How To Light Your Home*

Glass curved task lamp available here

Lighting is one of the main sides of interior design that are overlooked but are an absolutely crucial part of making or breaking a room. Some may see lighting as purely functional in the obvious brightening the room when needed, such as in the evenings, but the main secret is the mood light sources give off & the aesthetics a beautiful table, floor, pendant or ceiling lamp can bring to the overall look of a space. What’s the point in designing the most gorgeous room but not being able to actually see it?

I think that lighting homes is quite a personal thing. Some may prefer the bright light of a main ceiling light which completely illuminates the space, however others (myself included) barely use the main light in a room & instead prefer to create a calm, soft & dim atmosphere by using side lighting.

Luckily Matalan have got us covered with a brand new range of lighting inspired by metallics & natural elements such as on trend marble & glass as well as industrial designs. The new lighting collections provide both options to cater for both sides of the coin. To view their full collection click here.

So, how should you be lighting your home? Here are my tips as well as a useful room by room guide.

1.Opt for a dimmer –

If you’ve got the option of installing a dimmer option on your overhead lighting then definitely make use of this! Sometimes we need the practical bright light but other times it’s nicer to turn it down to have a softer, more calming light. A dimmer can be your best friend to create atmosphere.

2. Go big or go home –

When it comes to table lamps, the bigger the better as you want it to be a statement as much as you need it to illuminate your space. Putting a small lamp either side of the bed will mean it gets lost beneath large bedroom furniture.

3. Find the correct spot –

To find the best spot to add in lighting, at night time turn on your main overhead light & look around the room. Where looks darkest or is casting too many shadows? Do you have a particular spot you light to sit & read or craft? That’s where you need to boost the lighting. Also sometimes taking a picture of your room can instantly highlight areas that need focus, as they say, a picture tells a thousand words.

4. Add some colour –

Lighting is just as much an accessory as cushions, throws, rugs & ornaments so use them to add pops of colour to a space. Changing up the base or adding a quirky lampshade can instantly make a difference to the look & vibe of your space.

5. Layer your lighting –

Take the layered approach to lighting with multi drop statement pendants like this Byron copper cluster pendant to add visual interest whilst also adding ambiance. Low hung pendants create an illusion of height whilst the cluster adds cosiness. Layering lighting adds a different dimension to your room & also makes it multi functional splitting between general light (functional), mood lighting (adding to the feel of the room & creating a relaxed vibe) & task lights (for things like reading or cooking).

Dining room – this is when pendant lights come into their own. Your main goal is to draw people in to the focal point of the room; in this case the dining room table. Using a pendant light (or multiple) above the table as the main light source will make sure that people flock towards it & the obvious of people able to see what it is you’re putting in your mouth.

Living room – generally this room will be one you spend the majority of your time in so has various functions so will need various light forms to cater for the times when you need lots of light & then some side lights (table & floor lights) that shine both upwards & downwards dotted around to cater for those cosy evenings when you may not want direct light vs snuggling up to read a book.

Kitchen – kitchens don’t exactly need mood lighting considering they are a generally more functional room & it’s important to have a brightly lit space to be able to see the food your chopping whilst cooking to save nasty accidents. I’d recommend bright overhead lights or spotlights then mixing things up with under cupboard LED’s or pendants to mix things up.

Bedroom – this should be the one space that you instantly feel calm & relaxed so the lighting in your bedroom needs to be perfect. Choose beautiful table lamps to place on your bedside tables that are bright enough to allow for reading but soft enough to gently unwind next to.

Love,

*This is a sponsored post in collaboration with Matalan