Lighting plays a fundamental role in interior aesthetics, decoration and even in the well-being and quality of life of those who inhabit our home. Since each space in the house is different and is designed for different activities, it is logical that there is a variety of types of lighting for each specific space.
The ideal lighting for each space
Lighting allows us to obtain the ideal environment for each room, and according to its tonality and location, we can create a feeling of spaciousness in a room, accentuate specific areas and highlight textures, which contributes to the enjoyment of home life. In this article we will address some tips related to the different types of lighting for each space in the home.
The first thing you should know is that light is distinguished by its temperature, which changes according to color and is measured in degrees Kelvin. Depending on the color temperature we will have different shades.
Warm light, for example, is in yellow tones; it has a color temperature that is below 3500K to a minimum of 1000K, which means that the lower it is, the more yellow the light will be. It is common to find this type of light in living and relaxation areas.
Cold light is white in color, although the colder it becomes, the bluer it becomes. Its color temperature starts at 4000K and up to 10,000K and is used for work areas, due to the good visibility it offers. In addition, our body reacts by releasing chemicals that make us more alert.
Where to start?
We must evaluate as a starting point the entry of natural light into our house. It is important to take into account the position and size of the windows, as this will determine the location of the furniture and the points of artificial light that we will use for each space.
1. The entrance to our home
It is like the cover of a book, it represents the first impression that the guests will have. So it is important to have good lighting whose direction is not reflected directly towards the front door. It is recommended to place warm light from this sector to the main room and dining room.
In this case, we can use some lamps with a diffuser located on the ceiling, which project the light in all directions, maintaining the color temperature at about 3000K, from the entrance of the house to the entrance of the main room. In this way, a space is created with homogeneous lighting and without shadows that could obscure the ornaments, flowers or boxes at the entrance.
2. Main room
The living room or main room is a multifunctional place in our home. It is the place to chat with family and friends, watch TV and even get some rest. The artificial lighting in this room should be warm and welcoming. During the day it must harmonize with the natural light that passes through the windows, while at nightfall, it is important to have luminaires that remain within the limits of warm light.
In this case, we can distribute the light at strategic points in the room. For example, we can place a couple of floor lamps with warm light on both sides of the main sofa. If we have a television, it is important to place a diffused light lamp nearby, to prevent our eyes from getting tired.
It is also important to take into account the decoration and colors of our furniture and decorations. If the room is filled with warm colors (yellow, orange or brown) then the atmosphere in that room should retain a warm light tone. In this environment we would place Light between 2000K and 3000K. On the other hand, if our decoration has grey, blue and green tones, the environment that surrounds it is cold, so it is recommended that we accompany it with cold light of 5000K.
3. Dining room
It is one of the easiest spaces to light, since the main focus of this room is to sit down to eat with the family at the table. In this case, we can place some direct light pendant lights that point towards the table, at an approximate distance of 80 cm from it.
It is important to consider that the table is not made of any material that reflects light, since in this case the reflection towards the face will be unpleasant. If this is the case, we can choose to diffuse the light from the pendant lights that we use.
4. Kitchen
It is a space with a lot of activity that requires good lighting, and that generally does not have natural light inputs. In this case it is advisable to illuminate with cold light. We can place pendant lights along the main bar, at a distance of approximately 85 cm.
Additionally, we can locate other points of cold light on the ceiling, distributed in such a way as to avoid dark spaces in the kitchen, the sink and the countertops. It is recommended that the color temperature be above 5000K.
5. The bathrooms
Our bathroom should be a cozy place both during the day and at nightfall. The mirrors on the wall deserve special consideration and independent from the rest of the lighting. We can place a couple of white luminaires on both sides at head height, so that they do not cast any shadows when looking at our reflection, and under the mirror, we can place indirect light panels that illuminate the surface of the sink.
In addition, we can install a lamp in the ceiling to illuminate the rest of the space, connected through a dimmer, making sure that it stays protected from steam, otherwise it can be damaged.
6. Lighting the bedroom
Since this is a space for rest, in this environment we can place some luminaires indirectly with a warm light that bounces off the wall and creates a dim and cozy effect. We can install a main lamp in the center of the room with a dimmer to ensure that the spotlight does not dazzle us and cause discomfort.
In the closet area we can also complement with a couple of diffuse luminaires that project light towards the compartments. Finally, we can place a small easy-to-light lamp on our nightstand, near the bed, in which we usually place first-hand objects, such as a book or our alarm clock.
7. Terrace and external areas
If we have a covered terrace, we can place a pendant or ceiling lamp on the ceiling to illuminate it, in these spaces it is advisable to use warm light and luminaires that are resistant to dust and humidity.
The lighting of the external areas of our home is also important, and there are many options to choose from. When lighting our garden or our trees, we must decide what will stand out and focus it directly or indirectly.
For these spaces that connect the different rooms and environments, we can use accent lighting, which consists of the installation of LED light strips supported by moldings, and placed in the direction of the ceiling along a corridor, or under the steps of each rung of a ladder and on the handrail. The important thing is that they fulfill the function of guiding the route.
This type of lighting can also be used to highlight some ornament, special texture or interior arrangement in our home, using overhead lamps that focus on what we want to highlight in a special way, be it a fountain, a piece of art or the textured finish of a wall specific.
There is an ideal type of lighting for each space in our home, we just need to take the time to plan, whether as a family or as a couple, how to beautify and highlight the special side of each of the environments, taking into account the type of light, the instrument that we will use, the tonality and the characteristics of that room. Let's draw a small plan of our home and get to work.
