The average age of a house in the United States is approximately 37 years old. If your house is getting on in years, it may be time to consider updating your lighting. What worked well even just a decade ago may not be working well now. With advances in lighting and smart home technology, there are many ways update your lighting. You can improve energy-efficiency too with the latest LED bulbs. To begin your lighting plan, make a list of the rooms in your house where updating lighting is important. Think about how you uses those spaces and where light would be really useful. Then decide on what additional types of lighting are needed or which lights need to be replaced. Most rooms need at least tow of the three main lighting types which are:
- Task Lighting
- General lighting
- Spot or Accent Lighting
By using two to three of these lighting types together in a room, you can create a layered visual effect that will enhance your decor. Different times of day and activities require different levels of lighting. Having enough variety of lights available allows you to always have the perfect level of light for tasks such as cooking, cleaning, reading, entertaining, exercising, relaxing, or watching television. Consider the usage of the room to help determine what kind of lighting will work best. If you can’t decide, consult with our team to see what kind of lighting they recommend for your space.
Let’s learn a bit about the different types of lighting starting with task lighting.
Task lighting helps you to focus light on a work area such as a cooktop or desk.
By increasing light to where you need it, you can improve the ability to see fine details. Task lighting is perfect for hobbies such as sewing or puzzling. Task lighting is often provided by table or floor lamps, and swing arm lamps. An overhead light can be used for task lighting if it can be lowered to provide more light as needed. In the kitchen, under cabinet lights provide task lighting for preparing food.
General or ambient lighting is the main lighting you use for a room.
In the past, a single ceiling light would provide the ambient light for a room. However, this was not enough to light all corners and provide an even illumination. Now, multiple light sources provide ambient light. They can include recessed lights, floor or table lamps, or pendant fixtures.
Spot or Accent Lighting brings the drama
Finally, spot or accent lighting helps highlight different features of your room, such as a piece of artwork, items displayed on shelves, or interesting architecture. Recessed or track lighting is often used to accent features in a room.
If all of the types of lighting are overwhelming, contact us for help with your lighting plan. We can help with lighting system design or work with interior designers to implement the perfect lighting scheme for your home.
