How to choose the right lighting for your home

Different types of lighting can completely transform the look and feel of your home. From soft, subtle mood lighting in the living room to bright, fresh illumination in the kitchen, various parts of your home need their own unique type of light set-up.

These days, we are moving more towards using eco-lightbulbs for every part of our homes. So apart from the occasional foray into retro chic with an Edison bulb, the source of your lighting is pretty easy to work out. The trick is what you do with those bulbs and how you bring different moods to each room while simultaneously creating harmony throughout your home. You can then choose what kind of lighting you’re going to use depending on the room, from floor lamps and desk lamps to ceiling lighting. Our guide will take you through the different types of lighting and give you some tips on achieving the perfect look. 

Cool, neutral or warm – which is right for you?

While bulb technology may be similar across the board, the light they produce can be broken down into three simple categories – warm, neutral, and cool. Each type is suitable for different parts of your home.

• Warm – these bulbs produce a warm orange or red tinge that creates a cosy feeling, making them ideal for bedrooms or living rooms. Warm bulbs are designed to produce a relaxed, natural atmosphere.

• Neutral – perfect for kitchens or around a dinner table where candles or side lights can accent the lighting, neutral bulbs produce a light similar to the sun at midday. Bright and casting very little in the way of shadows, they're also ideal for narrow spaces like hallways or stairwells.

• Cool – Avoid cool bulbs in bedrooms. They produce a blue tinge light which has been scientifically proven to interfere with your sleep patterns (which is why you shouldn’t use devices like tablets or smartphones before settling down for the night). Cool lighting is more suited to home offices or kitchens.

Adjustable lighting

To get that perfect ambience at the end of the day, you can fit what is known as a 'dimmer' into your lighting system. This allows you to adjust the intensity of the lighting depending on your mood. If you have guests over and are chatting or like to read in the evening, you can turn the dimmer up full. 

However, if you want to relax with a good film, you can turn down the lights to produce a softer glow, enhancing the colours on your TV screen and making images appear sharper and clearer.

Adjustable lighting can also be used in the bedroom, and modern options can even be controlled via an app on your smartphone. 

Different styles of lighting

There is a huge variety of different styles of lighting on offer. The choice is enormous, from floor lamps to chandeliers, retro or contemporary. The designs you choose for your home will depend on your existing décor, your personal style, and which room you are lighting. 

Don't just rely on the ceiling light for illumination. Mix things up with a variety of different light sources that can add various moods to a space. You can combine different styles to achieve interesting effects, whether it's a soft ambient glow or directional lighting. Don't forget about accent lighting too, which can add real drama to a space or emphasise a key element within your interior.

• Floor lighting – Floor lighting is a great way to bring light to a dark corner or make a feature from a free-standing 'cluster' lamp with real structural impact. Our top tip: make sure you try to keep the cables out of sight to maximise the wow factor. Floor lamps are great in contemporary living rooms and bring a splash of retro chic to a room. Try going for unusual designs like cage or a 'Christmas tree' style for added impact.

• Ceiling lighting – The most common type of lighting in any room is ceiling lighting which is usually split into two categories – chandeliers and pendulum lights. However, how you dress that up will completely change the feel of a space. A chandelier will give any living room or dining room a sense of glitz and glamour. If you're feeling indulgent, you can even fit a chandelier light in a bedroom for a touch of retro chic.

Pendulum lighting is more suitable for everyday rooms and can come in bright colours too. Choose colours and designs that fit in with your décor. For a children’s room, a cheerful coloured lamp in yellow brings a splash of sunshine. Or go for a real statement piece with vintage styling for visual impact in a dining room.

• Sconces - Sconces are lights that fit to the wall rather than the ceiling. These provide accent lighting rather than general illumination and work particularly well in bedrooms or hallways. The light is usually directed up or down (or both) rather than out into the room. For something really unusual, why not go for a sconce that produces both up and down lighting?

• Desk and table lamps – These are incredibly versatile and can be used in almost any room in the house. From a clean, simple desk lamp for your home office to a statement desk lamp, you can position desk lamps wherever you want to create a pool of light or emphasise a space.

Which room are you lighting?

To pick the right kind of lighting, you need to consider the space you’re working with.

• The living room – Mood lighting achieved by fitting dimmer switches is ideal, combined with statement floor lamps or table lamps to add light accents. Use a warm bulb for a softer light.

• The kitchen – Bright and cheerful, with plenty of illumination around preparation areas. Recessed lighting and track lighting allow you to create interest as well as being practical.

• The bathroom – Bathroom lighting needs to be bright and cheery. Use ceiling lighting to give a wide, diffused light source and perhaps a sconce next to the basin mirror to provide extra light.

• The bedroom – Soft and mellow, with relaxing accents, is the key to bedroom lighting. Table lamps allow partners to control the level of lighting they have in their area. Sconces provide softer uplighting. Avoid cool bulbs to ensure your sleep patterns are not interrupted by blue spectrum light.

• Kid’s bedrooms – Choose light fittings that are bright and colourful. Try to avoid table lamps if you have younger children so that they are not tempted to ‘play’ with the light. Choose warm bulbs to create a restful ambience.

• The hallway – A combination of ceiling lights and sconces make even the darkest hallway bright and inviting. Go for natural daylight bulbs for the best effect.

To find your perfect lighting solution, browse the Lighting section at Crate & Barrel today.