Lightbulb moments at home

From the first fires to the ever-evolving electric light, humans have been relying on light for millions of years. Above its functional and decorative uses, studies have shown that lighting also has an impact on your physical and emotional well-being.

Here are three things to consider if you want to make your lighting work best in every room of your home.

Layered Lighting

Modern living often involves multi-functioning rooms. The kitchen may double up as a dining or work area while lounges need to perform a multitude of work and entertainment functions.

Layering your lighting is the best way to combat the need for different lighting types. Start with your general or ambient lighting. This is the main light source for your room, such as a ceiling light, downlights or chandeliers.

Next is work lighting. This is bright lighting such as a desk lamp or kitchen counter lights that are focused on a particular work space. These lights help reduce eye strain while reading, writing or chopping.

Finally, add interest with accent lighting. This is used to highlight key areas, furniture, art or landscaping that you want to draw focus to. Solar garden lights, indoor wall lights or lamps are ideal for accent lighting.

Colour

Each kind of bulb has a particular colour temperature ranging from warm to cool.  Colour temperature is measured in kelvins. Warmer colour temperatures have a lower Kelvin and a more yellow light. On the other side of the scale, cool colour temperatures have a high Kelvin and produce a blue or white light.

Soft or warm white colours in the range of 2700 kelvin are best for cosy spaces such as bedrooms and lounges. Colour temperatures ranging from Bright or cool white in the range of 4100 kelvin to daylight in the range of 5000 kelvin are best for spaces where you need to see what you are doing such as kitchens, bathrooms, studies and garages.

Traditional incandescent bulbs generally have a low kelvin and yellow tone. Fluorescent and LED lights originally gave a very cool light but are now available in warmer options. Halogen lights produce a bright, daylight-like light that is best for work spaces.

Brightness

How brightly lit you prefer a room is a personal choice. It is also dependent on your general colour scheme, particularly the colour of your walls that will amplify the light or dim it.

Light brightness is measured in lumens, with the average light bulb producing about 800 lumens. In general, kitchens require the most light averaging at about 7000 lumens. This is followed by bathrooms at 6000 lumens, dining rooms and studies at 4000 lumens. Bedrooms should be lit at 3000 lumens. Lounges come in as the dimmest place in the home at 2000 lumens.

The best way to control the brightness of a room is through the installation of a dimmer switch on your general lighting. This will allow you to brighten or dim the lights depending on the time of day and need of light.

Lighting plays a major role in how effectively we live in our homes. It has the ability to create a welcoming space for visitors, affect moods and impact health.

Having a light bulb moment about your home’s lighting? Find a lighting expert in HOMEMAKERS and change the way you live in your home today.