The Power of Light in your Home

There are many different elements that make a house your home. The easiest way to transform your living space into your home is personalizing and decorating. In doing this, don’t forget an important detail that is commonly overlooked- the use of light in your home.

Natural Light is the Best Light

Light is an essential part of life; if light ceased to exist, than life would cease to exist. The best way to feel alive is to be in a light-filled environment with the right kind of light, which is natural light.

In order to maximize the amount of natural light that enters your house, pay careful attention to the state of the windows in your home. To make sure they let in the most amount of light possible, make sure that your windows are never broken or dirty.

If the windows themselves are in good shape, next take notice of what surrounds them. During the day, keep your curtains or blinds open. At night, close the windows or curtains. As much as the light that comes through the windows, blinds and curtains are important as well in creating the perfect atmosphere in your home. Blinds are less expensive and can be made out of paper, bamboo, wood, or plastic. Curtains, though more expensive, provide a cozy and homey feeling.

Windows let light in no matter their location but in order to maximize the amount of light coming from the windows, face them east and west, the direction of the movement of the sun. If you are building a new home, consider the placement of windows and how you can let the most light in possible.

Natural Light not only helps you and your home but it helps the environment as well, by decreasing carbon footprint. Natural light naturally produces more illumination that is brighter than most artificial light, so less artificial light is needed. Thus, by using more natural light, you can save on your electricity bill. The electricity used in the home could consist of about 40% from lighting. Little bits here and there goes a long way, so using natural light on a daily basis will add up in saving energy.

Increased amounts of natural light not only help you feel better emotionally but it has been scientifically proven that natural light can be good for your health. In fact, according to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, it is on the list of Basic Principles of Healthy housing.  By using natural light, you have your body stimulate to produce vitamin D, which regulates the circadian rhythms, which increases an awareness and love of life.

Light When Decorating

Without light, a house becomes gloomy, even with a perfect decor. So, when decorating, make sure that you pay attention to the amount and location of light that you use. There are three types of lighting when decorating: general lighting, task lighting, and accent lighting. All three types of light should work together in harmony and balance while they fulfill their purposes.

GENERAL LIGHTING

General Lighting is the light that illuminates a whole room. The brightness of general lighting needs to be considered against the colors of a room. Light will reflect off the walls of a room, and reflects more easily against certain colors. For example, if a room is painted with a light color, such as white, less general lighting will be needed than if the room is painted a darker color, like brown. Furthermore, depending on the occasion, you may want to increase or decrease the general lighting. For example, if you are having a date night, you would want a more dim light setting than if you are working.

TASK LIGHTING

Task lighting is lighting that is used for specific purposes. For instance, a bedside lamp is an example of task lighting. Another example would be a light that is located on top of a piano to shine on sheets of music. This is a more practical use of light fixtures, but with proper placement, these lights can add to the overall atmosphere of a space in your home.

ACCENT LIGHTING

As the name suggests, accent lighting is used to accent specific design elements and decor. Light fixtures can be used to to illuminate pictures, put a spotlight on a treasured trophy, or highlight favorite colors, and so much more. Accent lighting can also be used as decoration itself. One way this can be seen is placing a lamp with colorful lights in your home. This lamp is now both a unique conversation piece as well an addition to the atmosphere of your home.

Decor is an important part in making your home more balanced and having a good energy. More important than decor, however, is the power of the type of light used.