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How To Up Your 

Lighting Game


Lighting is an integral part of interior design and the key to making a room feel homely and cosy.  Read on for how with a few clever lighting choices, you can get a year-round feel good factor in your home,

Lighting is an integral part of interior design and the key to making a room feel homely and cosy.  

Read on for how with a few clever lighting ideas, you can get a year-round feel good factor in your home,

Lighting has magical powers, highlighting, adding depth and intrigue, drawing the eye, making a space look bigger, cosier you name it.

The 3 Types of Layered Lighting  


Lighting can add depth, highlight and draw the eye but what are the 3 types of lighting, a question Abi is often asked. 

In the biz, there are three types of lighting: ambient, task and accent.  You need to mix a range of these types of lighting to stop your space from feeling flat and gloomy. 

Use ambient lighting to create soft lighting that illuminates large spaces. Task is great to brighten a space and is focused in one position.  Use accent to create little glowing pockets of light for atmospheric, cosy, intimate spaces

1. Ambient Lighting

These are your overhead lights, recessed, pendant or chandeliers. Don't make them the only lights in the room and ideally you need to have them on dimmers, so you can change the vibe of a room by lowering the light levels. This will prevent your house feeling all lit up like an airport lounge!


2. Task Lighting


These are the practical lights you need in the room, so desk lamps, reading lights, under cabinet lighting for preparing food in the kitchen, mirror lights in the bathroom, motion sensor lights in cupboards and drawers etc. Task lights are practical and functional, but they also make a room feel more beautiful and harmonious because you get little pools of light dotted around the room.


3. Accent Lighting

These are the lamps that you can load up on everywhere in the room, and Abi's favourite design trick. Plop lamps everywhere and anywhere,  on side tables, consoles, on central islands and on the floor.  These little glowing pockets of light create atmospheric, cosy, intimate spaces.  As you enter a beautifully lit room you immediately get that feeling of squishy contentment. Use them to highlight architectural features, add a soft to glow alcoves or along stairtreads. Hidden backlights tucked behind headboards and above kitchen cabinets give an unexpected extra layer of glow.  Or the lighting can be a feature in it’s own right, like a stylish floor lamp or a cool neon wall sign.

These are the lamps that you can load up on everywhere in the room, and Abi's favourite design trick. Plop lamps everywhere and anywhere,  on side tables, consoles, on central islands and on the floor.  These little glowing pockets of light create atmospheric, cosy, intimate spaces.  

As you enter a beautifully lit room you immediately get that feeling of squishy contentment. Use them to highlight architectural features, add a soft to glow alcoves or along stairtreads. Hidden backlights tucked behind headboards and above kitchen cabinets give an unexpected extra layer of glow.  Or the lighting can be a feature in it’s own right, like a stylish floor lamp or a cool neon wall sign.


Take a walk around your home and think about how the room makes you feel. You should feel different in your kitchen to your bedroom. In the kitchen you will have more task lighting, where as your bedroom will have accent lighting to give a relaxed atmosphere to the space. 


Discover Pendant Lights and Chandeliers

Discover Pendant Lights and Chandeliers 


Drongo Pendant

Todi Chandelier

Ballroom Chandelier

Mera Pendant

Take your lighting to the next level with our covetable collection of pendants and chandeliers.

Discover Lamps

Create cosy pockets of glow.

Lighting is the second most transformative thing you can do to a space – colour is the first.

Abigail’s Top 6 Home Lighting Tips

One.

Use lighting as a spotlight 

on what you love

Chandeliers and pendants should never be the only light source in a room, you’ll need oodles of lamps and sidelights to help them out.  Enliven cosy corners or showcase your favourite piece of art and decorative sculpture. Create intriguing shadows and you'll be amazed how the right lighting design can transform the feel of any room. 

Two.

Pair with mirrors


Use mirrors to make a space feel larger by reflecting surfaces and light and maximising your natural light. The bigger the better! Remember you can also play with scale so don't always go for a small or tall mirror, go big and bold to mix things up!

Three.

Opt for low wattage



With so many light sources in a room it’s super important to have bulbs that are relatively low in wattage as they create a far more beautiful atmosphere. And I know I’m telling you to go overboard with the lighting but please please don’t eradicate all shadows completely. It’s the contrast between the light and shadow that makes all the magic happen. 

Four.

Use dimmer switches 

to mix up the ambience 

Dimmer switches are an absolute must

They allow you to choose the amount of light you want in a room. Whether you wan't use a soft light for an intimate dinner party with friends or crank up the light to when you need to make everything brighter.

Five.

Limit recessed down lights



If you’re wondering why your room doesn’t feel right, a common mistake is too many recessed down lights (One of Abi's pet peeves). They tend to be a little harsh and soulless which is why they rank a big fat zero Abi's design-ometer.  One solution is to ensure you have a dimmer switch installed (see point 4). 

Six.

Aim for 8 light sources 

per room(at least) 

One of Abi's absolute golden rules is to have at least 8 light sources per room. Sounds a lot I know! Look around your room, count up the lights and lamps and award yourself half a point for each one.  Lighting is an integral part to making a room feel homely and cosy so don't hold back.


More lighting inspiration 

Home for the Holidays

Tune into your Christmas senses and embrace the cocooning comfort of home, family, friends, sharing and connection. 

Pinterest

Inspiration Board - Lustworthy Lighting

Why not take a peek at our Pinterest boards for all the inspiration you need to create a magical home that you'll never wan't to leave. Discover our curated collection of trend-defying homeware and delve into luxurious lifestyle inspiration.

Pinterest

Inspiration Board 

Lustworthy Lighting

Why not take a peek at our Pinterest boards for all the inspiration you need to create a magical home that you'll never wan't to leave. Discover our curated collection of trend-defying homeware and delve into luxurious lifestyle inspiration.