Pages

Thursday, October 16, 2014

Shaping a Room: The Importance of Color and Lighting!


Maybe you have moved into a brand new house or apartment, or maybe you just want to redesign a room of your home. Either way, when planning your ideal space, there are many different components to take into consideration.Each one says something a little different.

Decide On a Color Scheme

Let us start with the most basic – and most essential component – color scheme. When choosing the hues, you will want to consider the intention of the room. Are you trying to create a tranquil space? Do you want it to be bold and fun?

Yellow

Promoting happiness and optimism, yellow effectively activates the memory and inspires creativity. It is great for brightening a kitchen or work space. You can tone down a bright yellow with darker hued accents. If bright yellow is not your thing, try a paler, earthier shade. This will also appear to open up the space.

Red

The color of passion, red will create a warming, romantic atmosphere in most any room. Red is also known for stimulating the appetite and conversation, which makes it ideal for a dining room. For bolder shades, it is common to paint the largest wall in the room a deep red hue, and tone it down with neutral colors, such as tans or pale yellows, on other walls.

Blue

Known as a harmonious color, blue is ideal for your bedroom. No matter the shade, its calming presence can actually act as a sleep aid. As a bonus, paler shades of blue tend to make your space appear larger.

Green

In all of its hues, green represents balance. It is a healing, soothing color and will add a relaxing aura to any room. If you have youngsters, green also decreases hyperactivity in children. For a captivating space, combine different shades of green within one room and accent walls or décor with other colors, such as pink, grey or magenta.

Bring Your Colors to Life with Lighting

Now that you have selected a color scheme, the next component is lighting. The design will vary, but mixed light sources will create a flattering ambiance.

Living Room

An overhead light is essential in the living room. Whether it is a ceiling fan, pendant or flush mount, you will want to put it on a dimmer to help set the mood. In addition, three of the four corners of the room should have a soft glow focused on an object, such as a plant or art.

Dining Room

Whether used for regular meals or occasional parties, make the dining room table the brightest spot with a hanging chandelier or overhead light (no more than 100 watts). Balance this out with softer, indirect lighting fixtures, like standing lamps.

Bedrooms

Create a cozy atmosphere with reading lamps by the bed. Low wattage is ideal for a warm, soft glow. On the other hand, if you choose tracked fixtures, direct the lights toward the dressing area.

Bathroom

Sidelights for the mirror are perfect when applying makeup, and an overhead light will help fill out the room. Also consider a recessed or flush mount light for the shower.

While there are many other elements to take into consideration when designing your ideal room, lighting and color scheme are the two most important foundational aspects. Choose yours and start planning today!

No comments:

Post a Comment

Thanks for stopping by. I appreciate you taking the time to share with me your thoughts, ideas and suggestions. Your comments always, always brighten up my day! So, keep them coming. Have a beautiful day!