There are some who insist that you have to build and live in at least one house before you can possibly know what features you really want and need. While we agree that it’s possible to learn from your mistakes, we also think there are easier ways to get the kind of lighting plan that will really enhance your lifestyle, light up your home in style, and allow you to see clearly no matter what you have in mind.
At Aterra, we’ll help you avoid the lighting mistakes — even if it’s your very first home.
Here are a few basic principles we think are important for interior lighting. Not to be negative, but it’s easier to list the don’ts when it comes to lighting mistakes:
1. Don’t skimp on receptacles
One double plug on each wall may have once seemed like a luxury, but today you want to make sure you can plug in all those devices, have the power to charge them, and move the televisions, computers, stereos and lamps wherever they will best suit your needs. And, unless you have a full-time staff, you want plugs in convenient locations for the vacuum cleaner and the countertop appliances as well.
2. Don’t forget walkway, entry, back patio, garage and landscape lighting.
You might want to make provision for motion-activated and solar fixtures, and for holiday lighting as well. We’ll help you tie it all together in one bright, energy-efficient package!
3. Don’t ever think that one ceiling fixture in the center of the room will meet your needs.
Every room should have an abundance of light — for general purposes, for specific tasks and for special needs. Even hallways, stairwells and closets can benefit both from overhead and “underfoot” lighting. If you banish darkness from your home, you should have no concerns about vision or mobility problems, no matter what your age.
4. Don’t overdo the recessed cans.
Oh, we know, they’re clean and modern and efficient and if you install enough of them you don’t have to worry about task lighting and mood lighting. WRONG. Every effective lighting plan needs general lighting, but you’ll also want to think about task lighting and accent lights. Think in layers, and think about shadows. Unless you’re planning a ceiling that is a replica of the starry sky at night, go easy on those ceiling lights.
5. Don’t neglect specific lighting to meet specific needs.
Undercabinet strips, for instance, in the kitchen, or “hockey pucks” to cast a glow in bookshelves or bar cabinets, wall washers to highlight artwork and a dramatic chandelier in the master bath. Inject your own personality into your home’s lighting plan
6. Don’t say no to dimmers.
Need we say more?
7. Don’t naysay the opportunity to embrace new technology.
You may not think you’re ready for all the smart-home features that are available, but you might change your mind! Wiring for future options is a smart move while your new home is under construction.
8. Don’t ever apologize for wanting to customize your lighting plan.
Take a virtual walk through your floor plan — more than once — and consider how you will live in and move through each room. It will help you locate switches in the proper places and aid you in determining if and where you might need floor plugs, wall receptacles, wall sconces, chandeliers and uplights. Always be sure you can switch on your front entry light and a backyard security light from more than one location in your home.
9. Don’t deny your special needs.
If you have young children or seniors in your household, you might want to lower the wall switches, raise the height of plugs, and provide wiring for a future stairlift to the second floor.
Finally, always think about smart home technology, energy efficiency and eco-friendly advances in electricity and lighting design. It’s the future, and it all should be a part of your new home planning process.
Are you ready to tackle that new home lighting design? Let’s get to work!