Lighting has the biggest impact on your overall project aesthetic. Yet it is one of the most overlooked elements during an interior design project. Incorrect lighting can ruin the look and feel of even the most well-designed rooms. Regardless of the design of the rest of the room. You can’t design a home which looks and feels luxurious, without taking lighting into account. When working on projects, there are 10 lighting design mistakes that we often see.
#1 Using The Wrong Colour Temperature
How cool or warm your lighting is has a powerful impact on your emotions. The wrong colour temperature can make an intimate space feel cold and clinical instead of warm and inviting.
The 3 most common kinds of light temperature are:
- Warm White – Creating a calm, inviting feel and cosy atmosphere
- Neutral/Soft White – An everyday friendly, soft light
- Cool White – Gives a clean and energising feel
Before lighting a room, consider how the room will be used. By taking into account the use of the space, you can then create the perfect feel within your living space!
#2 Only Using a Single Lighting Source
Large spaces require multiple lighting sources. Relying on a single light source can make spaces feel smaller, darker and one-dimensional. Try thinking about how you would like to use your living space. Then consider what specific elements and activities you are looking to include in your room. For example, if you are going to be studying, then soft focus task lighting is a definite must in addition to overhead lighting.
#3 Not Using Architectural Lighting Properly
Architectural lighting is part of the geometry of your living area. Its sole purpose is to illuminate your space. This type of lighting is both practical and functional.
The biggest mistake with architectural lighting is not considering the use of the room. Large rooms will need more lamps, wider beam angles (if you’re using spotlights) or a combination of both. Getting this wrong will ruin the overall aesthetic of your space. Mistakes here also make the room feel incomplete.
#4 Incorrect Use of Beam Angles
The beam angle of a light determines how much light is distributed within a room. Using narrow beam angles in larger spaces will close off these areas and make them feel smaller. Wider beam angles in smaller spaces will fully illuminate these areas. Note: too many lights in a smaller space will wash the room out, making it too bright.
Consider both the size and use of the room. Then consider how you want the different elements in the room, to be displayed. Once you’ve considered these things, then you should decide which beam angles to use.
#5 Not Layering Lighting
Luxury homes have one thing in common – they always layer the lighting in each room. Interior designers use lighting layers to trick your eye into thinking a space is instantly more cosy and relaxing.
If you only use one light source, you can lose the warm, intimate feel in rooms like the bedroom and sitting room. Instead, start with a ‘base layer’ of lighting. Once you have this, you can then add in things like task lighting (for activities) and accent lighting (to highlight features). This layering effect then creates a more luxurious look and feel.
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At Astra Lumos, we believe that lighting your new home shouldn’t be stressful. We offer an end-to-end bespoke design and installation service.
Our friendly design team can tailor-make the perfect lighting features for you and guide you through the process of designing the lighting for your space.
To find out more, call us on 01386 904 000 or click here to book a discovery call!
