What You Need To Know About Perfectly Lighting Every Room in Your Home

The living room is a place where families can unwind after a long day, and the last thing you want is to cast dark shadows around the room with harsh lighting. The goal is to softly illuminate the space so that you can spend time with your family without being distracted by the bright lights. Courtney mentions, “Elaborate chandeliers can be nice, but you can also create ambience with table or floor lamps, as well as recessed lighting that’ll bounce soft light off your walls and ceilings.” 

Pictured: Paintbox model home in Atlanta, GA. 

When choosing the lighting for your kitchen, it’s important to take careful consideration on the types and placements of the fixtures you choose. With an emphasis on cooking and cleaning, you might want task lighting to brightly illuminate high-traffic areas like the kitchen counter and sink. “Under-cabinet light fixtures are a great way to brighten up your countertops without harsh overhead lighting that might cast shadows while you’re prepping meals in the kitchen,” says Brittney.     

Pictured: West End Towns model home, Charlotte, NC. 

Blend function and style when picking out the lighting for your bathroom by focusing the fixtures on the sides of the mirror rather than a central ceiling mount. The bathroom is the site of personal care and grooming, and the last thing you want are shadows preventing you from seeing your own reflection clearly. According to Julia, “Opt for wall sconces on either side of your bathroom mirror, or a set of track lights along the top edge, for a perfectly well-lit space.”

Pictured: The Highlands model home in Houston, TX.

If there was ever a time to go big and bold, it would be in your dining room. Break out the elegant and elaborate chandeliers to illuminate your dining table, but consider adding dimmers to maintain a sense of ambience throughout the space. As a tip from Lindsey, “You’ll want to think about the wall colors when picking out your lighting as well — darker walls will reflect less light, meaning you’ll need several fixtures or stronger bulbs to adequately light your space.” 

Pictured: Maven model home in Toronto, ON.

Bedside lighting is one of the main focuses when it comes to planning out the light fixtures in your bedroom. If you love to spend time reading in bed, opt for floor or table lamps instead of the central ceiling-mounted fixtures to envelope your bed in a warm and soft light. “Wall sconces on either side of your bed with dimmers can also help you set the tone as you unwind in the evening,” says Liz. 

Pictured: Mueller model home in Austin, TX.