Lighting design: what do your rooms need?

Different rooms of your house need different lighting designs. But how different? Let’s find out!

Lighting design is one of the most important decisions we have to make when decorating our home, but it’s also one of the elements that is easier to get wrong. Very often, without even realizing it, we have misconceptions and wrong ideas about the most appropriate illumination for every room of the house. For a light design that is 100% stop on, we listed some tricks and tips for you to follow. Every room deserves a proper light design, for it enhances the beauty of the décor and exalts the refined details of the furniture you chose.

A cute, creative table lamp by LOOMA

In the kitchen

When designing kitchen lighting, we must not forget that it is an operational environment: the aesthetic component, however important, must always come after functionality and organization. Moreover, we must consider how this room is strongly stressed by elements such as water and heat, much more than other areas of the house. Lighting design in the kitchen has to follow the same rules of the other pieces of furniture: it must be easy to clean, made with long lasting material, and its design must be simple and yet special. From a technical point of view, it is necessary to provide powerful illumination: therefore, it is better to choose both a chandelier that doesn’t suffocate the light bulb in a bulky design, and combine it with a series of spotlights above the cooking area.

Industrial chic? Yes, please! Two urban pendant lights by Loft You

In the dining room

This is our main piece of advice for this area of the house: avoid a system with only indirect light, especially if it is a large room you are decorating, because the light disperses and does not allow the dining table to be sufficiently illuminated. It is also recommended not to choose spot lights for a dining room, especially in the areas adjacent to the table: it would catch the eye’s attention for all the wrong reason, dazzling them. The best way to illuminate the dining area is with a non colored light that focuses on the main table, but diffuses brightness all around it too. Among the possible solutions, it would be smart to use a suspension lamp placed right next to the dining table. But if you want to be traditional and choose a chandelier, we suggest you get one that has different components, and covers almost the whole surface of the dining table from above.

A stunning brass chandelier by Merve Kahraman

In the living room

The living room is the place where we spend moments of relax, and where we welcome our guests for our little social events. As we did before, we first want to advise you about the options you should exclude: lamps and chandeliers that are too high or too low should be avoided, as well as spot lights oriented towards the sofa – which could dazzle your guests –, and multi color lights, which will look confusing and overshadow the furniture in the room. Instead, prefer a combination of different light sources, that are connected by a coherent design style, combining different light intensities to make the atmosphere warm, welcoming and unique. Having more than just one main light source, will also allow you to adjust the amount of illumination you want in the living room: all the lights on for your crowded family reunions, or a softer and suffused shade for the evening dates with your significant other.

Quack your interior design up, with this extremely cute duck lamp by Ibride!

In an open plan kitchen

In the case of an open plan kitchen that’s directly connected to the living area, the goal that we must keep in mind is to enhance the beauty and brightness of this wide space. We have mentioned how it is a smart idea to install spotlights above the stove – which, in an open plan area, could very likely be part of a kitchen island –, but that is just one of the elements of the ideal light design for this environment. Mix and match is the way to go for such a multifunctional area, but always remember that variety must come with harmony, otherwise we create chaos and confusion. We must be able to separate the kitchen area from the living room, the room where we cook from the area we relax in, but still create a décor that looks good as an ensemble. It’s a hard task, but light design will be your best ally in creating connections that are not too invasive, that can literally be switched on and off according to the parts we want to emphasize.

Glass-blown pendants by Bomma

In the bathroom

The bathroom is one of the most complex environments to decorate, especially when it comes to light design. In this room, the whole area must be illuminated with equal intensity. This goal is usually achieved with the combination of a bright ceiling light with other minor light sources. Depending on the size of the bathroom, you need to understand how many light spots are needed and what is the best place to install them: the tub, the shower, the sink and the mirror deserve to be illuminated properly, according to their function. Better if the main light is oriented towards the mirror, without being right above it. In this area, a single source of light from above would only create annoying shadows. If you have a bathtub, consider the idea of installing a light regulator, so you can adjust the atmosphere for your relaxing moments, perhaps using a few candles too. In addition to aesthetics, when choosing the type of lighting for your bathroom, you must keep in mind that safety regulations are fundamental, since this is a room that is going to be moist and humid.

Looking for a delicate glow? Try Luxion!

In the bedroom

Our bedroom’s décor should express our personality at best, since it is the most personal room of the entire house. That said, we should hold ourselves and try not to overdo. Moreover, when choosing bedroom lighting, the mistake that should be avoided is to exaggerate with brightness. This area of the house does not need to be illuminated in the same way a study room or a kitchen, with abundant and direct light. Over illuminating the bedroom could cause distress and affect our well-being. A smart solution could be to avoid a big chandelier, in favor of many small appliques or smaller light sources. This way, we will also be able to regulate the amount of illumination desired.

One more example of Merve Kahraman's creativity