Are You Making These Lighting Mistakes?

Are you making these lighting mistakes?Be it a large scale renovation or just a bit of remodeling, even a little mistake can overturn your weeks of hard labor. The key is to start off with proper planning and attention to detail. It’s always better to ask for help from a professional but if you are bent on doing it your way, make sure you do it right. You wouldn’t want all that money and hard work to go to waste, would you?Getting renovation ideas is easy these days. Google can help you with that and there are numerous sites that provide dozens of designing ideas, with just a click.Each room requires a different lightning tone and fixture, and it’s not easy to pick the right ones. No matter how expensive and elegant your fixtures are, if they don’t complement the room, it’ll all go to waste. Since the lightning can downright change the feel and ambiance of the room, you need all the help you can get to make the right choices.Lighting Mistakes You Should AvoidLet’s start with the most common mistakes people make when choosing lights for their homes. Hanging a chandelier on top of your kitchen table is a good option but you have to know the length it must hang from and also the size of the chandelier. Though these are small things to consider, ignoring these could result in a renovation disaster. Read on to know what mistakes you need to avoid.1.      Don’t ignore size specificationsA small light fixture can’t properly illuminate a large room. Likewise, a large fixture would be more than sufficient for a small space and can make the room look uncomfortable. Be sure to install light fixtures that complement the room and don’t look proportionately too big or too small.Now that you know what mistakes to avoid, you should understand the different types of lighting. Once you’re aware of the types, it’ll be easier for you to choose the right lighting for each room.2.      Don’t go overboard when installing recessed lightsRecessed lights are within the ceiling and provide light in a downward direction. Used for better functionality, recessed lights are a source of general lighting which provide better visibility to walk around and identify stuff.Since they are inexpensive, most people think recessed lights provide enough lighting to perform specific tasks as well. They sometimes do, but unless you have adjustable recessed lights, the walls of your room still remain dark.3.      Don’t depend on a single light sourceAs mentioned before, a sufficiently lighted room can be achieved by installing a combination of the three types of lightings. It’s not only feasible for you but installing a variety of lights will also make the room more flexible. You can change the lighting of the room to suit your mood and purpose. For general purposes, you can use recessed lights and can switch to table lamps when doing a task.4.      Don’t overlook dimmersThese might be the best invention that lighting industry has ever seen and you should definitely take advantage of them. Many people like to use harsh and bright lights for their living rooms and dens. But sometimes these lights can cause discomfort or you might just feel like dimming them.Dimmers can help you with that and can be cost effective too. Instead of installing general and task lighting fixtures, just use dimmers. This way, you’ll reduce the usage of energy and heat.5.      Don’t neglect task lighting in kitchenYou’re chopping vegetables and the overhead lights keep shedding shadows on the board. This is extremely dangerous and impractical. Overhead lights don’t provide the concentrated lighting that task lights can. Kitchen is one place where task lights are absolutely necessary.Under-cabinet lights should be used in kitchen or you can opt for adjustable fixtures. The beam should focus on the task areas from a position which doesn’t overshadow them.Types of LightningThere are three types of lighting and to have a really good design, you need to install a combination of all three.General/AmbientThe main purpose of this lighting is to provide overall illumination. General or ambient lighting should provide a level of brightness that is comfortable and allows you to perform general tasks. These fixtures provide enough lighting for you to easily see and move around the room easily.Mostly, overhead lighting fixtures and chandeliers come under this category. Table and floor lamps are also a source of indoor general lighting. For outdoors, spotlights, post lanterns and wall fixtures are used as general lighting. These are extremely efficient for backwards, patios and gardens.TaskAs the name specifies, task lighting enables you to perform particular tasks. Desk lamps are a good example. Simply put, all the lighting fixtures that provide illumination for you to read, cook, write or study are considered task lighting.Since they’re more up close than general lighting, bright task lighting can cause strain to your eyes. The glare of the light source should be comfortable for your eyes and must not cast any shadows. Install separate electrical outlets for task and general lighting. Under-cabinet, pendant and track lighting are a few sources of task lighting.AccentIf you want to create drama and need to accentuate a specific part of the room, then accent lighting is the best option for you. And if the room has architectural features, of course you’d want to make them stand out. This type of lighting is mostly used to create visual interest in a painting, sculpture or collectible. Wall-mounted fixtures, track and recessed lighting are all considered accent lighting.Want to make the room look bigger? If used properly, accent lighting can increase the dimensions of a room and make the room look larger. Since accent lighting is used to highlight certain aspects of the room, the lighting source must be three times brighter than general lighting.Now that you know about the types of lighting, going wrong on lighting choices is a No-No. However, if you feel stuck and can’t make a decision, contact a professional to help you out.