The illumination of our houses can be both functional and aesthetic. While it may seem that going for these purposes may sacrifice our goal to cut on cost on our power bills, it is not actually the case all the time. Some artificial lighting may undoubtedly increase your electric consumption. On the other hand, you can still pay lower power bills if you map out some power-saving techniques.
There are many ways on how to brighten your home. You can go for natural light, artificial power or both. When going for natural light, it may only be applied during the day. Going for a combination of natural light and artificial power can be the best option as you can brighten a room night or day.
It is always best to work with a seasoned electrician or a home contractor from the very start. This is to avoid mistakes. We all know the dangers of having some erroneous wiring. You are also ensured that the results will come out perfectly when home improvements are done by experts although some DIYs can be efficient too.
Here are excellent ways to add lighting to your home to make it pop:
Going White Is a Good Start
Painting your walls and ceilings with white can illuminate a dark room. White can reflect light making a room brighter. If you are not fond of pure white, you can choose light colors but not the shades of dark colors like black, blue, green, and red. They will only just make a room darker.
Light Up the Walls With Sconces
Windowless rooms or even rooms with only a small window can look really bright if you have wall lights with a downward or upright light. You may not need very bright ceiling light if you have a couple of sconces. This will eliminate shadow formation on walls that make your room darker. You can choose sconces with lighter shades as well.
Install Under-Cabinet-Lighting
To eliminate shadows formed by overhang cabinets that can make a dark room even darker, installing under-cabinet-lighting can be the perfect solution. You can also install lighting inside big cabinets. They really help illuminate the kitchen and bedrooms as well.
Lower Down the Bulb
If you have a high ceiling, the probability is that the light may not illuminate the ground level efficiently. This happens when you have a bulb plastered on a ceiling socket. Using a pendant with a semi-flush light that hangs from the ceiling to diffuse the light would be good. You can use this technique when lighting the laundry area or storage room as well.
Use Black Accents for Counter Effect
Artwork with black frames, dark decorative display items, or bar stools with black seats will counter the effect of the brightness of a room. You can also go for charcoal colors or dark chocolate furniture. The brightness of your room will not hurt the eyes. With angled lighting on these items, there is a subdued feel even if you have a very bright lighting. This technique can make a room really pop more.
Use “True White” Bulbs
You can have many choices when buying bulbs. They can come in many colors. The more common bulb light colors use in homes are white and yellow. Using red, blue, and green may transform your home to look like a disco house. While yellow light bulbs may exude warmth, they may not be the best option to illuminate a room. You should always choose a white bulb when your intention is to brighten a room.
Hang Outdoor Paper Lanterns
Hanging paper lanterns on your outdoor living space can illuminate the outside of your house. Of course, you may have other light sources, but paper lanterns are a technique that really pops. They do not only light up your home’s exterior but give a romantic ambiance.
If you are going to add light using electricity, you need to talk to a pro. Not unless you are a licensed electrician, you can plan how you are going to do with adding lighting in your home. Otherwise, you may be wasting some of your time. There may be some revisions if an electrician sees something wrong with your plan. If you want to use more of natural light, hiring professionals to do some work may also be required.
Lighting really plays an important role in making our homes more functional. They also enhance the aesthetics. Just always be careful when doing some DIYs if you are not well-accustomed with electrical works.