Lighten Up: How An Electrician Can Spice Up Your Home’s Lighting In A Fun, Creative Way | Conway, SC

2/6/2021

Photo By hikesterson at istock

As you consider how to spruce up and innovate your home, you might be surprised how big a difference some electrical changes can have in improving the mood and ambience of your household. As any electrician will confirm, you can lighten and spruce up just about any space with the right lighting set up. There are different light techniques that work better for different rooms in your home, and getting the combination right can go a long way.

Mister Sparky of Myrtle Beach has been serving the people of Conway, SC, with professional electrician services for years. Our team can help you accomplish the perfect lightning situation to bring out your personality and style. On top of that, our professionals can make sure all lighting fixtures are safely and securely installed.

The tips and tricks provided below are just a few ways you can light up your home in a new and refreshing way.

Layer Lighting

They say variety is the spice of life, and we think the same rule applies to lighting. Generally, using a multitude of different lights across the rooms in your home creates a visually appealing layered look. This can be achieved by shifting away a bit from “ambient” light fixtures, which illuminate an entire room from one source, and moving instead towards a more layered “task” lighting set-up with some ambient fixtures mixed in. Task lighting set-ups use a multitude of different light sources to illuminate different specific portions of the room. Usually, different light sources are controlled by different switches. You can turn them all on at once, or select to flick on one or two specific fixtures. For example, there could be a light above the stove, a source above the dining room, and some lights above the living area. These lights provide a thoroughly layered and subtle effect while also providing more illumination in areas where it is functionally more important. An electrician can help you select light fixtures that work well for your specific needs.

A similar effect can be implemented using accent lighting. Rather than focusing on tasks or functions, accent lighting can be used to bring attention to particular items or pieces. This can be used to draw eyes towards a piece of artwork or wall of paintings and photographs. A classic example is a small light positioned right in front of a sculpture. When you turn it on, it illuminates the accent piece and draws attention from other parts of the room.

Light Up A Bathroom For Function And Style

Bathrooms are often thought to be purely functional rooms. But that doesn’t mean function and style can’t coexist. Though bright and clear lighting is essential for a bathroom, it does not hurt to work in some accent and specific task lights. When you want to relax and take a bath, dimmer is often better. It also makes sense to build in extra lighting for the mirror, which serves an aesthetic and functional purpose. Bathroom mirrors require additional task lightning to be effective, so keeping things bright and clear in this area is especially important.

There are two main approaches to implementing mirror task lighting. One is to add lights on both sides of the mirror’s perimeter. An alternative, if preferred for space or aesthetic reasons, is to add a row of lights at the top of the bathroom mirror. Generally, side lighting is considered better for limiting shadows that could be visible in the reflection. On the other hand, overhead lighting generally provides a brighter illumination on the face area.

Perfecting Vanity Lighting

A vanity is a place where function tends to reign. Lighting that mitigates shadows and illuminates small details, such as bright overhead bulbs or perimeter lighting, can go a long way here. For best results, focus lighting at the eye-level and shy away from spotlight or pendant lighting. Try to attach lights close to the mirror itself as distance will generate larger shadows with most lights.

Focus Kitchen Lighting On Critical Task Areas

Kitchens are great places to layer in task lighting given the various functional areas located in this part of the home. Generally you’ll want to add some lighting to the kitchen island. Pendant lighting is a natural choice for kitchen islands and provides an opportunity to pick fixtures that reflect your aesthetic taste. An electrician can help you make a selection that works for your space and lighting needs.

Additionally, task lighting can light up counter space and dining areas around the main kitchen.

Ambient Lighting

Although accent and task lighting are key to achieving a layered look, ambient lighting still plays a role in a good lighting set-up. Ambient lighting can play an important role in living room spaces where activity is generally more scattered. A large lighting source can provide general illumination across sofas, recliners, chairs, and coffee table areas. This can be supplemented with accent lighting around the TV or near the fireplace for a layered effect.

Affordable Lighting

Another factor to consider is affordability when selecting a lighting set. As much as you want to spruce up your space, it isn’t too much fun paying monumental electricity bills. One way to keep bills low is to invest in cheaper and more efficient LED lights for all types of light fixtures. To save on wattage, follow this electrician’s rule of thumb: multiply the surface area in feet of your kitchen island or counter by 2.5. This number gives you the needed wattage for lights fixed in that area.

Expert Installation

For best results and efficiency, you should consider hiring a professional electrician for consultation and installation of all fixtures across your home. For any lighting fixture, including those in tricky bathroom areas, an electrician should ensure that installation is safe and secure. At Mister Sparky of Myrtle Beach, we have been serving the people of Conway, SC, for years with our combined training, expertise and electrician services. Our electricians can help make your home lighting dreams a reality. So give Mister Sparky of Myrtle Beach a call today.