Your home provides you with a variety of experiences, whether you want to relax in your bedroom or feel invigorated in your kitchen. Lighting is a useful tool that will reflect the mood you want to create, and here at ABF Security, we know how automated solutions can brighten up your space with proper lighting placement. Here are our favorite ways to light up your home.
Lighting for Kitchens
Your kitchen is more than a place to prepare food; it’s also an area to gather with friends and family. That means you’ll need a mix of task and ambient lighting, which looks like a recessed light fixture or even an artistic ceiling-mounted light that will cast an inviting glow to all your guests. For task lighting, we suggest light sources that illuminate your workspace, such as pendants atop your island or undercabinet lights that shine on your countertops.
It’s easy to lower your energy bills and consumption with energy-efficient lightbulbs. Color-changing light will also help you set a mood that can influence your atmosphere. A cooler-toned shade will help inspire you to clean or organize the home, and warm-toned lights will encourage relaxation with a bottle of wine.
Dining Room Fixtures
For the dining room, we recommend placing an elegant light fixture directly above your table to spotlight your meal and guests. By incorporating dimmers, you can adjust the brightness from a keypad or your phone, so you can set the perfect ambient lighting that reflects the mood you want to create. This means you only need a single light source that operates as both task and ambient lighting.
Depending on the brightness of your dining room wall colors, you may need to invest in wall sconces or flush-mount fixtures that will brighten up darker walls. If your dining room is adjacent to windows or doors, we suggest adding an outdoor light to eliminate annoying reflections in the glass that hinder outdoor visibility.
Living Room Lighting
Because your living room is generally the most used space in the house, layered lighting solutions are best. Traditional recessed lights cast an unflattering downward light and harsh shadows, so opt for light setups that create more brightness. Bouncing light from a ceiling cove or valance lighting will create layers of ambient light. An elegant pendant is all that’s necessary for a media room when your TV isn’t in use. Table lamps are still excellent task lighting, while your accent lighting is ideal for artwork, décor, or an interesting architectural feature.
A more popular lighting option allows you to slide, swivel, and rotate the fixtures along a track to generate different lighting ambiances. You have more flexibility than ever with automated lighting controls, allowing you to set scenes like “reading” or “game night” so you don’t have to spend time fumbling with the fixtures.
Bathroom Lights
Your bathroom needs bright light that assists you in getting ready for the day. The traditional strip of light above the mirror may cast unflattering light that exaggerates dark circles or other blemishes. Instead, by placing pendants on either side of the mirror, you’ll achieve a balanced brilliance that lights your face at a level angle instead of from above. In a shared bathroom, adjustable sconces will help different members tweak the light for their personal needs, whether shaving or makeup application.
Bedroom Lighting
Your bedroom is a relaxing sanctuary, so you don’t need much light. Task light is easily achieved via adjustable wall-mounted lamps that can be dimmed for bedside reading. Instead of a ceiling-mounted light fixture, achieve a calm setting through floor lamps, wall sconces, or subtle architectural lights. Recessed or ceiling-mounted light fixtures can create the necessary brightness when selecting the day’s clothing. Smart automated solutions allow you to select sets of lights you’d like to turn on or off with varying brightness.
Whether you’re looking forward to renovating your existing home’s lighting or designing an entirely new build, ABF Security is excited to deliver integrated solutions to your home. If you have questions about accent lighting or you’d like to choose a pendant for your dining room, contact us today to get started!