How to Use Lighting to Make Your Home Comfortable – Home Inside

Lighting has a big impact on comfort. Too much or too little can make a room unappealing or even unusable. Over time, your family’s needs can change. That’s why it’s a good idea to step back and evaluate your home’s current lighting setup. How can you use light to transform your living space into the coziest, most comfortable place for your loved ones to spend their time?

Light Levels Should Match the Room’s Purpose

How bright a room needs to be depends on its purpose. For example, a living room or sitting room should have lower, warmer illumination. This helps occupants relax. The same level of lighting would not work in a kitchen, bathroom, or workshop. These areas need brighter light that’s usually whiter in color.

Over time, the purpose of a room may change. Make sure each space offers the type and level of lighting needed for its current purpose.

Fix or Replace Outdated or Broken Fixtures

It’s easy to ignore outdated or broken fixtures, especially in rooms that aren’t used as often. Now is the time to address these issues and get those fixtures working again.

Newer fixtures offer different style options that might better suit your home’s aesthetic. They also come with features that could give you more varied illumination, like a diffuser or reflectors.

Use Sunlight to Brighten and Warm Your Home

We love renewable energy at Connect Electric. Did you know that you can use sunlight without solar panels? The best way to do this is to open the curtains. Letting natural light in will brighten the area and provide additional warmth, which is easier on your heating system.

Open the curtains or blinds on windows that face the sun, which will change throughout the day. On hot days you can close the curtains to keep your home darker and cooler.

Install Dimmer Switches for Better Light Control

Dimmer switches give you more control over the light level in a room. They add versatility as well. Turn them up to play a game with family or dim the lights to a low setting when watching a movie. The same room can be used as a play area during the day and a theater in the evening without sacrificing comfort.

Dimmer switches also save energy, which will lower the cost of your utility bills. Just remember that basic LED light bulbs do not always work with dimmer switches. Make sure you choose dimmable LED bulbs and a compatible dimmer switch for maximum efficiency.

Experiment with Color-Changing Lights

Brightness also affects how a room looks and feels. Modern technology gives us smart devices like color-changing light bulbs. They work with Google, Alexa, or a smartphone app. You can change the color to soft greens, purples, or blues or go back to traditional white or warm light. It’s another tool you can use to customize your living space.

Lighting makes a huge difference in any home. Explore your options to find more ways to create a beautiful indoor area that’s inviting and functional.