May 27, 2009 6:09 pm US/Eastern
Redecorate With A Flip Of The Switch
BOSTON (WBZ) ―
-
-
Decorative Lighting: This is either a light with decorative glass which doesn't give off a great deal of light, or is a table lamp that is attractive to look at.
WBZ
If you are looking to freshen up the look of your house, it doesn't have to be expensive or complicated. You can do a lot, just with the flip of a switch.
Lighting can make a big difference in the appearance of your home. Lucy Dearborn of Lucia Lighting & Design of Lynn says, "It's really just a way to accent all of your other beautiful things, and really just create an artful look."
Dearborn, who was awarded a Best of Boston award, explained the four types of lighting home decorators think about when they do a project.
- Ambient Lighting: This is the sort of general lighting in a room which would most likely come from an overhead fixture, or a table or floor lamp.
- Task Lighting: This is usually spot lighting, or overhead lighting, that is often found in the kitchen under a cabinet. It could even be as simple as a halogen desk lamp.
- Accent Lighting: This is a small light positioned to highlight a mirror, a work of art, or some other kind of display.
- Decorative Lighting: This is either a light with decorative glass which doesn't give off a great deal of light, or is a table lamp that is attractive to look at.
When you consider these four approaches, Dearborn says you probably have more redecorating options than you might have considered. "One might be a simple thing like changing your pendants, or adding pendants over an island or peninsula."
Dearborn added, "If you have recessed lights and you are using incandescent bulbs, you may want to upgrade to a halogen bulb which will you give little more pop."
Another option is to add dimmer switches. Consider that if you reduce the amount of wattage by just 10 percent, you can double the life of the bulbs. Dearborn says there's another benefit as well: mood. "If you don't need a lot of light at the end of the day, dimming the light can put you in a more serene state."
Adding new fixtures like track lighting or sconces can be a little more costly, but Dearborn says there are cheaper ways to get a new look. "If you have a table lamp and floor lamps that you like, sometimes something as simple as a new lampshade can be a really easy fix."
While it's OK to change your own lampshades, be careful about more ambitious undertakings. Dearborn recommends hiring a licensed electrician for those types of projects. "Especially in New England, where so many of the houses are not your newer homes."
Another thing to keep in mind is the environment. Dearborn says that there are a lot of choices with compact fluorescents and LED's these days.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
Click to enlarge
Stumble It!
Reporting
Comments