My dear friend (and potential roommate) Katie asked for some helpful advice about lighting. According to Katie, her grayish-blue wall and bedding color-palette looks like "the ocean on a cloudy day". Being the smart "friend of an interior design major" that she is, she realized she should turn to lighting as the solution to her problem.
Katie, like myself, hates overhead lighting or task lighting. I suggest she turn to ambient and accent lighting. Ambient lighting creates an overall glow for general lighting purposes, such as lamps. Accent lighting is used to highlight particular areas and features. By utilizing both of these types of lighting, you can create layers of light in your space to create warmth, drama and variation.
Ikea is a great resource for this particular topic, also because Katie and I have an Ikea shopping date next weekend it is particularly appropriate. These images from Ikea's website Lighting Ideas and Inspiration do an excellent job of explaining these concepts...
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| Watch as this space changes based on the lighting... |
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| My first key advice would be to use "warm bulbs". These are called incandescent. Avoid fluorescents and LEDs; Although they can be great for other applications, for a bedroom warm is good. Also, by using 3-way bulbs and fixtures you can adjust the level of light to the particular need- reading, ambiance, or just a subtle glow. |
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| Positioning is also a key factor in manipulating light. By placing a light source close to the wall, you do what is called wall washing, this picks up on the texture and color of the wall and adds a unique touch. Spot lighting is another important way to use accent lighting- extend a spot down from the ceiling to showcase a piece of art or a particular area of the space. |
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| A key factor in lighting a space is layering. You can achieve this by scattering lighting sources around the space. A trick of the trade is to create a triangle of light, allowing for an overall glow and light that is balanced yet layered. Lighting adds warmth, texture and creates a welcoming environment. It can make or break a space. |
For your particular space Katie, be sure to utilize the natural lighting, use sheer curtains and don't block your windows with furniture, rather let the light shine through. Also, mirrors do wonders for bouncing light around a space ...
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