How to illuminate the different rooms of the house
The ground rules
- Multiply the light sources in a room: hang a chandelier for direct lighting, put an adjustable-intensity foot lamp in a corner and arrange functional lights here and there (reading lamp, abat-jour ...).
- The light must not dazzle. Preferably use incandescent light bulbs and avoid painting the walls white, instead choose yellow, amber, beige or pastel shades.
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- Beware of shadows: if you want to hang a chandelier above your desk, know that by bending forward you will shade yourself with your own body. To avoid this inconvenience, move the chandelier to the side or to the front.
- Create plays of light! The different types of lighting can highlight a particular object such as the aquarium, and even the facade of your home. To achieve this effect, arrange the lights on the side, behind or under the element to be enhanced.
- Use a dimmer: to adjust the intensity of the light.
- Do tests: before finally fixing lamps and chandeliers, make sure that they do not cause shadows and do not create annoying backlighting.
The lights in the kitchen
In the kitchen you need central lighting (chandelier) that illuminates the whole room and functional lights that illuminate the sink and the worktop. To create a softer atmosphere, you can use light spots.
The lights in the living room and in the dining room
Here the dimmer is essential to adapt the atmosphere of the room to the various activities of the day. Multiplying the light sources will allow you to obtain a sweet and welcoming atmosphere. Instead, avoid chandeliers, which diffuse too aggressive light, oblique light beams and light spots at head height, which cause ugly shadows and annoying backlighting.
The sandblasted glass lamps perfectly match the cool colors, while the soft lights bring out the warm colors. To soften the contrast between the center of the room and the often dark corners, you can apply light spots on the walls. The lampshades and candles give a touch of conviviality.
The lights in the children's room
Try not to overload the electrical outlets in the children's room. Avoid clamp lights and small bedside lamps as much as possible, which can be easily turned over, and use wall or ceiling lights instead. Also make sure that all switches are easily accessible from the bed and door.
To shed light on your desk, choose an architect's lamp.
The lights in the bathroom
There must be a lot of light in the bathroom. Ceiling lights, light spots and interlocking lamps allow you to illuminate the whole room without hindering the movements of people.
As for the mirror light, it must not falsify the colors and must not be too aggressive. The ideal is to place a phosphorescent tube or a light spot on each side of the mirror. Even better: choose a mirror with built-in lights.
To save money
Remember that energy-saving lamps last 5 times longer than normal bulbs and consume 4 times less, even if they are more expensive at the time of purchase.
The phosphorescent tubes, or neon, last 5 or 6 times longer than classic bulbs. Their characteristic white light makes them suitable for the kitchen or bathroom.
For soft lighting think of halogen bulbs with dimmer. They last twice as long as classic bulbs but are also much more expensive.
The switches
Light switches are easier to find in the dark. In the cellar, in the garage and in the garden, motion sensors allow you to turn on the lights even when your hands are full.
Good to know: once a month clean the bulbs with a damp cloth, you will get a more intense light.
