Good lighting is truly everything. It affects a room’s ambiance and can set the mood. However, finding great, high-quality artisan light fixtures that meet your needs is only the first step. Knowing how to place them and deciding how much lighting is needed is just as important to create a nuanced atmosphere that sets the perfect scene.

Our Favorite Lighting Design Tips

All good home design starts with a plan and lighting is no exception. Starting from scratch? Create a lighting plan that tackles the basics before making any purchases. For example, think about:

  • The activities that take place in each space, be it relaxing, working, or eating.
  • A room’s key features you want to highlight.
  • Architectural elements that may affect illumination.

Once you have the basics pinned down, visit your favorite home decor store to get a sense of what styles, scales, materials, and lighting output appeals to you and fits your needs. Then head back home and look at your rooms with an eye towards incorporating the pieces you fell in love with.

Kitchen Lighting

Layers of light in the kitchen turn it into a welcoming space for friends and family. Ambient, task, and accent lighting create a cohesive look that adds illumination for cooking and entertaining where needed. The best-lit kitchens also incorporate natural light sources to add extra warmth.

Dining Room Lighting

Many people hang a chandelier over the dining table and call it a day. General and accent lighting, though, take the room from run-of-the-mill to spectacular. If you love a clean look, try using wall sconces in place of art. This is also a terrific room to use dimmers to craft different moods.

Bathroom Lighting

Vanity, tub and/or shower areas all require different light fixtures. Side-mounted sconces are an excellent option at the mirror, as are pendants for daily grooming routines. Have your heart set on a chandelier in your bathroom? Just be sure to choose one in the right size so it doesn’t overwhelm the space.

Bedroom Lighting

A calming and inviting atmosphere is what you want to create here. If you have a ceiling light fixture, integrate low-hanging pendant lights or sconces. Add identical or complementary table lamps on nightstands to create symmetry.

Living Room Lighting

Be it chandeliers, pendant lights, table and floor lamps, or wall sconces, nearly every style lighting fixture works in the living room. The ideal lighting design uses two or more of these options set at different levels. Use accent lights to highlight points of interest, ambient fixtures like chandeliers to cast a warm glow, pendants to create visual interest, and task lighting for reading.

Whether you shop online or in a home decor store, finding the right artisan light fixtures for your home can be an illuminating experience that brings years of enjoyment and relaxation to your life.