Lighting Solutions for Every Room: A Tailored Approach

Posted by admin on May 20, 2025

0 Comments

Lighting Solutions for Every Room: A Tailored Approach

Lighting is not a one-size-fits-all solution for every space of your new home. Before you get any bright ideas, it’s important to consider what lighting works best in each room.

“First, you want to ask yourself, ‘What is the purpose of this room?’” says a designer for Chicago-area homebuilder Sublime Homes. “You’ll also want to determine how big the room will be and if the lighting will be for utility or for more decorative purposes.”

The wrong kind of lighting can create an unpleasant environment, or worse. “Lighting is so critical,” says an interior designer. “It really is a big deal.”

Color Temperature and What That Means

Cool Light

This light has blue tones to it and is stimulating. Best for kitchens, bathrooms, work spaces, and the outdoors.

Warm Light

This light has red tones to it and gives off a soothing, relaxing feel. Best for bedrooms, bathrooms, and gathering spaces, such as a family or living room.

Bright Light

This light gives off white light, like daylight at noon. Also comes in soft white (soft yellowish light), cool white (soft white light), and daylight (bluish white light). Best for bathrooms, kitchens, basements, or for task or accent lighting.

(Quick note: The higher the Kelvin temperature, the cooler [blue] the light will be. The lower the Kelvin temperature, the warmer [yellow] the light will be. Bright [or white] light is in the middle range of the Kelvin scale, around 4,000 Kelvin to 6,000 Kelvin.)

What Lighting Works Best in Each Room

Kitchen

In an open floor plan, lighting can be tricky. “You’ll want task lighting for chopping and cooking, and you’ll probably have warm lighting from the pendants, but you want to make sure the color of the lighting in the kitchen is complimentary,” says an interior designer. “To handle lighting in the kitchen, we do layered lighting. Make sure you match the lighting colors.” For pendant lights over a kitchen island, for example, use cool white light to match task lighting.

Owner’s Suite & Other Bedrooms

Because the bedroom is utilized at different times of the day, consider layering the lighting in this space. “Natural light is the best way to start your day,” so simply open curtains or shades in the morning. For the evening, use warm lights to help unwind and prepare for sleep.

Bathrooms

“In rooms like the bathroom, where someone is applying makeup, we make sure they have amazing lighting,” says a designer. Cool or bright lighting mimics outdoor light, providing an accurate view for grooming. However, a layered approach is also suggested here: warm lighting can create a relaxing ambiance for baths.

Home Theater

Warm accent lighting or wall sconces will provide just enough glow to prevent glare on the screen while allowing navigation during movie nights.

Study & Outdoor Spaces

Cool light is ideal for studies or offices to boost focus, while warm lamps can create a calming pre-bedtime environment. Outdoors, bright white light mimics daylight for security and visibility.