Illuminating your home to create the perfect lighting is not as easy as it might sound. You will need to think about what types of lamps you use, their style in terms of fitting in with your décor, the brightness of the bulbs and their placement in order to create the bestenvironment. Finding a balance between having enough light to function and creating an inviting glow is pivotal and you will need to tackle the lighting in each room to achieve the best overall effect. Companies such as the GKT Group can help you to identify the most effective lighting solutions for your home and they will be able to work within your budget to achieve the best lighting for your property.

Having a mix of light sources allows you to alter the amount of light you have depending on the situation.

The Lounge

As the living room is often the area where we host guests and where we spend our evenings relaxing after work, it is important to ensure this room is perfectly lit.

Here are some tips for lighting a lounge area:

• Place lamps in all four corners of the room
• Use spotlights to illuminate paintings or plants
• Make sure you have a mixture of standing lamps and table lamps
• Angle these lamps so some shine up, some down and some around the room

Overhead lighting should always have a dimmer switch, allowing you to alter the strength of the light depending on what you are doing.

The Kitchen

Lots of practical jobs get done in the kitchen, so make sure this room is well lit. Your cooking area and work stations need to have strong lights and you can place spotlights along the skirting boards for more atmospheric lighting when you are not cooking. Select cupboards should feature interior lights and concentrate on overhead lighting,so that you can see what you are doing.

The Dining Room

Incorporating a mixture of lighting options in a dining room is important, so that diners can see what they are eating but also feel comfortable.

• Highlight the table with an overhead pendant or chandelier
• Indirect lamps create an atmospheric glow around the table
• Bulbsshould be no higher than 100 watts

A few spotlights on the wall lights will work well and you need to have the option to increase or decrease overhead lights depending on whether you are eating or have finished your meal.

Bedrooms

The lighting in a bedroom is really important, as you will need to ensure this is a warm, welcoming space. Spotlights for reading and bedside lamps are a must and you should angle lights away from the bed to create a cosy ambience.

Bathrooms should feel cleanand bright, a patio needs to be vibrant, while a driveway should have a mix of bright security lights when you use it to a warm glow when it’s not in use and these are all tips that a specialist lighting company will be able to advise you about.