When it comes to home decor – decorating or renovating our homes and creating an atmosphere of warmth, comfort, and style, focus on lighting as it is really a powerful tool. Furthermore, it is a crucial element of the décor, do not make it an afterthought. It is lighting that makes the difference between a dull, ordinary space and the attention-grabbing one. So, layer the light and use all layers to meet your needs and create the effect you want.
Consider accent lighting carefully. Usually, accent lighting is used to highlight architectural features, pieces of art or furniture, beautiful indoor flowers, collectibles, and virtually everything. So, if you want to show off your home’s best features or create a focal point in a room, set the mood, or enhance the décor, accent lighting is what you need.
When you plan your accent lighting, think carefully about which elements you want to highlight, then use accent lighting to direct attention to them, but do not overdo it. If you add too much accent lighting, the effect will be lost, accentuating only key elements. Try to achieve the perfect balance that creates harmony in the space.
Keep in mind that you could choose between decorative accent lighting and functional accent lighting. For example, decorative accent lighting is good for an unappealing area, and functional accent lighting is useful when you want to highlight a particular object or a group of objects.
When using the first type, decorative accent lighting, fixtures could be bold, either in color or design, in the same style as the rest of the room in order to put a finishing touch to the décor. Try candle lanterns, rope lights, table lamps, and lava lamps as they all are perfect options.
Since functional accent lighting aims at drawing attention to a specific object, the fixtures should be inconspicuous so as to perfectly blend with the décor. This is important because if you have a lot of functional accent lighting in the room, it will compete with the other elements and make them less noticeable.
Remember that effective accent lighting typically requires at least three times as much light on the focal point as the ambient lighting around it. Generally, accent lighting could be incorporated in any room.
Add Accent Lighting in the Kitchen
LED lights or strip lights can be used inside cabinets with glass doors to highlight your favorite tableware or other kitchen items. Hardwired light strips can be installed using wire hangers and can be easily attached to cabinet doors using adhesives. This gives you a brilliant light show that can accentuate your favorite dishes or cooking tools.
In general, for any glass object, consider backlighting – lighting it from behind, aimed toward the object. Generally, backlighting an object will create a more natural-looking light, as opposed to front-lighting, which can often look artificial.
Apart from being a perfect option for task lighting, under-cabinet lights can also be used as accent lighting to accentuate a beautiful decorative tile backsplash, for example. Under-cabinet light fixtures come in a variety of shapes and sizes, so finding what will best suit your needs can be a daunting task. However, with a little bit of research and a few helpful tips, you can find the perfect lighting for your kitchen.
Add Accent Lighting in the Living Room
Since the living room usually incorporates different decorative elements, accent lighting is used most often there to create a focal point or enhance the décor. For example, emphasize the tile covered fireplace by placing accent lighting strategically around this area. Pieces of art lit from above or below, and sculptures from behind or below to accentuate the silhouette, even a modest framed family photo looks great when adequately lit.
Try any of these options to brighten up your home and give it a new look. Use spotlights to highlight your collection. If it is displayed on shelves, consider attaching lights under the front edge of the shelf.
Use Accent Lighting in All Areas of Your Home
Highlight a framed piece of artwork on the wall behind the table in the dining room with halogen track lighting. A beautiful indoor plant in the entry area can be lit using concealed uplights or with a recessed fixture in the ceiling. The dining room can be dressed up with beautiful landscape plants placed on the walls or on the table. A beautiful chandelier or light fixture can be used to light up the plants.
Transform a plain, long hallway by mounting a collection on its walls and apply spotlights or ceiling track lights to light it. Illuminate the stairs with a dimmable LED strip light that is mounted properly to light up the whole staircase.
Do not forget that accent lighting adds an extra dimension to a room, and its proper use can help make a room look larger.
There are plenty of options, just use your creativity and experiment with light to personalize the space and add drama, depth, style, and elegance to the décor.
So, be imaginative and use accent lighting to create visual points of interest, focus attention on architectural features or pieces of art, or set a mood, thus providing a sense of drama and enhancing the atmosphere in your home.
