Want to make your home feel more inviting? Discover how understanding and using lighting correctly can transform your space into a cozy haven by using the right lamps and bulbs.
One of the most important ways to make your space feel comfortable and cozy is by understanding lighting and how to correctly use it in your space.
It is a trend to use a bunch of lamps instead of the big overhead light that most apartments and houses come with. Lamps play a huge role in making your space feel welcoming and cozy, can be set up in a way that’s really convenient, and barely cost anything to power.
Good lighting can totally transform your space.
Understanding Lighting Placement
Split lighting needs into two categories: functional lighting and ambient lighting. Functional lighting illuminates a specific area. Ambient lighting fills in the dark spots to make the space look nice.
When figuring out where to place lamps, start with functional lighting since these make the space actually usable. Then fill in any gaps or dark spots with ambient lighting to really bring the space to life.
For example, place functional lights wherever you’ll actually be sitting and spending time. Then, place ambient lights in any dark spots where you want to highlight any decor and really bring the whole Space together.
Choosing the Right Lighting Temperature
Some light bulbs give off a colder bluish tone, while others glow more of a warm yellow tone. These differences in the shade of white is known as the light temperature range.
To get this cozy aesthetic, choose light bulbs that are in the lower part of this range, usually around 2700k.
Lamps using these bulbs will give up a warm cozy light rather than a harsh Cold Light. If you want the flexibility to choose the color of your lighting, you can also choose color changing smart bulbs, but just make sure they support a warm white color because not all of them do.
Different Types of Lamps
Different lamps will fit better in different spaces and use cases. Broadly speaking, lamps can be broken down into floor lamps, table lamps, wall lamps, and pendant lamps.
- Floor lamps are great for lighting spaces where you either don’t have a table or shelf to place a lamp on or when you need to free up table space.
- Table lamps are probably the most common and self-explanatory and are great for placing on desks, shelves, and side tables. This also includes portable lamps, which are great for carrying around or for using in areas where you don’t have access to an outlet.
- Wall lamps are the most space efficient because they don’t take up any floor space or table space.
- Pendant lamps are great for lighting large areas where you need some overhead lighting. A good example of this is the pendant light. They can also be helpful for just generally making a Space brighter if it’s particularly dark or large. Just make sure not only to use one pendant light and pair it with some other lamps as well.
Varying Lamp Styles for Visual Interest
Even though every lamp functionally works the same, you want to get different styles to prevent the space from feeling one-dimensional or repetitive.
For example, have one more modern looking floor lamp which shines directly down onto this side table and lounge chair and also one larger paper shade lamp which diffuses light softly over the whole area. Together they make this area look really interesting and multi-dimensional.
One exception to this rule would be any lamps that you’re purposely pairing together such as matching kitchen pendants or bedside wall lamps.
Smart Bulbs for Convenience
One of the biggest potential downsides of using lamps is having to turn them all on and off one by one, which is especially annoying if you have a lot of lamps.
Hooking up all of your lamps to either smart bulbs or smart plugs is super easy and very affordable. All you need is some smart bulbs, some smart plugs, and your supporting app or smart home system of choice.
Setting this up lets you control all of your lights and turn them all on and off at the same time. Most smart home systems also let you set schedules to turn them on and off during certain hours of the day and remotely control them in case you left the house and forgot to turn the lights off.
Best Brands and Lamps
First starting with budget options, Ikea is by far going to be your best bet. They have a bunch of different lamps in a lot of different styles, so there’s really something for everyone here. Some other favorites include the de sal lamp. Amazon also obviously has a bunch of different options, but like anything on Amazon, they can really be hit or miss. If you do use Amazon, just use the highest rated options.
There are a ton of different brands to choose from, including Gantry, wuj, and Hay. Speaking of paper shade lamps, the Undisputed King of the style is naguchi. If you want some more playful options, you can also check out Urban Outfitters home.
Last up are the high-end designer Brands. One of the favorites is Louis pson. Next up is Herman Miller. Tradition is another great high-end option. Last up and probably the most expensive of the bunch is floss.
First, determine your price point and then figure out what style you’re going for in your specific space. From there, you can then choose which specific Brands and lamps fit that Vision.
Conclusion
To wrap up, figuring out how to properly let your space will probably take some time in experimentation. Personal design philosophy is to always take your time to figure out how you actually use and live in a space because every space is different and will require a good bit of trial and error to figure out how to make it work best for you. Do your research, find inspiration online, and figure out what you like and don’t like about your current space.
