Change
Your Room’s Mood With Clever Lighting
Fed
up with that stark modern minimalist look you’ve had in your
sitting room for a good few years now? Would you prefer a cosy den
you can cuddle up in with a good book and mug of tea instead? Yes,
well you can plump for cosy cushions in a warming burgundy or
chocolate colour, add in a throw or two and swap your blinds for
lined curtains.
But
none of that is going to work the ‘cosiness magic’ if you don’t
get the lighting right. Because, when it comes to creating the right
mood in your home, it really is the lights that have it.
These
days you can even get LED lights which are designed with either a
‘warm’ tone (ie yellow) or a ‘cold’ (blue) one. The yellow
tone creates a more relaxed atmosphere (instant cosiness, in fact)
and is far better for your up lighters, spotlights etc at home to help
you chill out while watching TV, reading etc. On the other hand, the
blue tone is better in a working environment as it aids concentration
and keeps us all more alert (it’s similar to the blue light from
our computer or Smartphone, in fact).
Creating
a cosy look with lights
But
getting back to our cosy look, what type of lighting would work?
Well, strategically placed table lamps or floor lights would add a
warm ambient glow, while under cabinet lighting would have a similar
(though not as strong) effect by lighting up particular shelves.
Another
way to get this warm patch of light in a particular area would be by
adding picture lighting above favourite art works. Then again, how
about fairy lights around the fireplace?
For
cosiness, especially at night, a dimmer switch is essential. Turning
down your main (accent lighting) will also make those table lamps,
picture lights and fairy lights stand out more. In other words, what
you need to get cosy, is to layer your lighting. That means using
different types of light (task and ambient) rather than one main
light source from the center of the ceiling.
Get
a party swinging with lights
But
what if you were after a party – rather than a cosy – atmosphere?
Well, we’re presuming you’re after a vibrant rather than a
romantic mood. We’d still keep the lights low but we would advise
plenty of sparkle this time. This is where a mirror ball twirling in
the center of the room and reflected in a couple of large mirrors
propped up against the walls works wonders.
Fairy
lights or a string of warm, coloured LED’s would work well in this
scenario too, especially the flickering or colour changing LED
strips. Think about investing in a couple of oddly shaped lampshades
for table lamps in order to create interesting shadows on the wall
and ceiling.
Whatever
mood you’re looking to create in your home we’re sure you’ll
find the particular form of lighting you need on our website
Sherwoodlighting.co.uk or Sherwoodlights.co.uk Our team of expert lighting specialists would also be happy to advise
you. We also offer free fitting.