Many houses are poorly lit. Rooms in older homes tend to be underlit and newer homes have overlit interiors.

Finding the right balance is a challenge. But if you find this accuracy in the dosage of lighting in your home, the space will be all the more pleasant to live in. On the other hand, if you do it wrong, you will have difficulty feeling comfortable in your home.

There are four main ways to light your home:

• Ambient lighting
• Work lighting or functional lighting
• Accent lighting
• Decorative lighting

Each type of lighting produces a completely different effect.

So where to start ? Here are our tips:

You must first decide what use you will have for each room according to its function: relaxation room with reading corner, dark bathroom which requires targeted lighting which highlights certain areas, etc.

You need to choose the best light source option that will allow you to achieve optimal lighting for each space.

To help you in your choices, we have prepared a room-by-room guide with all our advice to optimize the lighting in your home.

But first, let's come back to an essential point:

Why is lighting in your home so important?

Are you like the majority of homeowners who have put all their effort into major work on their home or have prioritized the choice of furniture, omitting an important element: lighting?

You have made significant efforts to beautify your space, but you have neglected lighting, forgetting that it is an essential element of decoration. It is partly what makes your home welcoming or not.

Focus on ambient lighting

General lighting, also called ambient lighting, is the most common form of lighting in a home. It includes wall lamps, pendants, sconces, chandeliers that illuminate the rooms of the house.

General lighting is important in a home because it improves mood, creating a warm, bright ambiance as opposed to dark spaces which are uninviting.

If you have areas of your home where you don't want to spend time, this may be because the lighting is insufficient, while accentuating the cramped side of the space.

If the area is naturally bathed in natural light, this will help create happy, relaxing spaces. However, daylight will not be able to reach every corner of a house, and it is not always available depending on the seasons.

This is why it is fundamental to adjust the general lighting necessary to fill these gaps and improve your comfort of life.

Choose the types of lighting that make your daily life easier

Don't neglect direct lighting. It is the one that allows you to efficiently accomplish your daily tasks.

The advantage of direct lighting sources is that they are aimed at a specific location.

They are also generally two to three times brighter than general lighting. These are your desk lamps, spots that illuminate your hob in the kitchen or the sink in your bathroom.

Direct lighting allows you to read a book while sitting comfortably in your favorite armchair, prepare a good dish in the kitchen or do your makeup in your bathroom.

What lighting for each room in the house?

Each room in your house has a specific use. This is why you don't light a living room the same way as a bathroom. Find out which lighting fixtures are most suitable depending on the type of room.

How to choose your lighting to highlight your entrance?

A corridor or entrance is an ephemeral place of passage that people pass through rather than lingering there. It is therefore the ideal place to show a little courage and dare, in the choice of your lighting which can be ultra decorative.

Especially since it is your entrance that will give visitors their first impression of your house.

So why not create a surprising effect with a decorative pendant light whose function is to illuminate and also assert your personality?

Why not with a bohemian lighting fixture , which gives a strong personality to your entrance?

This type of light not only illuminates the space, it is also a decorative element in its own right, whether it is on or off!

Our advice: the choice of bulbs, LED or not, is very important, because the color of the lighting in your home can completely affect the appearance of your environment. Avoid cold color temperature LED bulbs in hallways, as you and your guests will look pale. Color temperature is measured in degrees Kelvin.

Most good bulb brands display these values ​​on their boxes.

What lighting to beautify your kitchen?

The kitchen is one of the rooms that is often too lit with types of lamps that shine too directly or too brightly.

To successfully light your kitchen, you must illuminate the different work spaces:

• The small island
• your work plan
• The dining table in the dining room or kitchen area

For the island, the work surface and the table where you take your meals, choose lamps such as pendants adapted to the style of your interior or which create a strong contrast. If your interior is contemporary, Scandinavian lighting can add a touch of softness.

Tip: It's not always easy to know how high to place your pendant lights depending on the location. The goal is that they illuminate well with a type of lamp that will neither bother you nor dazzle you.

We advise you to position your pendant lights so that they are above your head when you are sitting and slightly lower than your head when you are standing.

What is the best lighting to highlight a living room and its decor?

The living room is one of the centerpieces of your home, it is the heart of your home. This is where you entertain your friends, relax, work, read, watch TV.

In a multifunctional space like this, to provide good lighting, you will need to increase the number of light sources to meet all practical and decorative needs.

Start by choosing lighting fixtures such as ceiling lights, there are vintage, modern, bohemian or industrial styles, they can be made up of different spots or be hanging.

Combine with accent lighting that can be turned on and off according to your needs and ambient light, such as floor lamps and table lamps for reading, as well as wall lights or downlights to highlight value your furniture, your objects and your paintings.

If you have a dining table in your living room, place a fairly low pendant light there, which shows your taste for decoration. Choose a light fixture that has character, why not in colored glass?

You will kill two birds with one stone by giving character to your living room, while playing on the effect of creating a room within a room.

How to choose the lighting for your bathroom?

A successful interior lighting plan is made up of a series of layers of different types: it involves placing abundant light where it is needed for showers, shaving or applying makeup, while other sources of light improves the overall ambiance of the room.

1. Bathroom lighting to illuminate your sink and mirror

Lighting the dressing table or sink is an essential element. These are the lights that illuminate your head the most when you wash or do your hair.

The most common mistake is placing recessed ceiling lights directly above the mirror. They cast shadows on the face, making daily skincare rituals more difficult.

Sconces mounted on either side of your mirror are best for diffusing even light across your face.

If your mirror is too small, place your lights above your mirror. Like any vanity lighting above your sink, it should be at least 150 watts. It can be decorative, vintage or contemporary in style.

2. Lighting for the shower

The shower is a secondary lighting zone. In small bathrooms, if the cabin door is made of transparent glass, there is no need to install specific fixtures.

Otherwise, we recommend a recessed ceiling lamp with a glass lens (Caution! Plastic turns yellow).

3. Mood bathroom lighting

This light serves as a substitute for natural light. Traditionally, a central ceiling light is placed. But some of the spotlights or a wall-type light fixture can also be suitable for providing good lighting.

But we encourage you to be more creative with your decor! Why not dare with a pendant light or a chandelier?