How to Choose Lighting for Your New Home

Lighting is one of the hardest decisions we had to make for our new build. Lighting can dramatically change the way a room looks, feels and the overall design of your home. I get a lot of questions about how to select lighting. Can you use different style lights in the same room? How many lights do I need? What size lights? I am going to do my best to try and cover most of these topics.

How to Select Lighting

There are three different types of lighting; ambient, accent and task lighting. Knowing the different types of lights will help you determine your specific needs.

• Ambient Lighting - track lighting, flood lights, overall room lighting. Natural light from windows or skylights is also considered ambient.

• Accent - chandeliers, sconces, pendants and mood lighting help accent special features of a home.

• Task - pendant lights over a vanity, flood lights, desk lamps or stair lighting is used to make a specific task easier.

Every room will have a different layout. The type of lighting you would use in your living room won't be the same for your bathroom vanity.

• Entryway: Entryway lighting is intended to make a statement! I typically recommend a chandelier or statement sconces for smaller spaces.

• Living room: Recessed lighting is going to be the main lighting for your living room. Depending on how large the room is you might consider a pendant light to center the space or using table and floor lamps for dark corners.

• Dining room: Chandeliers will be the main lighting for your dining room. Start by finding a chandelier that is sized appropriately for the space or your table. If you have a buffet you can add table lamps for additional lighting and ambiance.

• Kitchen: Kitchen lighting is going to be the most difficult area. You will want to start with some recess lighting and then add pendants above islands and tables. For additional mood lighting you can add lights under and inside cabinets.

• Bedroom: Bedrooms typically have a pendant light and table lamps. For additional lighting you can add recessed lighting.

• Bathroom: To minimize shadows you will want recessed lighting. You can add vanity lights or sconces as accent lighting.

One of the biggest mistakes I see in homes is a lack of lighting. The last thing you want is a dark home. I recommend adding two sources of light to every room. Recessed lights can be added to dimmer switches to help create different moods.

If you have specific lighting needs please feel free to reach out to schedule a 1:1 consultation.