Every living space needs lighting, but when given the attention it deserves, lighting can make the difference between spectacular ambiance and ho-hum look.
Exterior Lighting
With the variety of building materials available today, it is more important than ever to show them off, accent them or subtly shadow them for their maximum impact and impression. Your exterior lighting can do so much more than providing safety and convenience when properly designed to work with the exterior architecture of your home. Think of those times when you drove by a home at night that had a warm, wonderful look as a result of well-placed, aimed and sized lighting fixtures. It was probably a combination of light and shadow on both the home as well as the landscape that gave the overall positive impression.
Interior Lighting
It is even more important to have lighting professionally designed for your interior. Most homes were originally built without a lot of thought or planning around lighting so when you are doing a remodel, be sure to spend some time and allocate some of your budget to this important component. If you are building a custom home, this is your chance to get it right the first time.
Light Designers
Hire a professional lighting designer to work with your architect and electrician for maximum impact. We usually think of a light fixture as the focal point and try to choose those that are visually pleasing to match or complement our decor, but light fixtures can also be placed so that their effect is to shift the focus to a fireplace, a 3-dimensional wall, a piece of art or just to provide subtle ambience in a particular area of the home. The professional will match the fixture to the function and the correct size, brightness and light temperature of the bulb selection.
Plan the Natural Light
The final part of lighting design is planning for natural light. Make sure to discuss each room’s use with your designer so they can assist you in planning window shapes, sizes and locations to make the most effective use of daylight. You might have a favorite spot to sit and read or look out a window at your garden or the view in the distance.
Whether you use light fixtures as décor alone or as a way to accent your décor, it is important to consciously make these important and impactful decisions in the planning stage of your remodel or custom home.