How To Increase The Value of Your Home With Lighting

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When selling a home, homeowners are always looking for ways to get the most out of the transaction. Usually, this means making repairs or renovating your home. One of the most unsuspecting ways to increase the value of your property is through the right home lighting. Below, you can learn about the importance of lights in your house as well as some home lighting ideas to get you started.

Why Does Good Lighting Increase Your Home’s Value?

When showing off your home to potential buyers, presenting it in the best light is crucial–literally. You need a home that is well lit and shows off the selling points of the house. Buyers need to be able to picture themselves living there, and if it seems dark and cramped, they might not feel comfortable there. Lighting can help you create an inviting and welcoming space for your guests to consider.

LED lights are especially important here. With its environmental benefits, energy-saving properties and versatility, LED lighting can transform any room in the house to make it more appealing. When customers step into your home, this will be one of the things they are paying attention to.

You can also make a good first impression with landscape lighting. Light up your driveway, garden, porch and other areas with fixtures that potential buyers know they can turn on at night and have your home be just as well lit on the outside.

Why Is Natural Light Important in Your Home?

Buyers will be just as interested in natural light as they will be in the other light fixtures in your home. Natural kitchen lighting, hallway lighting, entrance hall lighting and living space lighting make a space feel brighter and more open. Windows have also been shown to make a home more appealing to a potential buyer.

Beyond its aesthetic, there are a number of other reasons why it is important to have plenty of natural light in your home.

Since natural light does not cost anything and uses no resources to make, it is a sustainable alternative to crowding your home with artificial lighting.

HEALTH BENEFITS. Having natural sunlight exposure is known to bring about a few perks for your physical and mental well-being. These include but are not limited to:

Increases vitamins B and D
Improves complexion
Circulation improvement
Boosts the immune system
Helps regulate endorphins ad serotonin
Gives an energy boost

SAFE AND EFFECTIVE. With no need for wires or handling overheating bulbs, natural light poses no risk to your home.

MONEY AND ENERGY-SAVING PROPERTIES. Since you don’t have to turn anything on or plug anything in, you can enjoy natural lighting for free. You’ll save additional money by not having artificial lights operating unnecessarily during the day. Instead, you can rely on natural lighting in the daytime and artificial lights at night.

You Can Maximize the Natural Light in a Few Ways, Including:

Painting the walls a lighter color to reflect the light
Hanging mirrors to reflect the light and make the space look bigger
Adding reflective surfaces or high gloss paint
Add shades to the windows, so you can control how much light is allowed in
Install windows that are open and spacious to let in as much light as you want at any time

Why Smart Lighting Systems Are Important to Potential Home Buyers

Smart lights are revolutionizing the way that homeowners illuminate their houses. They are becoming more and more appealing and may influence whether or not a homeowner chooses your home over the others being offered. Smart lighting offers a world of benefits, including but not limited to:

LOWER ENERGY USE. Smart lights can lower the amount of power that is needed to brighten a room. Smart bulbs tend to use up to 90 percent less energy than a standard bulb, which can save you plenty of money on electric bills.

LONGER LIFE. While incandescent bulbs only last around 1,000 hours, LED lights in smart homes can run for a minimum of 20,000 hours. This will save you money as well, as you won’t have to constantly be replacing these lights.

TOTAL CONTROL. Whether you are using a smart home app, remote control or even your voice, smart lights make it more convenient than ever to turn your lights on and off.

GREAT FOR CUSTOMISATION. LED lights in a smart home setting give you virtually unlimited ways to customise them. You can set colour temperature, brightness and dimming ability or even set them on a timer so that they’ll turn on and off on a set schedule.

Better Security. Smart lighting often allows for motion detection. This enables lights to turn on or off depending on the motion detected in the area. This makes them a great companion to security cameras and other such systems, as they can work in tandem to keep you in the know about what’s happening at home.

Because of these reasons and more, smart lights are a hot commodity, and many buyers are willing to pay more for homes that already have these systems in place.

How LED Downlights Can Increase the Value of Your Home

LED downlights themselves can add to the value of your house, whether or not they are smart. Over the years, people have begun to see just how many benefits LED lights pose. From reducing your energy bills to saving the planet to providing you with versatile lighting options, they are taking interior lighting by storm and for good reasons.

LED downlights can be incorporated into any number of spaces with a ceiling, making opportunities seem limitless:

Garden lighting
Interior lighting
Lounge lighting
Outside lighting

When potential buyers see LED downlights in a home they are interested in, they’ll immediately know that they, too, will get the benefits of having LED lights already installed and waiting on them to use. This may provide an incentive right away for them to consider your home above others they may have been interested in.

Why Great Kitchen Lighting Is Vital to Your Property Value

The kitchen is one of the most used rooms in your home. From cooking to dining to entertaining guests, it is a central point in the home and deserves full attention when it comes to lighting. This is especially true if you are intending to sell your home; potential buyers want to be able to picture themselves completing all of the above activities in their new home. The best way to do this is to add better kitchen lighting.

Kitchen lighting usually has all of the layers of illumination that make a room comfortable: ambient lighting, task lighting and accent lighting. You can update lights such as kitchen ceiling lights and replace pendants with surface-mounted or recessed ceiling lights to give the room a more modern look.

Adding task lighting such as spotlights over the island or breakfast bar can make completing tasks there and eating more comfortable. These are the sorts of touches that buyers notice when walking through a house, and they will make it easier for them to picture themselves in your kitchen.

Make the Garden Area an Extension of the Home

LED garden lighting is a crucial element of your home presentation. Buyers get their first impression before they even approach the house, and LED exterior lighting can ensure that this impression is favorable. Many buyers state that they already have formed a strong opinion of a house before they even step foot in the door.

With outdoor home lighting solutions, you can impress them straight away. They are good for enhancing not only the visual appeal of the outdoor space but make it easier to navigate as well. This may be a make-or-break deal for someone who is particularly concerned about accessibility.

Garden lights can also enhance the feeling of safety and security outdoors. Home buyers want to feel safe and comfortable in their new homes, and they are sure to feel just that with security lighting outdoors. A well-lit outdoor space is an effective deterrent to intruders, and home buyers are looking for that.

By installing garden lights, you will also make the garden space livable at night. Home buyers are increasingly more concerned about the outdoor living space and making the most out of every area of their home. Patio and garden lighting can bring the comfort of your indoor living space directly outdoors.

Why It Is Important to Make a Good First Impression for Buyers Viewing Your Home

As mentioned, many home buyers agree that they already have a pretty solid opinion formed on whether or not they want to buy the house upon laying eyes on it.

First impressions are lasting, and what your potential buyer thinks about the property as they walk through the door will linger in their minds as they move through the house. Upon entering, your buyer should immediately feel welcomed and comfortable in the home.

You can make your home stand out in a few ways with lighting, including both outdoor lighting and interior lighting. Choosing warm lighting options that are cosy and welcoming can make a buyer want to linger around longer, for instance. Having modern lighting installed throughout your home can make it seem brighter and larger while also properly showing off the important features they are hoping to see.

You can also make a good impression by decluttering your home and making it as minimalistic as possible. The less that is taking up space in your home, the more buyers will be able to imagine themselves and their belongings in there instead. Some locations can be more important than others when it comes to creating a memorable space. One of them is the entryway.

Why It Is Vital to Make Your Entrance Hall Inviting

Modern hallway lighting in the entry of your home is crucial. This area is the second place the buyer will see, second only to the outdoor space. If you have made a good impression outdoors, you want to continue that impression when they step through the threshold. If they felt unimpressed by what they saw outside, a solid entryway is a good way to pick up the slack and impress them there.

Staging your entryway is therefore worth your time. Below are a few tips for you to consider:

Add artwork to the entryway to draw the eye down a long hallway to make buyers want to see what awaits at the end.

Carefully choose furniture that gives the entry hall a polished look. Stick to small tables with a mirrored surface that makes the space seem larger. A chair or two can also make a difference.

Spruce up any outdated lighting with modern lights that add a wow factor to the space.

Get rid of any clutter to make it feel spacious and open.

Take advantage of any natural lighting that you can.

Choose light and airy colors that open up the space and are neutral enough that they can imagine their own decor there.

Place a rug on the floor to add warmth from the ground up.

Does Adding an Extension to Your Home Always Increase Value?

Extensions on a house are a popular way to spread out your living space and give you more room to thrive. This comes in many forms, including adding a brand new apartment on the side of your home or expanding the kitchen.

Adding an extension more often than not will indeed add value to your home. It varies depending on the style, size and complexity of the extension. Where it is located on the property can also impact it. For instance, an average three-bedroom United Kingdom home that has an extension consisting of a bedroom with an en-suite may add as much as 12 percent to the property value.

It might not add that much value if you do not take into consideration a few things. This includes the quality of the construction, the amount of space it adds to your home and how well it works with the rest of the house. If you extend the property just to extend it, it may not have the same effect.

Mistakes to Avoid When Lighting Your Home

When considering how to light your home to maximize value, keep in mind these common mistakes that homeowners often make:

NOT USING LAYERS. If you do not layer ambient, task and accent lighting in your home, you can cast unsightly shadows throughout. This can make it feel darker and smaller than it is and give buyers the wrong impression.

POORLY POSITIONED LAMPS. Be sure that you hang lamps at a height that is appropriate for the people living there. You don’t want them hanging so low that taller members of the household will run into them when walking.

NOT CONSIDERING PAINT COLOURS. Darker paint colours will absorb more light, while lighter colours reflect light. Choosing light paint colours will make your space seem brighter and larger.

NOT HAVING LED LIGHTS. By forgetting to change traditional bulbs for LED bulbs, you may be costing yourself and your buyer an unnecessary amount of money. These traditional bulbs also output heat, which could make your home feel too hot and the lights too glaring.

FORGETTING DIMMERS. Where possible, you should have lights that can dim. This will allow you to choose the level of light you like at any given time. This can also let you create a mood in your home when showing it to buyers.

INSTALLING TOO MANY RECESSED LIGHTS. If you add more recessed lighting than a space needs, it could limit the amount of illumination that actually shines throughout the space. While they may look chic, too many can be to the detriment of the overall area.

Ideas for Budget-Friendly Lighting Upgrades

Updating your home for the purpose of retail value doesn’t have to cost you your entire savings. Below are a few home lighting ideas that you can install to up the value of your home without breaking the bank.

Edison Bulbs

If you like the look of string LED interior lighting but want something a bit more sophisticated, Edison bulb string lights are a great idea. These string lights feature old-fashioned style bulbs and exposed visible filaments, giving off an old-timey look. These industrial lights are often updated with LED technology.

Pendant Lights

Inexpensive pendant lights can transform your space at a low cost. Pendant lights are a versatile way to provide task and even ambient lighting. They can be hung in any room of the house and meet a wide variety of lighting needs.

Lanterns

Outdoors, you can create a warmer, more inviting exterior living space with inexpensive lanterns. Use them on patios, beside entryways and in other locations where you want to zone off areas.

Alternative Chandeliers

If you love the look of chandeliers but aren’t keen on spending a lot of money on a real crystal one, opt for other materials. Glass, gemstone and even plastics can create a sophisticated looking chandelier without being as costly as crystal.

Solar Lighting

One of the cheapest ways to include outdoor home lighting is through solar lights. These lights tend to be significantly less expensive to purchase than many types of outdoor fixtures. You won’t even have to worry about spending money on electricity to fuel them.

Use Lighting to Highlight Architectural Features

Drawing attention to the built-in beauty of your home is sure to raise its value and appeal. There are many different ways you can highlight the exterior of your home:

WALL WASHING. Wall washing lights put focus on large areas of space at once. They shine light over a wide angle, lighting up the wall itself and creating a nice, indirect glow.

WALL GRAZING. Similar to wall washers, wall grazers light the walls. Unlike wall washers, which are wall sconces placed directly on the wall, grazers are instead placed on the ground close to the wall. This style of illumination shines from below to bring out the texture of walls.

UPLIGHTING. If your architecture has pillars and columns, use uplights to showcase them. These lights sit at the base of a feature and shine directly up them, providing a sense of height and dimension.

DOWNLIGHTING. Downlighters can be used in a variety of applications, from soffit lights to entryways. Shining light from above creates a nice glow with a brightness level that makes the entryway easy to approach.

SPOTLIGHTING. Coves, niches and other small areas can benefit from spotlights. Point them upwards to highlight curves and create shadows, which will improve upon their overall visual interest.

Give Your Home an Immediate Wow Factor with Great Porch Lighting

Home lighting design must also include the outdoor living space. LED outdoor lighting on your porch or patio can make this area a more welcoming place to be and make potential homebuyers tempted to buy it.

One of the most interesting ways to make your porch stand out is to include illuminated house numbers at the door. This instantly gives the home a more modern and updated look that will make homebuyers more curious about what waits inside.

Wall washers are also a good idea for larger porches. Placing these sconces on either side of the door illuminates the areas on either side with wide beams. This makes the porch a focal point and is sure to impress those driving by.

Adding railing lighting can also make your porch stand out. Using strip or bar lighting under the rail, you can have an indirect glow of light that outlines the shape of the porch itself while also making the staircase easier to navigate.

Smart home lighting used outdoors is also sure to make an impression. Wow potential homebuyers as they approach the house when the lights turn on automatically. You can also set them on timers to make the porch lights effortlessly turn on and off at certain times of day or night.

Why the Use of Energy Efficient Lighting Is Important to Buyers

Whether you are environmentally conscious, frugal or both, the appeal of energy efficient lighting is clear. LED exterior lighting and LED interior lights alike are able to improve the value of the home to potential buyers.

Perhaps the biggest draw is the cost savings made possible by LED lights. LED bulbs consume around 80 percent less energy than traditional bulbs, which translates to less money spent on energy bills. Furthermore, some individuals are entitled to tax credits and other financial incentives when they buy homes with energy efficient lighting.

Beyond this, LED bulbs have a remarkably long life, rated for tens of thousands of hours as opposed to the 1,000 hours or so of halogen bulbs. This means spending less on replacements over the years and saving big bucks.

Their environmental impact, or lack thereof, can be attributed to their energy efficiency as well. Since less energy is used, less electricity is required to operate them. Using less electricity can lower your carbon footprint and help sustain a healthier world.

Of course, there is also the sheer versatility of energy saving LED bulbs that makes LED home lighting so appealing. LED bulbs have many colour temperatures and brightness levels for you to choose from. With them, you can customise the mood and appearance of your lights down to the smallest detail.

Make Your Home Office a Space to Enjoy Working In

With an increase in the number of people working from home, home office lighting is critical. When buyers walk into your office, they should be able to picture themselves spending time working in the room.

The best way to ensure this is to include plenty of task lighting. Task lights are meant for use when completing activities both at work and at leisure. Stylish task lights such as unique table lamps and hanging pendant lights can improve the visual elements of the office. They will also make it easier to perform tasks.

When it comes to ambient lighting, install something chic and low profile. Recessed ceiling lights are a good choice as they stay out of the way but still provide ample light across the entire room. This can also give the office a modern touch.

Natural lighting is another important factor in comfort and productivity. Maximise the amount of natural lighting coming into the space by drawing back the curtains during showings in the afternoon.

With artificial lighting, you’ll want to ensure the lights are bright enough to easily see. The office isn’t typically a place for rest and relaxation. You’ll want to prioritise cool, bright lighting to energise the space and make it feel more productive.

Make Sure the Lighting Showcases Your Home’s Best Features

Sometimes, with the right lighting, the house can essentially sell itself. Using interior wall lights to accent the various architectural features of the home will highlight unique features that make it stand out. After all, you don’t want your house to look like a cookie cutter version of every house in the neighborhood.

Interior wall lights, for example, can be used to shine light over a large area of space. Installing them above a fireplace can show off the details while also extending the light from the fire when it’s lit. Other fixtures to think about include:

SPOTLIGHTS. With a spotlight or a track light, you can direct focused illumination on certain architectural elements. These are good for lighting coves and other recessed wall areas in the home.

UPLIGHTS. Uplighting can accentuate tall ceilings or indoor pillars. A sense of height will make any room seem larger and more spacious, which is always a perk.

DOWNLIGHTS. By installing downlights in the ceiling or on the walls, you can highlight horizontal areas. Tabletops, countertops, hearths and certain sculptures can benefit from this lighting design.

Archways, alcoves, pillars and mouldings can all be highlighted with various light fixtures. Also consider adding wall grazing lights if you have any textured accent walls, such as brick. These will bring out the textured details of the wall and enhance the visual interest of the space.

How To Use Statement Lighting to Impress Buyers

Statement lighting is a surefire way to leave a positive impression on your buyers. Lounge lighting, bedroom lighting, entryway lights and beyond can all benefit from an eye-catching light fixture.

If you want guests to be immediately wowed when they step into your home, light the foyer with a large pendant. This is an especially good idea if you have a tall staircase immediately inside the home, as it can fill in all of that extra vertical space.

Statement lighting in the dining room can also be an impressive feature. Adding linear pendant lighting or an otherwise artistically inspired light above the table will not only be a great conversation starter, but buyers will be confident they will be able to easily see when dining. If they are social people who like to throw dinner parties, this will be a huge plus in their minds.

In terms of bedroom lights, you can bring in quirky bedside lamps or eye-catching pendant lights above the bed. Even visually interesting wall lights can be installed and used as bedside reading lights to help centre the bed as the focal point of the room.

A chandelier or other dramatic light fixture over a coffee table can turn your living space or lounge into a place to be remembered. If you really want to make an impression on potential buyers, install a low-hanging fixture over the table to foster a sense of intimacy and the perfect place for cocktails and conversation.

Five Lighting Ideas to Consider

LPL386 10 Watt Modern Round Hanging LED Pendant Light

The LPL386 10 Watt Modern Round Hanging LED Pendant Light is a bold and dramatic LED light fixture, making it great as a statement light. You can use it in your entryway to instantly impress, or hang several over the kitchen island as needed to give the space some personality. The light is available in neutral hues of white and black as well as vibrant cherry red. Its one-of-a-kind umbrella shape and reflective areas inside not only add to its aesthetic but spreads light easily.

Beam Triple 6 Watt Brushed Aluminium LED Wall Light

For layered lighting, the Beam Triple 6 Watt Brushed Aluminium LED Wall Light is a popular choice. This light can be installed in any area of the home that is too dark, bringing the light from the floor to the ceiling. It shines illumination up and down the walls, adding artistic appeal and spreading the illumination further. Its sleek rectangular shape and neutral finish make it appropriate for placement in any room.

LDC735 9 Watt Anti Glare Recessed LED Downlight

With the LDC735 9 Watt Anti Glare Recessed LED Downlight, you can create a unique lighting effect in kitchens, living rooms and beyond. This recessed light is designed in such a way that it won’t cause a glare when you look right at it. Due to the depth of the bulb in the fixture, it is virtually invisible. The result is a pool of light beneath it that appears to glow from nowhere.

LWA382 Round 4 Watt Outdoor LED Wall Light

Using the LWA382 Round 4 Watt Outdoor LED Wall Light, you can impress potential buyers as soon as they approach the house. The circular light features a hood on top of a diffuser, giving it a bit of detail. It is subtle enough to be incorporated onto the side of a house or garden wall without clashing and will bring warmth throughout your outdoor space.

LFL051 4 Watt LED Modern Outdoor Path Lighting Fitting

Make sure your potential buyer falls in love as soon as they step onto the property with the look of the LFL051 4 Watt LED Modern Outdoor Path Lighting Fitting lighting the path. This unique square light features a rectangular, boxy shape with a wavy triangle cut out of each of its sides, casting light in an X shape across the ground. Both the illumination and the body of the light are decorative and sure to impress.