Let there be light this autumn ... attractive light

LIGHTING is an integral part of interior design which enhances furniture, colours and fabrics. With autumn and winter now at the door, it’s an opportune time to consider decorative lights to get that balance right between light that is functional and light that enhances your décor.

The use of lighting can contribute twofold to your home’s colour scheme as it determines the context of walls, fabrics and furnishing. The interior design view suggests that darker colours can make a room feel smaller, while lighter ones do the opposite. Soft lighting controls the effect of wall colours and by using dim lighting you can create warmth and relaxation that distracts from the room’s overall dimensions as the illusion of space will be controlled by light reflecting off the walls.

Directional lighting is another clever use of space and interior which when combined elevates a home to new heights. By directing lights at certain features – for example, rotating lights from the ceiling can be pointed at doorways, a vase, or a painting. This gives specific elements within a room prominence.

By installing recessed lighting in floors or ceilings is another way of creating vertical beams of light, as opposed to a flat glow from what we commonly refer to in our sitting rooms as the ‘big light’. Vertical lightings are also stylish and decorative.

However, all lighting plans should still include a ‘functional’ light that can be used for non-decorative purposes as there is little point in not having a functioning lighting system for more practical usage. A good lighting system is one that alternates between the decorative and the functional as required.

Having friends round for a special dinner evening naturally requires a different lighting tone than say an ordinary family lunch. But it’s nice to have this option of transforming your home’s atmosphere at the flick of a switch. So be sure to source an electrician with a creative and decorative side to their work.