There’s
no question to a homeowner that lighting can make a world of difference, both
in aesthetic and for setting the mood. There is also no question that most
homeowners want to be the envy of the block, and getting your home lit up the
right way is one of the best ways to give your home depth and personality. It
will help to take a look at examples from some of the best-lit homes in the
country and emulate it with a unique twist. Here are three pointers:
1. Use More Than One Type Of
Lighting In An Area
This
isn’t to say that lighting has to come from two different sources
simultaneously, but a different type of light distribution can put a unique
spin on the room. In any room or area, vary the type of lighting you use and
have more than one type available. For example, if you have a covered patio in
your backyard, supplement your porch lights with bulb lighting around the
underside of the patio cover. Spotlights work well on their own if they’re used
to scatter light over an outdoor area by highlighting an object from
underneath.
2. Color Color Color
The
color of the lighting can drastically affect the flow and look of the room.
There are different “hues” of light that can be achieved through filters and
the type of bulb used. For instance, an
artificial fireplace and its red-hued light works well with brick or red
wallpaper. Outdoors, fire lighting goes very well with brick. White light goes
best with white light and white walls, because lighter colors accent a room’s
size and make it look bigger.
3.
Place Lighting Behind Objects
Putting
illumination behind objects like a TV, a stereo, a picture frame, or various
objects in the yard will give it depth. It silhouettes an object and adds to
the whole picture. It also sometimes gives the appearance of the object
emerging from some bright place in the wall.
Lighting
adds so much to the look of a home, especially at night. The best homes have
the whole package; everything accented inside and out. Here are three different
types of homes whose styles lend them to being the best-lit dwellings and some
ideas of how to light them up like the best in the country do.
Colonial
I’ve
always thought that a colonial style home looks fantastic when lit up at night
with some spotlights. The light crawls up the brick and really highlights the
colors used on the trim, which is usually white or blue. If you have a yard
with equidistant trees, putting a light beneath each tree really creates a
magical effect. If you have a circular driveway, there are many different
patterns you can arrange spotlights to illicit any look you want. During the
winter, the light reflecting off of any snow makes it look like your entire
yard is glowing. The interior is most beautifully decorated with perhaps some
vintage chandeliers hanging in key points in the home.
Japanese
A
Japanese-influenced home has always been one of my favorites, and proper
lighting is absolutely essential here. The atmosphere here depicts tranquility,
simple beauty and a bit of metaphysical harmony. These homes often are trimmed,
fenced or have structures made with beautiful cherry wood, which needs to be
shown off. Spotlights accenting a dark, varnished cherry wood gives a very
special look. Authentic Japanese style homes also traditionally have Japanese
maple trees, bonsai trees and bamboo placed in the yard. These also look
terrific lit up from underneath at night, and convey an element of peacefulness
with a bit of mystique. The interior can be lit well with colored lanterns as
well as traditional ceiling lights with a dimmer switch.
Contemporary
I’m
of the opinion that contemporary homes have the most to experiment with in
regards to lighting, being that the style is still being defined, and its
boundaries constantly on the crest of the paradigm. Many times, these homes go
greener with energy, using more LED lights, diodes and peripherals that channel
light to make it go further. If you have light curtains in your home, put a
bright light source behind the curtains to light them up with a nice glow. If
your home has a pool, some pool lights will transform the mood and set your
whole yard aglow.
With
these simple tips, your home can join the collection of what most would call a
“finely lit” home among some of the most elegantly and creatively illuminated
in the country.
