Proper interior lighting plays a huge role in the comfort and liveability of any interior space. However, when decorating, most people usually focus on furniture, carpentry and walls, with lighting coming as an afterthought.

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Natural lighting is also very important; so it would be wise choose a home with large windows, and lots of natural light. If that’s not an option, try to find ways to compensate for small windows by placing mirrors on walls opposite to windows, so that they reflect daylight and create a brighter home.

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Not all people are extra sensitive to the quality of lighting in their home. Yet even if they are not aware of it on the conscious level, small windows, dark hallways and dimmed lights often have a detrimental impact on their mood.

Here are a few ways in which lighting will impact your living space and can be utilized in the home:

Utilizing Colour With Lighting

The use of lighting can add to or subtract from the overall colours of a room or from only those surfaces the light is meant to enhance. Darker colours make a room feel smaller and cramped, while light-coloured walls do the opposite. The illusion of space is defined by light reflected off of the surfaces of the walls. Some types of lighting help with this illusion by further illuminating the walls.

Setting the Mood With Lighting

The lighting in a room either provides illumination for the entirety of the room, or it highlights very specific elements. Track lighting is the perfect example of positional lighting. Hung from the ceiling, the adjustable necks and lamps can be pointed at specific elements, such as a wall painting, the vase of flowers on an entryway table or the bar top or kitchen island.

Adding Ambiance With Lighting

One major role of lighting in the interior setting is functionality. Lighting needs to serve a purpose, or it simply wastes electricity. Chandeliers are not only used in large, open foyers, entryways and rooms because of their centrally themed placement but also because they provide excellent illumination for the room. Wall lights add length and size, visually, to an entryway hall, as well as light the way.

Improving Spaciousness With Lighting

Both natural and man-made lighting help with the illusion of space. For a darker room, find ways to bring in more full-spectrum natural light. If the room does not have sufficient lighting, it will feel cramped. This is worsened by close-proximity furniture arrangements, such as coffee table, end table, sofa, chair and love seat combinations in a smaller setting.