By definition, the function of light is to illuminate a space and help us see. However, in terms of interior design, lighting plays an extremely important role in determining the look and feel of a home. What may be the right kind of interior lighting for one home, may not suit another.
Hence, it’s important to know the different types of lighting that are there and how to decide which one suits your home the best. With the right kind of interior lighting, you can completely transform your home from drab to fab! Keep reading to learn more.
1. Ambient Lighting
True to its name, ambient interior lighting gives a room its overall illumination. It’s generally the primary source of lighting for a room and is, therefore, the most abundant of all other types of lighting. Because it’s the primary source of lighting in your home, it should look as natural and consistent as possible. Ambient lighting can be achieved using:
- Ceiling-Mounted Lights: Like chandeliers! These kinds of lights go best with high ceilings. That’s because they directly hang from the ceiling and, depending on the size of the room, can be as big or small as you want them to be.
- Wall Sconces : These are probably the most versatile kind of lighting and can be used anywhere in the home. Sconces are a great choice to use as ambient lighting to glam up your rooms!
2. Task Lighting
As per its name, task interior lighting is used to provide some extra illumination while performing a task. There are various tasks that often require extra lighting besides what’s already present in the room. These can include reading, writing, cooking, and more. Task lighting can make a working environment more pleasant and help reduce eye strain. The common types of lights used for this are:
- Lamps: Portable lamps are perfect for use wherever you’d like, be it on a study table, bedside table, or somewhere else. Wall lamps are those that are attached to a wall and have a long ‘arm’ that can be adjusted in any direction.
- Vanity or Cabinet Lights : these lights are more or less the same thing, located in different places. Cabinet lights can be placed under kitchen cabinets to help you chop vegetables. Vanity lights can be found in bathrooms or dressers.
3. Accent Lighting
Once again true to its name, accent interior lighting is used to accentuate whatever it has been placed over, like a painting or photograph. Its primary purpose is to provide you with a focal point in the room, often playing with different angles. Here are the different kinds of lights you can use to create accent lighting:
- Wall Lights: There are many different types and sizes of wall lights you can use as your accent. Depending on what you wish to highlight, you can choose the wall light you’d like to use.
- Spotlights: We’ve all seen how a spotlight works - they literally help you spot something by shedding light over just that thing. In the picture above, the sculpture has been given a spotlight, allowing the viewer to inspect it better.
4. Decorative Interior Lighting
The main purpose of decorative interior lighting is not to illuminate but to serve an aesthetic purpose in the room. Instead of throwing light on something else, it’s there to be the attraction in the room. Decorative lighting can come in the form of:
- Neon Signage: This type of decorative lighting is generally in the form of a funky or motivational quote or phrase. It’s most commonly found in commercial spaces like bars and restaurants, and can also be used as decor in a bedroom or living room.
- Fairy Lights: These are usually long strings of LED lights that can be hung around a room in different decorative ways. They come in many different colors to choose from.
- Lanterns: While not a very common form of decorative lighting, lanterns can really change the whole vibe of a room. They come in many varieties and with different decorations. They can either be hung up from the ceiling or left on the tables, depending on which one you get.
5. Mood Lighting
This kind of lighting is where you use lighting to create an atmosphere within a room. It highlights and enhances any space dramatically, and makes your home look much nicer and more inviting. The different kinds of lights you can use to create mood lighting are:
- Color-Changing Lights: these lights are super versatile and come in many different forms. You can easily change the color depending on your mood and set the tone of the room.
- Dressy Ceiling Lamps: these lights come in a plethora of designs and can instantly change the look and feel of a room, both with its design and its glow.
6.Landscape Lighting
Landscape lighting is the lighting used to light up the exterior of your home, usually the front yard or backyard. It highlights the yard’s best features and helps make the place look warm and cozy. Types of lights you can use for landscape are:
- Garden Lights: short, standing lights in the shape of a mushroom, these lights are perfect for you to show off your beautiful flower beds even at night.
- Bollard Lights: these lights are short, straight light posts that throw light in all four directions. They are great for lining up a pathway so it’s easier to get to the front door at night.
Now that you know all the different kinds of lighting you can use for your home, you may be confused about which one’s the most suited for yours. Fret not, our experts can help you! Get in touch to get a free quote today.
