Choosing the Right Lighting for Your Home

Choosing the right light fixtures for your home can be a daunting and overwhelming task. There are so many choices from chandeliers to flush mounts and even recessed lighting. Then comes the matter of exterior lighting versus decorative lighting. Our guide will take the guesswork out of choosing the perfect light fixtures for your home.

1. Budget. Before you even start looking at lights, the first (and maybe one of the most important steps) is to figure out your budget for lights. It may sound like an unglamorous first step but it is so important. Creating a budget for how much you're willing to spend on light fixtures will help you fairly quickly narrow down the type of light fixtures you'll be putting in your home. Here are a few considerations to think about when deciding your lighting budget:

• Are you redoing all the lighting in your home? 
• Do you want to go with higher-end or more mid-range fixtures? 
• Will you be hiring an electrician? 

 Additionally, here is a guide to help you plan for your lighting budget for your whole home.

2. Consider Your Style. The style of your lighting fixtures should match the style and vibes of your home. And if match feels like the wrong word, then your light fixtures should at least flow with your home design. There are several styles of lights to consider. These styles range from traditional, transitional, modern, organic, coastal, and more. The styles of lighting are endless and can get really niche if you want. Transitional lights are defined by traditional frames but with cleaner lines. For example, on a transitional lantern pendant, you'll see the classic lantern silhouette, but there will be very minimal (if any) curving or curling accents. Organic light fixtures typically have organic elements such as rattan, leather, or wood texture. Generally, these elements will be used as accents such as shades, arms, or decorative textures. Whatever lighting style you need to flow with your home, you can guarantee it's out there. 

3. Measure the Room. Room measurements are key for figuring out what size of light fixture you need. You don't want to get a fixture that is either way too small or way too big for the room. Because 1) it won't look very good and 2) you could either have way too much light or way too little light for a room. For instance, if you want to put a chandelier in a 12 x 14 room, you would add the measurements together to get the suggested size of the fixture. So 12 + 14 = 26. This means you would want a chandelier or light fixture that has a diameter of about 26". And finally, a general rule of thumb is that fixtures should have at least 7' of space from the floor to the bottom of the fixture. See our Sizing Guide for sizing recommendations for each room. 

4. Functionality - The Three Layers of Interior Lighting. Lighting can be very aesthetically pleasing and some lighting pieces can even be called art. However, when choosing lighting for your home, you want to think of functionality. In lighting, we call this the Three Layers of Interior Lighting; ambient, task, and accent. Ambient lighting is the most used type of lighting and can be called "general lighting." Chandeliers, pendants, and recessed lighting fall under this category. Task lighting is used to help perform tasks. It can cross over with ambient lights nightstand wall sconces and pendant island lights. Accent lighting showcases certain aspects of a home. Undercabinet lights and landscape spotlights are examples of accent lighting. Read our blog The Three Layers of Interior Lighting for more information on functional lighting. 

5. Location, location, location. Last, but certainly not least, think about where the lighting fixtures will go. Lights have three types of safety ratings. They are dry, wet, and damp. These safety ratings coordinate with where the light will be used. For indoor fixtures typically, dry-rated lights will work perfectly. For indoor lighting fixtures going in rooms such as bathrooms or above showers, a damp rating is preferable. And finally, wet fixtures are best for outdoor or exterior lighting. You can use damp fixtures outside but it is recommended that the fixtures are used in a covered patio or area. 

And there you have our Lighting Guide! The best five tips for lighting your home. 

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