As winter begins, shorter days, longer nights, and cloudy skies can make indoor spaces seem dreary. However, a few adjustments can transform your home into a well-lit abode during these months. Some are as simple as relocating light fixtures, while others may require the help of a professional electrician. Regardless, you can create a lighting scheme in your home that uplifts your mood and increases the cozy factor of your indoor living spaces.
Integrate Smart Lighting
Integrate a smart lighting system into your home to compensate for dull winter days. You can control your home’s lighting devices using your smartphone or voice commands through a device such as Amazon’s Echo. You can tell the devices to change the brightness of the lighting for specific fixtures and change the color temperature of your lights to warmer or cooler tones, depending on your preferences.
Install Dimmer Switches
Dimmer switches may not be as much fun as voice commands to change your home’s lighting, but they’re effective. Switching out your regular wall light switches for dimmer switches lets you control the brightness of your lights with a sliding switch. Adjust them to your mood, task needs, or the time of day.
Layer Your Lighting
Have you ever noticed the lights in a professionally decorated space? They often comprise a layered combination of ambient, task, and accent lighting. Combining these three types of lighting can transform a room and add significant visual appeal. Ambient lighting often comes from overhead lights, such as recessed or can lights designed to light up a whole room.
Accent lighting may include the lights inside bookshelves or curio cabinets, uplighting on interior potted plants, and wall sconces. Some homes also have bullet-type lights mounted on the ceiling that can focus on specific areas of the room, such as a seating area or a work of art on the wall. Task lighting consists of reading, desk, and other lighting devices that illuminate a space for you to work, craft, or perform other tasks that require bright, focused lighting.
Enhance Your Existing Lighting
Use brighter bulbs to chase away the gloom, either with higher wattage (check each fixture to verify the maximum wattage it can safely handle) or bulbs with higher lumens. Upgrade your light fixtures to models that have adjustable heads or arms so you can direct more light into shadowy corners. Consider strategically placing mirrors opposite windows or light fixtures to reflect and amplify the light throughout the room. Finally, if your bright light seems too harsh, consider frosted bulbs, lampshades, and other light-diffusing accessories to soften the light.
Let Lighting Transform Your Home
As you rework your home’s lighting to brighten up those winter days, remember that success lies in thoughtfully combining lighting solutions with design choices. Experimenting can help you find the right balance that suits your home and your unique preferences to create an ambiance of warmth and comfort. Embrace the transformative power of light and call today to schedule a professional lighting installation in Conway, AR with our electricians at Money Electric!