We all know that lighting is such an important part of every room. Yet we often treat lighting as an afterthought. So today’s little decor idea for big impact is about how you can totally transform a room by decorating with feature lights throughout the home.
By feature lights, I don’t mean just big, dramatic lights. I mean carefully chosen big and small lights of all types throughout the home. A small table lamp can be as much of a feature light as a large pendant. The one thing that all feature lights have in common is that they make a statement whether switched on or off.
I’ve included lots of pictures as they will help to inspire you to get creative with the lighting in your home. And once you do this, you may be surprised at just how much impact lights can have in transforming a room.
tips to help you choose feature lighting for your home:
break the rules
Lighting is your chance to express your personality and the personality of your home. So go for what you love. There are lots of rules out there about size and placement etc but I personally don’t recommend them. For e.g in the living room picture above, you have a very small pendant light which totally works. But according to some ‘rules’ the light should be much bigger for this space. While a bigger light would work too, the small light looks great. There is also a cleverly placed wall light that will add more light when needed.
Another example would be the idea that pendant lamps should always be in the centre of a space but off-centre lights can look really great and can be even more of a feature. Of course there are times where centering is necessary – say when you have 3 pendant lamps over a dining table or a kitchen island – but when it’s just one light, do what gives the most impact like that kitchen dining area above. If you are going off-centre, go for it properly as slightly off centre will look like a mistake.
use lighting unexpectedly
Lighting is there to create an impact and finish the room. So consider going for the unexpected. Instead of bedside lamps, think about hanging bedside pendants or a wall light or perhaps use a pendant light to highlight a shelf in a room. For a dining table you don’t always have to go for pendant lights – one of the pics above shows a dining table with a wall light which isn’t what you’d typically think of above a dining table but it looks so dramatic!
consider texture
Think about adding texture with your lighting while sticking to neutral tones. Fabric lights look so dreamy and great especially for a bedroom, bamboo or rattan add warmth whereas metal lights add a cooler industrial feel. Using lighting to add texture to a room is a great way to create contrast and interest.
don’t skip feature lighting because of budget
I get it – some of these stunning feature lights can cost a small fortune. It’s easy to dismiss decorating with feature lights because it feels like it’s way above your budget. But it doesn’t have to be. Ikea is one of my favourite places to find interesting lights for every room on a budget or to make your Ikea lights more unique, you can try an Ikea lighting hack.
Alternatively you can also check out ebay for second hand versions of some fab Scandinavian lights or any other sites where you find preloved stuff. You could also DIY your lights which is what I did for my DIY bedside lights because I couldn’t find what I wanted in my budget. There are lots of budget friendly ways to get the lighting look you want so don’t dismiss feature lighting because of budget.
feature lighting isn’t just for living spaces
Decorating with feature lighting is something you can do in any and every room. Kitchens, bedrooms, home offices… anywhere. Every room is an opportunity to create a feature with a light whether that’s a small table lamp or a large pendant light. It’s all about picking each piece carefully while also keeping your lighting needs in mind. So don’t feel like you have to limit yourself to just the main living areas.
If you pick just one room and try decorating with feature lights you’ll see the impact lighting can make. So pick a room, find some lights and give it a go. If you’re stuck for ideas, leave me a comment or send me an email and I’ll be happy to help.
IMAGE CREDITS: all images via Alvhem, Stadshem and Entrance Makleri
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