I often speak about lighting as the ‘jewelry’ of the home. This is particularly applicable to a newer home, in which a builder has installed matching lighting sets in bulk and put them throughout the whole neighborhood. Many think this is driven by design (‘shouldn’t all the lighting match?’) but it is not. This choice was not driven by design; it is driven by efficiency and cost savings.
If you want a home with character and personality, you should start thinking about lighting as the jewelry of the home. I shared this concept and these principles on KXAN’s Studio 512 just a couple of weeks ago.
You can watch the video by clicking on the picture or clicking here:
Or you can read the ‘cliff notes’ version below:
Imagine lighting as the jewelry of your home and incorporate these three concepts:
1) It doesn’t have to all match
You don’t have to have all the same fixtures throughout the house, especially bathrooms, and you do not have to use the same finish everywhere. For example, just because you have oil rubbed bronze in the bathroom, doesn’t mean you have to use a chandelier with oil rubbed bronze on the dining light fixture.
Takeaway: Just like with jewelry, you can wear only pearls on your ears, neck and wrist (nothing wrong with that!), but mixing up the elements tends to add pizzazz to the total look.
2) It is your chance to add personality
Even though it takes more time and effort, try to find some elements you won’t see everywhere.
Lighting adds so much character. If you aren’t using it to your advantage, you are really missing an opportunity to add your personality to your home. Don’t just go to big box stores or a traditional lighting shop for all your fixtures.
Take-away: Branch out and shop unique boutiques or events like Round Top or Scott’s Antique market to find fixtures that no one else will have.
3) Usually bigger is better
What girl doesn’t want the bigger diamond? It is not that we are shallow or materialistic. It is that ‘bigger’ catches your eye faster and makes a statement.
To determine the best size light fixture for your home add the length + width of the room to determine the ideal number of inches. I usually take that number and go up from that to add impact.
Take away: In my opinion, it is better to have a large fixture that makes a statement than something too small for the room.
Hopefully these quick tips will help you reframe your point of view on lighting. If you need help with your lighting and other design decisions, feel free to reach out to us at info@heatherscotthome.com ! Have a super Memorial Day weekend!