Picking the perfect paint color, securing all the right furniture, and weaving in a mix of textures and tones are the makings of a beautiful home. But lighting is just as important, and some designers would even argue it’s one of the most important details of all. While lighting serves a utilitarian purpose, it also elevates a space and plays a key role in crafting a welcoming, cozy atmosphere. To help you perfect this important design detail, we asked interior designers to share some of the most common lighting mistakes people make and what to do instead.
Not Layering Your Light
Light shifts throughout the day, so it’s only natural for your lighting needs to morph from morning to noon to night, too. In that sense, your interior space should be able to react to what’s happening outdoors.
“Limiting your lighting to only one type—ceiling, table, floor, or accent—will also limit how you can function in that space,” says interior designer Elizabeth Johnson. “A good lighting plan includes ambient lighting, as well as task lighting and accent lighting.”
- Ambient Light: Ambient lights are typically overhead lights and ensures your room has adequate overall lighting to function. Examples include chandeliers, pendants, flush and semi-flush lights, and recessed lights.
- Task Light: This type creates focused light in specific areas and can include desk lamps, under-cabinet lighting, and island lights for kitchens.
- Accent Light: “Accent lighting provides an excellent opportunity to showcase art and décor in your room,” Johnson says. “It also serves as an additional light source and can create moods that ambient and task lighting do not.”
Relying Primarily on Recessed Lights
In the same vein, it’s not ideal to rely solely on recessed lights as your primary lighting source. While they provide brightness, have a modern look, and are often dimmable, all the light shines downward. “This can make the space feel cold, providing only one lighting note,” Johnson says. “Replace one of the recessed lights with a pendant or chandelier with upward-facing bulbs or shades. This will create softness and is an opportunity to add another design element to the space.”
Not Using Dimmers
Lights with dimmers are your best friend. “Without dimmers, you’re stuck with one level of brightness, which can be way too harsh or not bright enough depending on the time of day,” says Farook Member, a home and interior design expert at QS Supplies. “It also makes modification to the ambiance for various occasions quite difficult.”
Installing dimmer switches is a relatively easy DIY—it’s as simple as switching out the light switch and ensuring the light source is dimmable. Along with creating a more welcoming ambiance, this lighting adjustment can also help save energy.
Using Bar Lights Above a Bathroom Mirror
Just because everyone does it doesn’t mean it’s the right choice. Bar lights above a bathroom mirror can be harsh and create unflattering light since they pour from above and cast shadows on your face. “Instead, use sconces on either side of the mirror,” says interior designer Cheryl Kees Clendenon. “For a bit of fun, you can also use pendants on either side of the mirror and create a more updated modern style without spending a whole lot more.”
Ignoring Natural Light
Along with introducing artificial light into your space, pay attention to—and embrace—natural light. “When overlooking natural light when planning artificial lighting, you can end up with spaces that are over-lit during the day and gloomy at night,” says Joyce Huston, lead interior designer at Decorilla. “Instead, plan your lighting scheme with both day and night in mind.” For example, she suggests using sheer curtains or blinds to control daylight and layer in artificial light for the evenings.
Ignoring Bulb Color And Intensity
Different spaces and areas call for specific types of light, so make sure you’re using the right bulbs. “Bad color temperatures often quickly ruin the mood. Cool, blue-toned bulbs can make it feel chilly and sterile in a room, while overly warm bulbs may make everything a bit too yellow or even dimmed,” Member says. “Living rooms and bedrooms are much better with warmer, soft white lighting to make one feel cozy and relaxed, while kitchens or working spaces are better with cooler light.”
Not Matching Color Temperature
While the color temperature doesn’t have to be an exact match, your home’s lighting should generally feel uniform and create a nice flow from space to space. “In the main public areas of your home, you want to be careful to make sure the temperature of the bulbs all match,” Clendenon says. “There is nothing more jarring than seeing two recessed can lights in a cool temperature and the two next to them in a warm temperature.”
Installing Light Fixtures at the Wrong Height
Along with bulb color and lighting type, it’s also important to consider height when hanging light fixtures. Huston says that lights at the wrong height throw off the visual balance of a room and can be a real pain—literally if you’re tall enough to bump your head. Consider height when installing and adjust it if the light feels too low or too high.
“In my last project, we had to rehang every pendant in the kitchen because the previous owner hung them too low. Getting the right height will instantly make the space feel more polished and intentional,” says Huston. The general rule is to hang lights 30 to 36 inches above the surface for countertop pendants and dining table lights.
Not Considering Switch Placements
It may seem like an afterthought, but when you consider how many times you flip your light switch on a given day, you quickly realize how important placement is. “When we work on remodels or new builds, we like to walk through with the owner and electrician to consider the switching needs for the intended use of the room and what obstacles might be in the way before it’s too late to make a change,” Clendenon says. “We want the various types of lighting to not be switched all on one or two switches.”
Creating Glares
Glare is the enemy of great lighting. “Visually, if you are fighting the brightest point in the room, you cannot experience the ambiance of the whole space,” says Maria Martin, an interior designer at Interior DesignWorks. “Review shiny surfaces and look to see if directional lighting washes or lands on them. The reflective surfaces will create glare and hot spots.”