Do’s And Don’ts With Interior Lighting Design

Task lighting, accent lighting, mood lighting, ambient lighting — with so many types of lighting to incorporate into a space, it may be tricky to determine how exactly to incorporate interior lighting into your home. In this article, we will offer some Dos and Donts of LED interior lighting, as well as provide you with some home lighting ideas.

 

DON’T Install Too Many Interior Ceiling Lights

While you might assume you can get light everywhere if you just keep adding fixtures, that isn’t true. Unless you are choosing lights that are adjustable or wash the walls, you are not going to be illuminating all of the vertical spaces. This is detrimental, because this is where the eye perceives light.

 

DO Use Layered Lighting

Make sure there are different light sources, including accent, ambient and task lighting, to create a well-lit space. Layered lighting will also eliminate shadows and dark corners from the space.

 

DON’T Position Lights Too Low

Dining room and kitchen pendants should be able to easily clear the tallest family member while also not getting in the way of views. Generally speaking, it is safe to hang lights around 36 to 48 inches from the table or surface of the counters.

 

DO Choose Flattering Light

Overhead lighting on its own can be a little unflattering. To avoid this, add some variation to your interior lighting ideas. Consider adding an overhead light with a sconce on either side of the bathroom mirror, for instance, to avoid shadows and increase the overall illumination.

Infographic showing the do's and don'ts with interior lighting design

DON’T Skip the Dimmers

When possible, choosing LED ceiling lights and indoor wall lights with dimmer capability is a good idea. Dimmers can change the look and feel of your space depending on the activity or your mood.

 

DO Control the Lighting Individually

By having separate controls for each light, you can maximize the flexibility and efficiency of your space. With individual controls, you will be able to turn on only as few or as many lights as you see fit at any given time.

 

DON’T Use Cool Lighting As the Main Lighting

Unless you are going for a specific look, avoid using cool lighting as the primary lighting in a room. Cool lighting is defined as light toward the top of the colour spectrum. Instead, you should choose warmer white light when choosing Interior lights for home settings. This will be gentler on the eyes but still crisp and clear enough to easily see.

 

DO Consider a Feature Pendant Light

Indoor ceiling lights are a great opportunity to create a focal point in your space. By using feature interior ceiling lights, you can spice up your room while providing ample lighting. Choose to hang the light in the centre of the room for smaller spaces or install multiples around high windows to frame them.

 

DON’T Make Snap Decisions on Internal LED Lighting

In order to ensure you aren’t underestimating your space and what it needs, take some time to really feel it out. It is a good idea to live in the space for a couple of weeks to figure out exactly how you use the space and what functionality you need from it. This will help you narrow down the various options for lighting that you might have glossed over when originally seeing the room.

 

DO Keep a Theme

To ensure that your space looks its best, your interior light fixtures should all complement one another. This can mean pairing metallic LED ceiling lights with internal wall lights in the same material. You could also add lights that have similar or complementary finishes to achieve a consistent look.

 

DON’T Choose Lights Based Only on Looks

While it’s a good idea to choose lights that complement one another, it is not a great idea to only buy a light because you like its look. Instead, you should keep things in mind such as lumen count, colour temperature, IP rating and even the light’s CRI.

 

DON’T Leave Any Wires Exposed

Be sure that excess chains and wires are hidden from view by taking time to do so during the installation process. This is simple to do by hiding them in the ceiling or in a decorative mount on the ceiling itself. Keeping wires out of the way will benefit you both in an aesthetic and a practical manner, as it will make the lights safer.

modern kitchen in living room with pendant lighting over table

DO Customise Lights for Each Room

Where rows of interior ceiling spotlights may look great in a kitchen, it might not have the same effect in a bedroom. Choose your indoor light fixtures based on the appearance and the needs of each room in the house to ensure that it looks its best.

 

DON’T Limit Your Lights

It is recommended that you have more than one source of light in each room of the house. Doing so will ensure that you have ample illumination coming from various fixtures to suit your needs each night.

 

DO Add Task Lighting Where Appropriate

Think about where it is that you most often complete tasks — cooking in the kitchen, working in the office or reading in the bedroom. From there, add indoor wall lights or LED downlights in these areas. This will give you plenty of light by which to get your work done and make your rooms feel more practical and efficient.

 

DON’T Be Afraid of Colour

While many people are inclined to stick only to neutral colours and metal finishes, adding some splashes of colour by way of your light fixtures can bring in some much needed personality. If you have an open, airy modern space, you can especially benefit from hits of bright red or yellow, for example.

 

DO Think About Details

Indoor LED lights are a great opportunity to dress up your space, not just light it up. With the right indoor wall sconces or ceiling lights, you can bring artistic flair to the area with ease. Take the opportunity to choose lighting fixtures that speak to the personality of the room and consider how they can improve upon the aesthetics. By treating your lights as decor just as much as they are practical, you can elevate your room instantly.

 

DON’T Neglect Natural Light

Natural light is an easy way to ensure that your living space is well lit during the day. When planning your interior lighting scheme, take care to take into account any windows or skylights in the room. Notice the way that natural light comes into a space during the day and plot your light placement accordingly. Sometimes, this means installing lights on the same wall as the windows. Sometimes, it means the opposite.

You will also want to consider natural light in relation to any pendant lights that you install. If the light comes in at the wrong angle, it could cause the pendant light to cast a large shadow during the day.

 

DO Consider Motion Lights

Stairways are a great opportunity to add low level lighting, especially motion sensitive lights. By adding motion lights to the stairs, light will only shine when people are actively in the area. Then, they will turn back off. Not only is this modern and aesthetically pleasing, but it can save energy and therefore money on your bills by only turning on when they are immediately needed.

 

DON’T Rely Solely on Floor Lamps

To prevent shadows from forming in a room, many people are inclined to just keep sticking floor lamps all around the room. Doing so may just lead to a clunky and cluttered look. Instead, add some wall sconces in the areas that you may be considering installing additional floor lamps. This will afford you similarity and functionality while freeing up floor space.

 

Interior Lighting Ideas

 

  1. LWA223 6 Watt Round Decorative Interior LED Wall Light

LWA223-BK 6 watt round LED feature wall light

Interior wall lights are a quick and easy way to bring some personality to your living space. With the LWA223 6 Watt Round Decorative Interior LED Wall Light, you can add ample illumination and modern style all at once. This light features a ring design with an acrylic diffuser lining the inner ring. The diffuser shines 600 lumens of 3000k warm white light back onto the wall behind it, washing it with colour.

The fixture is crafted out of hardwearing aluminium that comes in your choice of a black or white finish to make it easy to incorporate into any room. The light measures 139 millimeters in diameter with a 78-millimeter projection from the wall.

 

 

  1. LWA228 4 Watt LED Round Interior Wall Light

LWA228A 4 watt round LED wall sconce lighting

Perfect for accent lighting, the LWA228 4 Watt LED Round Interior Wall Light can really set a mood in any given space. This wall light is round in shape and shines light from behind it back onto the wall. The ring of light produced comes out to be 400 lumens of 3200k warm white light.

You can get this surface mounted light in either black or white colour finishes. The neutral hues available allow you to bring the light into existing design styles of any kind without issues of clashing. The product measures 162 millimeters in diameter by 55 millimeters in depth.

 

 

  1. LSP705 5 Watt Adjustable Surface Mounted LED Downlight

LSP705 5 watt adjustable surface mounted LED spotlight

Bring ample task or ambient lighting into a space with the LSP705 5 Watt Adjustable Surface Mounted LED Downlight. The downlight features small heads that pack a big punch with 430 lumens of light output from each one shining at a 24-degree beam angle.

The 3000k warm white LED light is gentle on the eyes while being crisp and bright enough to easily see. With its movable head, you can tilt the light up to 90 degrees and twist it up to 250 degrees. Choose from either a white or black finish to best suit the existing design style in your space. Regardless of the finish you choose, each light is built to last out of premium aluminium.

 

 

  1. LDC734 5 Watt Anti Glare Recessed LED Downlight

LDC734 5 watt recessed anti glare LED downlight

Recessed lights are a favourite among lovers of modern interior design. With the LDC734 5 Watt Anti Glare Recessed LED Downlight, you can enjoy all of the beauty and minimalism of an interior light without the glare many of them are capable of causing. Since the bulb is recessed deeply into the fixture, it won’t cause glare when you look up at it.

The bulbs output 430 lumens of light that shines at a 24-degree beam angle, pooling light on the surface beneath it. It is built to outlast the years from high quality aluminium that comes in your choice of either black or white for the reflector ring. The fixture measures 63 millimeters in diameter with a minimum recessed depth of 43 millimeters.

 

 

  1. LBL252 10 Watt Hexagonal Surface Mounted LED Downlight

LBL252 10 watt twin hexagonal surface mounted LED downlight - Modern ceiling light

Take your modern interior lighting to new heights with the LBL252 10 Watt Hexagonal Surface Mounted LED Downlight. This two-bulb downlight stands out with its contemporary hexagonal shape on each of the connecting fixtures. The honeycomb look can instantly bring artistic style and appeal.

The light fixture is fabricated using high quality aluminium that is available with a black, white or silver finish. The neutral colour choices ensure that it can easily be worked into rooms of any design style without fear of clashing. It outputs a total of 800 lumens of 3000k warm white light, making it a bright ambient light option.

 

 

  1. LPL364 5 Watt Hanging LED Pendant Light

LPL364 5 Watt LED pendant hanging ceiling lights

Spruce up your kitchen and dining room lighting with the LPL364 5 Watt Hanging LED Pendant Light hanging over tables and countertops. The pendant light features a sleek, minimalistic design and comes in three finishes to suit any taste: black, white or black and gold. The light features a 2000-millimeter drop cable that allows you to hang it at the height that best suits you and your family.

The body of the fixture measures 148 millimeters in diameter by 200 millimeters in height and outputs 400 lumens of 3000k warm white light at a 30-degree beam angle.

 

 

  1. LPL354 6 Watt Globe LED Pendant Light

LPL354 6 watt globe metal pendant light

Add retro modern charm to your living area or kitchen with the LPL354 6 Watt Globe LED Pendant Light. The globe-shaped light features either a black or chrome top with an opal acrylic dome on the bottom that softens the light. A total of 400 lumens of 3000k warm white light is emitted from the fixture, meaning it will work best when used as a part of a set.

The upper components of the light are crafted out of premium aluminium and measure a total of 115 millimeters in diameter. The light comes complete with a 2000-millimeter drop cable, so you can customise the height at which it hangs.

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