Effective Room Lighting

7 Tips for a Better, Brighter Space

With fewer daylight hours in the winter, rooms in your home that usually benefit from natural light can be left feeling cold and gloomy. And it’s not just about drab looks – loss of daylight and poor lighting can also trigger Seasonal Affective Disorder (“SAD”), a type of depression affecting over 10 million Americans.

Artificial light – done right – can help combat winter blues and give dreary interiors a facelift. Here are 7 lighting tips to help brighten both your space, and your mood.

1. Go Big

With overhead lighting, bigger is better…and the bigger you go, the less additional light sources (and clutter) you’ll need. For an ultra simple look, focus on one light source that can fill the entire room. To calculate the size fixture you’ll need for adequate overhead lighting, take the dimensions of the room, add them together, and then change that number to inches.

For example, let’s say your room’s dimensions are 10’x10′:
10 + 10 = 20, so your ideal light fixture is 20 inches in diameter

2. Don’t Be Shady…

Shades are highly decorative, so if the light in question is a room’s main light source, keep shades to a minimal or go for an overhead fixture with glass shades. Fabric shades give a lot of mood, but not much light. And metallic-lined shades will throw light vertically but not horizontally. For task and workspace lighting, skip shades or use only shades made of light colors and materials.

3. …Or Cut Corners

Often overlooked, corners are lighting opportunities in disguise. And ignoring them can actually make a room feel smaller. Instead, address those dark recesses with a floor lamp, or choose an end table and lamp combo, which allows you space to add a decorative piece for a pop of color. The concentrated light will cast a glow on the ceiling and in corners, making the room appear larger. And if you do use a decorative piece, the light also draws the eye to it creating a showcase effect.

4. Bask in Task Lighting

Individual task lights can vary in shape and size, but they all function to improve the illumination of your workspace. Reading lamps, desk lamps, recessed lighting and under-cabinet lights are all examples of task lighting. In rooms where it makes sense – anywhere you spend a lot of time and do different activities – feel free to be generous with task lighting. In living rooms, bedrooms, and offices, use floor lamps and desk lamps by mirrors and seating. In kitchens and bathrooms, use recessed lighting and pendant lights to save space.

5. Look for Lumens

Brightness (or light output), is measured in Lumens, not watts. Light bulb packaging includes both Lumens and the equivalent standard wattage on it, plus descriptions like “soft white 60,” “warm light 60,” and “60 watt replacement.” The ideal brightness in lumens you will need to light a room will depend on room size and the type/placement of your lighting fixture. Here are a few guidelines for reference:

• General lighting/primary light source: 20 Lumens/sqft

ex:// If your living room is 25 x 10 feet, you need about 5,000 Lumens

• Tables and raised surfaces: 30 Lumens/sqft

ex:// If your dining room table is 6 x 3 feet, you need about 540 Lumens

• Desks and Task lighting: 50 Lumens/sqft

ex:// For a 2 x 3 foot desk, you’ll need 300 Lumens

• Overhead fixtures: look for bright, 800-Lumen bulbs

• Accent lights: 450-800 Lumen bulbs

6. Kelvins = Color

Think of Kelvins for color. Different color temperatures (warm, cool, daylight) can be used to improve your light’s effectiveness and change the room’s feel. Use the Kelvin scale to determine which bulbs will produce calming effects, feel inviting, or make your space more intimate.

For a calm/relaxed feel:

• Use warm whites
• Range from red to yellowish in tone
• 3,000 Kelvins or less
• Good for bedrooms, living rooms, dining rooms

For a friendly/inviting feel:

• Use cool whites
• Range from 3,100 to 4,500 Kelvins
• Good for basements, garages, work environments

For a crisp/vibrant feel:

• Use “daylight” whites
• Have a bluish white hue
• 4,600 to 6,500+ Kelvins

7. Add Faux Windows

Get tricky with the natural light you already have. You can take advantage of an existing window by placing a mirror perpendicular to it, which will bounce the incoming light around the room, creating a “fake window.” The reflection also creates the illusion of a larger, more airy space. Just be careful with placement – mounting a mirror directly across from windows will just bounce everything back outside. Combine strategy with style by using two or three of the same mirror adjacent to each other.

Want more? See our idea board for nearly 100 lighting examples & DIY tips: