autumn lights
Eleni Fantis, 02/07/2021
As we approach the end of our ‘blink and you’ve missed it’ summer, it’s easy to feel despondent at the thought of the long, dreary months ahead – especially with the amount of time most of us have spent at home in recent times.
There are several ways to help lift our spirits and brighten up our homes, however, both literally and psychologically. As well as the more usual changes we might make to our homes in Autumn such as swapping cushions and throws for thicker, more sumptuous fabrics, it’s a good idea to consider your lighting.
In recent years, the importance of lighting within an interior design scheme has really come to the fore, with more people realising the impact of a beautiful lighting scheme and its ability to elevate a room from ‘nice’ to ‘wow’!
A successful lighting scheme will consist of layers; this means using a mixture of overhead or ‘ambient’ light, task lighting such as floor and desk lights, and decorative lighting. (Lighting types can also cross over within the classifications – a decorative ceiling light, for example, becomes task lighting when placed above an island or dining table.) Wall lights are usually decorative in that they serve little purpose other than to highlight a piece of art or a texture in the wall finish.
Changes you can make to your lighting layers as we move into Autumn include:
· Changing lampshades to lighter colours to allow more of the light to filter through and into your rooms. Alternatively, you might choose to embrace the rich tones of the season and go with golds, russet, and ochre or the warm metallics of brass and copper.
· Choose bulbs for your ambient and decorative lighting that have a warmer tone rather than a blue tone – although desk lamps and task lighting for hobbies, work or reading can be kept as a brighter and blue toned light.
· Fit dimmer switches where possible – the long, darker evening are an inevitability so you may as well use the opportunity to dim the lights, curl up on the sofa with a snuggly throw and watch a good film!
· Create a cosy reading corner with a table or floor lamp, a comfortable chair and throw where you can while away the hours – you might not even notice the weather!
· Remember, if all else fails to cheer you up, it will soon be time for the festive lights to brighten up your home!