Lighting is often an afterthought when people are designing their interior spaces. However, as a professional interior designer, it’s actually one of the elements I consider FIRST when developing a design for my clients. I’ll share with you the 5 most common problems I see people have when lighting their interior spaces.
- Using only one type of light and not having enough light sources – The best lighting plans incorporate at least two or three different types of lighting fixtures, each meant to serve different functions. You probably won’t have every light fixture on all at the same time and all at the highest level, but good lighting is about a combination of different types of light.
- Using just table lamps to light your space – Table lamps are really designed to be task lamps not for lighting an entire room.
- Not spreading out the light throughout your space – The goal is to light every corner of the room with a somewhat consistent level of light or at least try to spread out the light so that you don’t have any dark areas in shadow.
- Forgetting to add dimmers whenever possible – Dimmers give you the ability to tailor the light level to the different activities in the space. They also allow you to vary the combination of light levels for a broader range of lighting “scenes”. As an added bonus when you use dimmers it extends the life of the bulb and uses less energy.
- Not paying attention to the color temperature of the bulbs you use. – Even if you are still hoarding 100 watt incandescent bulbs you should consider the energy savings of LEDs, and you’ll need to get the correct color temperature to make the elements of your room look their best. Tip: if you have a lot of cool tones like blues and grays, then use a 3500 – 4000K LED – If your space contains mostly warm tones with yellow and red then stay warmer with 2700-3000K bulbs.
Yes, it’s true, the list is seemingly endless. But the important thing is to take the time to consider lighting first as it is a critical part of a great interior design!
CARRIE OESMANN, ASID, AKBD, CLIPP
has spent the past 20 years developing her skills and expertise in the real world of interior design. With her new blog site, “My Bailiwick”, Carrie shares her valuable insights on her experience as an influencer in global community of interior design professionals.
Carrie addresses all the aspects of interior design; working with clients, partnering with contractors and developing designs that really work within her clients’ budgets, personal taste and lifestyle. Carries insights bring the design process into focus as she explains how decisions are really made and why. And how each of those decisions impacts the big picture.
Carrie’s active lifestyle proves her mantra “A body in motion stays in motion!” So outside of her thriving design business Carrie pursues life with a passion. Whether she is teaching Pilates, training for a triathlon, traveling the world, or simply enjoying a round of golf and taking her golden-doodle Bailey to a local nursing home for a visit, Carrie is constantly on the go.
Gold and silver awards for her designing talents are a testament to her creativity and dedication to her profession. Carrie’s work has been featured in multiple trade magazines including New York Spaces, Distinctive Kitchens, Design NJ, New Jersey Home and Style, to name a few, as well as designer showhouses and even a television pilot. Carrie holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University and an Associate’s Degree in Interior Design from Centenary College. She is an active professional member of NKBA, the National Kitchen and Bath Association and ASID, the American Society of Interior Designers, and is one of the elite who have passed the rigorous national qualification exam, making her an NCIDQ certified interior designer.
