different types of lighting to create layers and depth in the room.
1. Ambient Light: Provides overall illumination for the room.
Why aren't there any Indian girls married to Chinese guys but Chinese girls married to Indian guys?
When you’re looking at a home’s layout, you’re already thinking about natural light, right? But let’s not forget about nighttime and those dark corners that don’t get sunlight. That’s where planning for good indoor lighting comes in—it’s essential to ensure your space is always well-lit, comfortable, and functional.
Hey newbies, pay attention! When it comes to lighting your whole home, remember these four key points:
4. Avoid Dark Spots: Ensure there are no large areas of darkness or lighting dead zones.
Trump-Musk feud leaves some DOGE staffers worried about their futures: Sources - ABC News
8) Hallway:
2. Spotlights: Often used in home settings with cool light for bright and accurate color rendering. They work well in various spaces and can be used as task lighting, like over a bathroom mirror, or to highlight specific areas.
In the hallway, where the main activity is just moving through, you might have items like wall art.
This Nutrient May Help Lower Your Stroke Risk by 36%, New Study Says - EatingWell
Kitchen lighting needs to be very bright. Install LED strips under the cabinets to ensure the countertop is well-lit. This helps make cooking and finding items easier and safer.
1. Lighting Balance: Ensure areas that need to be dark are dark and areas that need to be bright are well-lit.
From a design perspective, the difference between using a main light fixture and not using one is often just a matter of aesthetic preference—what looks good or bad is subjective.
In summary, lighting in home design is no longer just about having any lights or simply buying a pretty chandelier. Today, lighting serves multiple functions: providing basic illumination, creating atmosphere, and highlighting quality. It's about achieving a balance that enhances both the practicality and aesthetics of your space.
Here’s what a main light fixture looks like:
If you have elegant decorations or collections, you can use lighting to enhance their value and sophistication. For accent lighting, make sure the light source isn’t too far from the object. If it's too distant, the light will spread out before it hits the object, reducing its impact.
- Small Bathrooms: Use an integrated ceiling (economical option) with built-in lighting to cover basic illumination needs. Add LED strips for personalized lighting.
Today’s tips on lighting are straightforward and practical, meant for everyone to understand and apply.
Think about your typical activities in the living room—watching TV, reading, entertaining, and chatting. The key items you might have include the TV, sofa, coffee table, wall art, decorations, and bookshelves.
In summary, your indoor lighting should include at least three types of lighting to achieve a well-lit space with clear layers and highlighted areas:
6) Bathroom:
In the bedroom, where you sleep and read, you’ll have items like the bed, dressing table, wardrobe, and a casual sofa.
When buying lighting fixtures, you might notice there are many types, each with its own features. Here’s a quick overview of some common types to help you understand them better:
5. Accent Lighting: Consider installing spotlights on the inside of windows or on the wardrobe panels for added illumination.
7) In a walk-in closet where you change clothes and do your makeup, install two rows of recessed lights along the wardrobe. Add LED strips inside the wardrobe to improve visibility and make it easier to see your clothes.
If your home is already decorated, don’t worry! Lighting is like an accessory—you can always add or change it as needed. The more task lighting you have, the better. It’s easy to adjust to create the atmosphere you want in any room.
Let’s break it down by room:
3. Task Light: Provides focused lighting for specific activities, like reading or cooking.
1) Living Room:
4. Recessed Lights: These lights are hidden inside the ceiling, providing a soft, non-glaring illumination. There are two types: surface-mounted and built-in. Surface-mounted can be installed without a drop ceiling, but having many of them might complicate wiring. Built-in recessed lights require a drop ceiling.
There’s a current trend in interior design called "no main light." If you’ve heard the term “hidden lighting” or “light without visible fixtures,” it’s similar to this trend. Instead of relying on a single overhead light fixture, the idea is to get rid of traditional ceiling lights and use various other sources to meet your lighting needs. For example:
Amazon knocks up to 50% off Garmin watches — here are 15 deals worth shopping now - Tom's Guide
Key Point: How to Arrange Indoor Lighting!
1. Don’t just have one light fixture.
For dining, warm light is preferable. Warm lighting not only makes the food look more appetizing but also enhances the intimate atmosphere of the meal.
3 Economic Events That Could Affect Your Portfolio This Week, June 16-20, 2025 - TipRanks
When you remove the main light fixture, you can use multiple light sources placed at different spots on the ceiling. This approach effectively meets the growing lighting needs for various activities in the home.
If the hallway is empty, keep the lighting minimal but sufficient to illuminate the space. Avoid overly dense lighting; just enough to ensure the hallway is well-lit and welcoming.
Install 1-2 recessed lights in the shower area. For a bathtub, position the lights so they shine from the side and are out of your direct line of sight while you’re soaking. This setup will help create a more relaxing atmosphere during your bath.
3. Prioritize General Lighting: Make sure the main lighting is sufficient for daily activities.
Using these three types of lighting will help you achieve a well-balanced and functional lighting setup.
4. Aim for a larger proportion of task lighting in your home.
In the entryway, where activities include changing clothes, changing shoes, and grabbing items, common features are a shoe cabinet, a full-length mirror, and a shoe bench.
If you occasionally work or study at the dining table, consider having a movable desk lamp. Choose one with adjustable color temperature: around 2700K for computer use and about 4000K for reading. Everyone experiences light differently, so these settings are just a starting point and may need to be adjusted based on personal preference.
For the mirror area, especially important for tasks like face washing and makeup application, overhead recessed lights can create shadows. Therefore, use a mirror light or lighting built into the mirror to ensure even and shadow-free illumination.
Bathroom lighting can be simple or complex, depending on the design of the ceiling and lighting installation:
1. Chandeliers: These come in the widest variety of styles and designs. They can be very decorative and add a lot of character to a space.
6. Bedside Lighting: Install a strip of LED lights around the headboard, and place a lamp or wall light on each side of the bed.
Add a strip of LED lights or a few recessed lights above the TV, or install a row of track lights. This helps to reduce the contrast between the TV and the background lighting, making it easier on the eyes.
5) Bedroom:
Some people might worry that spotlights are too bright and could be harsh on the eyes. While spotlights do provide intense, focused light, they’re mainly used to highlight walls and objects. Since you can adjust the angle of spotlights, many people prefer using them for living room lighting.
For dining room lighting, a chandelier is a popular choice. It should be positioned directly above the dining table, with the bottom of the lampshade about 28-36 inches (70-90 cm) from the table surface. If the light source is too high, it can cast shadows on the food.
5. LED Strip Lights: Flexible LED strips, also known as LED tape, have a long lifespan, low heat output, and are energy-efficient. When choosing the color temperature of your lights, remember: for a cozy, relaxed atmosphere, choose warm light with a lower color temperature; for a bright, clean look, opt for cool light with a higher color temperature.
For the full-length mirror, consider using LED strips or light tubes around it. This helps avoid shadows and color distortion, ensuring a clear reflection.
3. Think of lighting like makeup—arrange it to create layers and depth (we’ll go into this more later).
3. Track Lights: These are installed on a track, allowing you to adjust the angle of the light. They serve a similar purpose to spotlights, focusing light on objects or areas you want to highlight.
In the dining room, where you eat and sometimes work, you have items like the dining table and chairs, vases, and a sideboard.
When planning your lighting, you might instinctively want to direct spotlights or recessed lights onto wall art to highlight and add decoration. After installing the lights, turn them on and hold the artwork up to test different positions. The ideal spot is where the peak of the light beam falls about 4-6 inches above the artwork.
You might notice that a single fixed main light doesn’t offer various lighting options. Plus, you don’t want to have to adjust your seating position awkwardly—like sitting on the sides of the sofa when watching TV or twisting around when reading—just to get comfortable lighting.
First, let’s discuss why you shouldn’t just have one light fixture in your home:
2. Accent Light: Highlights specific features or areas to create depth and focus.
In the kitchen, where activities include cooking and retrieving items, you’ll have appliances like the stove, cabinets, and refrigerator.
When choosing a round chandelier, ensure it’s proportionate to the dining table and the room. A simple rule is to have the chandelier’s diameter be about half the width of the table. For rectangular chandeliers, make sure it’s not longer than the dining table.
In a living room with no main light fixture, recessed lights are often used to provide basic lighting.
3) Entryway:
So, you shouldn’t have just one type of light in your home.