Lighting can make a large space feel cosy and intimate, and a small room appear more expansive; it can be contemporary in design or traditional, dominate a space or provide a subtle beauty. Light and bright, or dark and moody, featuring pendants, recessed lights, chandeliers, candelabra, wall fittings or floor lamps, lighting has a huge impact on the ambience of your home or commercial space.

The way rooms are illuminated has a significant impact on the overall design and experience of interior spaces. Great lighting will take a room from mediocre to amazing, while ill-chosen lighting can have the opposite effect. Lighting is an important part of any space, and it’s an area of the overall design worth considering carefully.

What are the options for home lighting?

Modern technology has propelled the options for home lighting to a new level, with options ranging from traditional lighting right through to those connected to automated smart home systems. In terms of designer lighting, everything from pendant lighting to chandeliers is options, so it pays to have a clear idea of the type of aesthetic you’re aiming to achieve and work towards a unified lighting system throughout the home.

How to plan home lighting

Lighting is an important, functional aspect of any home. In most cases, your design professionals will put together a lighting plan and specify individual fittings and systems. However, lighting can be used to feature or highlight certain areas or aspects within a room, fittings can be used as pieces of art, and functionally, focused areas of lighting may be used for specialised tasks. It’s always best practice to take some time and consider how each room in the home is likely to be used and who will be using it. Consider things such as whether a particular piece of art should be illuminated, whether an entertainment area or media room should have the option to change the levels of light, and whether a work area or desk needs specific focused lighting. Ensuring clarity around use and function ensures the right types of lighting are used in the different areas of the home.

How to choose home lighting

Choosing lighting for a home can be a daunting task. With everything from recessed lights to oversized and intricate chandeliers in the mix, one way to start is with the ambient lighting - those lights that will be the main source of light for a room. Often, selecting a unified style of ambient lighting that features throughout the home is preferred.

What is ambient lighting?

Ambient lighting is the main lighting source for a room. This type of lighting covers everything from ceiling lights to wall lights. Ambient lighting is particularly important to get right as it will determine your experience of a room, and provide an even amount of lighting in a room. Dimmers are generally used to control ambient lighting and allow for lighting to be adjusted depending on how the room is being used. Ambient lighting is used to provide the right amount of light for an entire room; it is not designed to illuminate specific areas within a space.

What is task lighting?

This type of lighting is used for specific purposes such as illuminating a reading nook or casting a bright light over a specific food preparation area. Task lighting can be both fixed in place or temporary - for example, freestanding table lamps or floor lamps for a work area or an LED light behind a bathroom mirror. Task lighting is generally a smaller, more concentrated light designed for those tasks where you need a finer light such as reading, working or cooking.

What is accent lighting?

Accent lighting is used to highlight certain areas of space. For example, an accent light may be used to illuminate a particular piece of art or a decorative item. Accent lighting is a great way to add layers of visual interest to space. It can be used to create a sense of depth while drawing attention to a particular object.

Bathroom and kitchen lighting

Bathroom lights are often specified as a mix of more traditional, pared-back downlights and task lighting around mirrors and vanities - those areas where additional lighting is required for specific tasks such as shaving or applying makeup.

Kitchen lighting is similar to bathroom lighting in terms of its composition - generally a combination of ambient and task lighting. Often, task lighting is needed for particular work areas such as over a kitchen island or benchtop where food is prepared. Many modern kitchens also incorporate LED lighting in cupboards and in open cabinetry.

Outdoor lighting

Outdoor lighting is another important area, especially for access and entertainment areas and larger outdoor spaces. Using outdoor lighting is an easy way to create a unique sense of character to space at night, as well as a security feature and safety measure - especially in areas where there is glass fencing that is difficult to see at night, for example. Often, outdoor lighting plans are created by a landscape or garden designer and integrated into the overall planting and landscaping design.