A home is more than just four walls and a roof. Sure, it provides shelter from the elements – but that’s not all it does! A home should be an inviting place to relax after a long day of work or play. With thoughtful lighting design both inside and outside your home, you can enjoy a cozy atmosphere that gets you through the gray days of St. Louis winters.
Home lighting design is about more than choosing which light fixtures are best for your house; it’s about creating the right mood in every room.
What Is Home Lighting Design?
A home lighting design is a layout, or plan, of how you’ll ensure the rooms inside your house and the outdoor living spaces look their best. You consider what lighting fixtures to use, where to place them, how far apart they should be, and the brightness and temperature of each one. You also need to consider the technical aspects, such as how much power is required to run the lighting and where the wiring should be.
Interior Home Lighting Design
Interior home lighting design usually involves choosing the main lighting source for each room. Then you’ll consider accent lights. It can be a bit tricky–many people just stick a ceiling fixture in the middle of the room and call it a day. But thoughtful interior home lighting design can really enhance how much you enjoy using each room. Consider the mood you’d like to set. How much light do you get through the windows? What time of day do you typically use each space?
If home interior home lighting design is your area of expertise, then you may not need help for this project. However, if it’s something that intimidates you or simply isn’t your strong suit, you can get help from an interior designer or home lighting specialist.
Exterior Home Lighting Design
For home lighting design that creates a safe environment, then exterior home lighting design is the best place to start. It’s hard to feel cozy if you don’t feel safe. You can’t light up every square foot of your house at night, but you should be able to see it well enough to move securely from parking to entry. Entryway lights, pathway lights, and landscape lights enhance security, give practical illumination, and provide a warm welcome. Home uplighting can create a great visual effect all the way to the street.
Interior Lighting Tips And Ideas For A Cozy Feel
Think soft. For a cozy home lighting design, forego the bright overhead light and go softer. Overhead lights can be harsh and unflattering. Install accent lighting which can eliminate the need for the overhead fixtures. Wall-mounted sconces and lamps bring in the light without an overpowering glare.
Use fixtures that are dimmable so you can adjust the lights with mood and activity. Seasons, time of day, and the weather have a big effect on what kind of lighting feels cozy, too. What seems comforting on a bright fall afternoon will seem too dim and depressing on a gray winter evening.
Exterior Lighting Tips And Ideas For A Cozy Feel
When it comes to home exterior lighting design, you have so many options. To create a cozy atmosphere, start by defining outdoor spaces. You may have a lounging area on the deck and an outdoor kitchen with a dining space nearby. Perhaps there’s a fire pit in the backyard. Maybe you want to make better use of that bench in the garden or the swing on the porch.
Think of each outdoor space as a room, and design the lighting for each “outdoor room” that will make it feel defined. Here are a few ideas:
- Create a perimeter around a fire pit seating area with walkway lights.
- Hang bistro lights over the outdoor dining space.
- Use spotlights to illuminate landscape features near a sitting area.
- Use wall-mounted lights on your home’s exterior for the patio and deck.
- Use lights to create a visual line of separation and sense of being enclosed.
- Wall wash lights on hardscaping can eliminate shadowy areas around landscaping.
Choose fixtures that complement your home’s colors and style. Think of the exterior home lighting design as one big picture, then break it into separate “outdoor” rooms and design a good feel for each one. If you’re working with a professional outdoor lighting company, avoid any that only offer predefined systems without any customization. Your home is unique, and creating the right kind of look and feel with exterior lights is important. We love working with our customers to create the perfect home light design for feeling cozy at home.