And Another Thing……
Since my post last week was about floating artwork and how it makes me crazy, I felt the need to continue with the most common decorating mistakes I see. These are the ones I see most in my day to day adventures, and the ones that really make me nuts. And oddly enough, they are also the easiest and least expensive to remedy.
Number one would be the floating artwork. If you missed that post, see last week. Take notes. Highlight. There will be a test.
Number two is this:
BAD. Lighting. Horrible lighting. This almost hurts my eyes as bad as the floating artwork. Let me begin by saying I hate overhead lighting. That is an understatement. There is almost NO good overhead lighting in my opinion.
To learn how you can have the best lighting in your home and how it can look the best, let’s have a little lighting 101.
There are three types of lighting: general (also referred to as ambient) lighting, task lighting, and accent lighting.
· Overhead lighting falls into the general lighting category. This is lighting that is used to illuminate the room and walk ways. Did I mention I don’t like overhead lighting?
· Task lighting is lighting that is designed with a specific task in mind. An example of this would be under cabinet lighting in the kitchen. Task lighting is very useful, and is usually small and focused lighting.
· Accent lighting is lighting that is used to accent certain features of a room, or to accent the overall design scheme of the room. An example of this type of lighting would be an art lamp over a piece of art, table lamps or decorative outside lighting. This is my favorite type of lighting.
To achieve the best lighting “look” in your room, here are a few tips. Add a dimmer switch to any overhead lighting you may have, use lower wattage bulbs, and use lamps.
A dimmer can be added to just about any light fixture switch and can change the lighting instantly. That way when you must use your overhead lighting, you can adjust it accordingly and it is not glaring as in the picture above.
I almost never use my overhead lighting. In fact, there is one room in my house that has not one light fixture in the ceiling. It is my favorite room. But I do use lamps, and lots of them. By adding low wattage bulbs in the lamps, it gives a nice warm glow with no glare. Of course if you are using a lamp for task lighting, such as on a desk for reading or writing, you want to have a bit higher wattage.
By understanding the different types of lighting and making a few inexpensive changes with bulbs and a lamp or two, you can completely change the look of your room. Please, please, please get rid of those 100 watt bulbs! If you can’t and must use them in your lighting, please don’t flip that switch if I ever visit you. I might notice your floating artwork.
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