Lighting Guide

With Autumn fast approaching and the evenings soon becoming darker it is time to start thinking of what type of lighting we should be having at home. The type of light fittings and lamps you choose can make or break the finish of your home.

Lighting by Room

The Hallway – The entrance to your front door gives visitors the first impression to the interiors of your home so getting the lighting right here is most important. If you have tall ceilings in your reception area we recommend having a chandelier or a pendant light that has a long drop. This will give your home an elegant effect. If your ceiling is not so tall we recommend going for a light fitting that fits flush to the ceiling, halogen lights. Going for low hanging fittings in a low ceiling room will only make the room seem smaller. If you have wide or open hallway consider going for wall lights to supplement your ceiling lights. It is also worth considering having a dimmer switch fitted to your hallway light so you can vary the lighting effect and change the ambience to your room.

The Dining Room – We recommend positioning your ceiling light over the centre of the dining table so that light can reflect from the glass and it also makes the table the focus of the room. It is worth considering hanging your light low here but do not make it so low you can’t see each other at the table. Depending on your room size we recommend being extravagant and flamboyant with your lighting going for a large pendant light or crystal chandelier to give the wow factor. If you have a sideboard or console table considering using a few table lamps on it creates small downwards pool of light to create a cosy atmosphere it is important that light from the table lamps does not reach the ceiling.

The Living Room – A room where a lot of time and different activities can be done.

There is no greater crime than lighting your living room with a single pendant alone, so aim to use a variety of sources to create pools or different levels of light around the room. Most people have there TV set in the living room so ideally you will want this room to be dimly lit to create the right ambience. This can be achieved by having just your floor lamps and table lamps switched on and positioned near chairs or situated on tables so that it is light enough for you to be able to read also. It is important that you have your electrical sockets situated in the right places to fit around your furniture so you can position your lamps where you would like them. If you don’t have a light switch near enough you will nee a plug extension which will mean you will have to hide the ugly wire under furniture, carpets etc to conceal it. For the ceiling light which will only be used occasionally because you will have your lamps switched on we recommend going for a pendant light. Also if the room is quite large it is worth considering a selection of wall lights to show off your favourite pictures. Fitting uplighters to the wall to bounce light onto the white ceiling will make the room seem larger and taller. Creating panels or shafts of light with downlighters at the far end of a short room will draw your eye towards it and make it seem longer, just as lighting all four corners of a small room will make it seem bigger.