Unique Home Decor :: Contemporary Lighting

Contemporary Lighting: 12 Issues When Updating Contemporary Lighting

Contemporary lighting can be a big issue when planning a major overhaul of your dream house, but often homeowners don't think about it until most of the other work is done.

This is unfortunate, because a dim room is unappealing to us light-loving humans and it can make a room seem dingy and less than sparkling, when it is not that way at all. Naturally, there certainly are areas in a home that require subdued lighting, but this needs to occur on purpose, rather than by accident.

So to maximize your modern lighting update consider these points first ...

1. What will be going on in your room? Contemporary lighting plans focus around usage. Is there a table where kids do their homework? This, then, needs a bright and comprehensive lighting fixture. Yet perhaps another family members likes to relax to music only feet away. This activity definitely needs a softer lighting yet these two spots are in the same room and require thoughts.

2. Can you add light to your room with such simple measures as paint or wallpaper? For instance, we transformed a dark family room with antique white paint on all the wooden surfaces (and there are a lot of those!) while putting 2" wide wooden blinds in a creamy white on the windows. This effected an amazing and dramatic alteration that has visitors "oohing and aahing" whenever they enter our 'new' room.

3. What window treatments are you using? If you include heavy drapes, your only choices are to have them open or closed. If closed, the room can be dark even during the brightest afternoon, whereas the light will be unfiltered even when at its most glaring. On the other hand, blinds and shades can allow diffused light that isn't painful to the eyes, but still allows a substantial portion of daylight.

4. Are you using fluorescent or incandescent light? Fluorescent is harsher and less flattering, but its starkness is very helpful when working or performing certain chores. However, an intimate dinner for two will suffer with this kind of light, so choose wisely.

5. Do your windows predominantly face north, south, east or west? This can have an electrifying effect on the light in a room. Southern light is usually warmer and has a golden tinge, whereas light from the north is more of a blue shade and is cooler and truer when displaying colors. Artists love northern light while plants love southern.

6. How does the architecture of your home affect the light? What about your landscaping? Does a roofline case a shadow or do trees or hedges filter out light? Can you alter these attributes without spending a fortune or are you stuck with them?

7. Some areas in a house cry out for bright light whereas others demand dimmer lighting. My bedroom, for instance, has an overhead light that is attached to the ceiling fan and it is bright, bright, bright. If I am cleaning then I need this strong light. However, relaxing in bed with a book would be tortuous with this harsh light. Keep in mind that a single room may have different needs at different times and therefore alternatives are welcome.

8. Can you vary the intensity of a lamp or fixture with such devices as a dimmer switch? It requires bright lighting to set the table for a splendid meal in the dining room, but once everyone is seated, a softer and more subdued ambiance is highly desirable. Therefore, multiple intensities definitely have their place.

9. Certain room decorations will affect the brilliance of your sunlight. A mirror is a classic piece for adding size and light to any room. Awnings over the windows or a porch with a roof, for example, can drastically reduce available light. Sometimes summer light can be oppressive in its intensity, but in the paler winter months we soak up every ray we can grab.

10. Consider how people navigate your home and how they use the light so that your house is people-friendly. For instance, a lamp in the middle of a high-traffic area can be quite an annoyance. And groping up and down the wall in the dark, vainly searching for a light switch is no fun either. A simple sensor that responds to a human voice or a human presence can easily fix these kinds of problems.

11. Does your home have architectural or other details that are striking and therefore worthy of focus? If so, consider light. For instance, there is a gigantic jacuzzi in my master bathroom and a skylight positioned directly above draws the eye in a dramatic way. You might want to draw attention to spectacular art or stunning views with the use of strategically places lamps or spotlights.

12. If your home isn't new, don't forget the importance of updated wiring. Houses built 40 years ago often can't accommodate sleek new modern lighting or other electrical additions. This isn't cheap, though, so often homeowners choose to work around existing limitations.

If you answer these twelve concerns before deciding on your contemporary lighting changes, you are certain to be more satisfied with your end result.

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