When updating your home lighting is often seen as a practical element rather than decorative but there are many fun and creative ways to use lights in your home to help enhance your décor and bring life to an otherwise dark and dull room.
Lighting ideas needn’t cost a fortune either with many easy and cheap ways to bring light into every corner, in a way that brings life to your chosen colour scheme and style. While you also need to consider functional lighting there is nothing to stop you being creative.
Here are six lighting trends which you can try at home:
#1 The industrial look
The industrial look isn’t reserved for kitchens or ultra-modern apartments but can be brought into any home through the clever use of lighting.You can bring this look into your home by going for light fittings which have an unfinished look. Go for black and metallic colours and choose metal light fittings wherever possible.
Try a hanging black or glass pendant light to become a main industrial lighting feature in any room and if you use a warmer light bulb colour it will still feel light enough in the room, despite the dark coloured light fitting. Go for metal upright lamps in corners and naked spotlights on the ceiling or in the kitchen to light up the counters.
#2 The natural look
Our friends from Such & Such say for a completely different trend try the natural look in your house so go for lampshades made of natural materials including cotton shades, or those made from wicker or rope materials. You can also go for recycled lamp shades from second hand shops.
Look for lamp bases made from stone or reclaimed wood and use low energy bulbs to complete the natural look throughout your home. Make sure all of the lighting features are made from recycled or naturally sustainable materials.
#3 The retro look
Go exploring in your favourite charity and second-hand shops to find old-style lampshades with fringe and old fashioned patterns, to create a genuine retro look for your living spaces. Create a seventies feel or go for whichever era you most feel at home in.
Match your household accessories to the lighting features for a real theme to your whole room. Don’t go overboard as you don’t want to feel like you are living in a museum, but just have one or two classic pieces of furniture, topped with retro lamps for a really effective appeal.
#4 Light as art
For the more artistic choice then why not make your lights the main focus of your home by going for light fittings which are pieces of art in themselves. Many bold lighting features can be used to create a beautiful and effective focal point within a room.
Whether you go for an incredibly striking pendant or central light feature to draw the eyes upwards and create the illusion of more space, or choose artistic small side lamps to adorn tables and side pieces, the opportunities for creativity are endless.
Create your own unique style by choosing unusual shapes and colours for your light fittings, the quirkier the better for this style.
#5 Horizontal lighting
Try replacing regular vertical light fittings with horizontal ones, which are perfect for rooms with limited space and for a really modern appeal. You can use these to great effect in a very minimalist, uncluttered style of room.
Try picking out horizontal fittings which have clear, clean lines and use exposed bulbs for the most effective way to make the most of these unusual lighting features.
#6 Luxurious lighting
You can also use lighting to create a touch of luxury within your living space by going for opulent and solid light fittings. Think marble and brass fittings and opulent fabrics for lamp shades such as silk or rich colours and patterns.
Go for more traditional features to create this look, with a large central ceiling light which becomes the biggest focus, along with wooden and brass side lamps to add light into particular corners of the room. Dark shades can bring opulence but beware of making the room too dark buy going for this look.
As you can see there are many different trends and styles when it comes to lighting and there is sure to be one that matches the look and feel you want to achieve within your own living space. From opulent decadence, to retro; from horizontal lighting systems to industrial fittings, there is a lighting trend for everyone.
Changing your lighting doesn’t need to cost a fortune and can completely transform the way your room appears and the atmosphere within any type of living space. The choice and details that you go for are entirely up to you. The only limit is your imagination.
