When building a new home, lighting design is an important consideration that dramatically impacts the aesthetics and functionality of the space. Proper lighting makes rooms feel warm, inviting, and spacious, while poor lighting creates a cold, unappealing atmosphere. By incorporating smart lighting design into your new home build or renovation, you create the perfect ambiance to suit your lifestyle and design tastes.
Layer your lighting
The hallmark of good lighting design is layering multiple types of lighting in each room. Ambient, task, and accent lighting work together to provide overall illumination. Ambient lighting comes from fixtures such as chandeliers, pendant lights, and wall sconces. This lighting casts a soft, general glow to create a calming atmosphere. Task lighting provides directed light for working, reading, or doing detailed activities. Under-cabinet lights in kitchens, desk lamps in offices, and adjustable reading lights in bedrooms are examples of task lighting. Accent lighting highlights specific architectural or decorative features. Recessed lighting aimed at artwork, track lighting over shelves, and landscape lighting outside are types of accent lighting. By layering all three types of lighting, you have sufficient brightness for tasks while also creating softer, moodier backgrounds. Make sure to include plenty of dimmers and switches so lighting levels are adjusted based on activities and time of day.
Illuminate key activity areas
Thoughtfully placing lighting around the main activity areas and traffic paths within each room makes the space more functional and easy to use. In the kitchen, focus ample task lighting over the cooking area, sink, island, and other workstations where you’ll be prepping food or organizing culinary equipment. For a dining area, center an attractive chandelier or pendant light above the table to provide both ambient and task lighting. Install lighting on both sides of the mirror and around the shower and tub areas. Strategically placed lighting that aids your everyday activities simplifies routines and provides safety at the same time.
Highlight architectural details
Use accent lighting to highlight the appealing architectural features or design details. Upward or downward-facing lights create shadows that highlight textural details on ceilings or wall surfaces. Recessed lighting directed at the stone surround of a fireplace or the inside of a glass-front cabinet illuminates these features while adding dimension. Silhouetting lighting placed behind architectural details outlines the form while allowing the texture and contours to take center stage. Consider exterior accent lighting around entries, landscapes, and other outdoor areas to provide security and drama at night. hop over to this site for more details.
Set the mood with dimming and automation
The ability to dim and adjust lighting allows you to set the perfect mood for any activity, from a bright perk-me-up in the morning bathroom routine to a calm, subdued atmosphere for an intimate dinner. Ensure that light fixtures have dimming capabilities, either as part of the fixture itself or controlled through a dimmer switch. Dimmers allow you to create bright, supportive task lighting then dial it down to dimmer ambient or accent lighting as needed. Home automation systems take dimming a step further for total lighting control. With automated smart lighting, you program lighting schedules that mimic natural patterns to support your circadian rhythms. You also set lighting scenes for certain activities or moods, then activate them instantly with the push of a button or a voice command to your smart home hub.
