How to warm up your home this Winter using lighting

How to warm up your home lighting this winter

The clocks have gone back, it’s getting cold and the nights are drawing in. You’ve probably already insulated your home against the plunging temperatures, but have you thought about your lighting? It’s one of the easiest ways to give your home a warm, cosy atmosphere – even when it’s blowing a gale outside.

Create lighting layers

Layered lighting is one of secrets to a warmly lit home, yet it’s the one thing that people often neglect. To light your home properly, you need to think about mixing and matching 4 layers of lighting:

• Ambient lighting
• Task lighting
• Accent lighting
• Decorative lighting

Here’s a quick guide to those 4 layers:

Ambient lighting

Think of ambient lighting as your foundation point, the base level from which the other layers are built. At its simplest, it’s natural daylight. Ambient lighting acts as a substitute for natural light when it’s in short supply during the winter.

Ambient lights are usually used where a softer focus light is needed, areas where you want to relax – living rooms, dining rooms and bedrooms. A warm lighting effect can be created by good quality ceiling lights, especially those that are dimmable.

Pendant lights like the Astro 7194 Joel are also great for warm, general lighting. Or you can go for an adjustable recessed light.

Wall lighting is also a great way to create cosy ambient light, especially when lights are fitted onto walls that are decorated in colours within the warm spectrum – yellowish white through to red.

Get the look with the Astro 0861 Olan Wall Light

A useful tip for creating warm, natural looking lighting is to check out the Kelvin temperature of the bulb. It indicates the colour of the light. Bulbs with a lower Kelvin temperature cast a warm yellow glow and higher numbers giving you brighter, bluer illumination. For warm ambient lighting most akin to an incandescent bulb, look for lamps between 2700-3000K.

Task Lighting

This one’s obvious from the name. Task lighting is focused illumination for performing tasks – cooking, studying, reading, applying make-up and so on. Ideally, you’re looking for bulbs marked 3,500-4,100k for a clear, white light.

In living areas, the most efficient use of task lighting is to use floor and table lamps next to or behind comfortable chairs and sofas. Mix and layer these with a blend of ceiling pendant or track and spotlighting. For a unified look that creates a warm and cosy ambience, use matching table lamps and floor lamps placed in the areas where you need focused light sources.

As an example, here’s the Astro Park Lane table lamp 4505 with matching floor lamp 4507 in Polished Chrome.

Kitchens are where layered lighting comes into its own. You’ll probably be using your kitchen for a variety of different purposes – cooking, socialising etc. and multiple light sources allow you to change the mood of the room accordingly.

Multi-directional spotlights such as the Searchlight 7494 Comet 4 or adjustable recessed downlights like the Aurora AU-DLM357SN 240v can create clean and functional illumination. Under-cupboard recessed lighting provides a focused light for food preparation and it’s also a great way to add a warm, cosy feel when you’re relaxing with friends and family on winter evenings.

As well as being great for ambient lighting, pendant lights can also multi-function as task lights when placed over cooking or eating areas.

Get the look with theIntalite 155531 Forchini PD-1 Ceiling Pendant. See picture above

Accent Lighting

Accent lighting is often the most neglected part of home lighting schemes. People tend to think of it as mood lighting, but it’s more than that. In fact, it’s one of your most creative lighting options.

Accent lighting is highly directional illumination that draws attention to key features in a room – art work, fireplaces, ornaments and so on. When other lights are dimmed or switched off, a highly directional spotlight such as the Intalite 149042 Light Eye is the perfect way to add lighting warmth to a room.

You can also use pendant lights such as the Intalite 133482 Light Eye matching pendant for accent lighting. This works particularly well when the beam angle is directed downwards.

Decorative Lighting

Decorative lighting makes a statement, and it’s also a great way to add a cosy atmosphere to your home.

There’s a lot of choice when it comes to decorative lights and it’s entirely up to you how much of a statement you want to make. You can, for example, say it loud and clear with a chandelier.

Chandeliers are perfect for creating diffused warm lighting, particularly when they’re dimmable, and balanced with floor lamps and accent lights. But if a chandelier is too much of a statement for you, try a cleaner, more minimalist look.

Wall lighting can also bring a real stand-out design statement to rooms whilst, at the same time, creating a much-needed warmth and intimacy on cold winter evenings.

Re-create the look with the Aqua Creations Forever Wall Light in Brown.

Don’t forget the garden

Outdoor lighting isn’t just for summer, it also makes sense in the winter months too. As the evenings get darker it doesn’t just offer a sense of security, it also makes sure that your garden, patio and balcony remain part of family life. Why not read our other blog on Outdoor Lighting to get great ideas

You probably won’t be doing a lot of outdoor entertaining during the winter, but strategically placed garden lights such as the INTALITE 227221 Rotoball can add a warming ambience to your paths and seating areas.

Wall lighting is also important during the winter. Good quality, robust outdoor wall lights such as the Astro Lighting 7267 Newbury deter unwanted intruders and they provide safe, warm and welcoming illumination when you get home on cold, dark evenings.

For more ideas on warm, cosy winter lighting visit our website at ….