Blog Post

Good lighting is essential in your home.  It creates a warm, inviting and functional atmosphere.  And, natural light fills us with energy.  

NATURAL LIGHTING

First let’s talk about natural lighting, also known as daylighting.  When you walk into a Cornerstone home you will notice all the extraordinary windows bringing in that beautiful Virginia sunshine!   We thoughtfully design our homes to bring the most natural light into your home as possible.  After all, that sunshine makes us all happier. 

To utilize all that natural light, hang a mirror opposite a window so that the natural glow is automatically amplified all day long. Mirrors will make your rooms feel larger as well.

When the sunshine goes down, it’s up to you to create the mood and functionality that you want for your home with lighting.  

INTERIOR LIGHT

Here are a few interior design lighting tips to benefit every room in your home. By planning a suitable lighting arrangement for your space, it will be more functional while also creating just the right ambiance. Lighting plays a big part in the usefulness and mood of a room.  Consider using all types of lighting elements to impact your space.   

• Ceiling-mounted fixtures - chandeliers, recessed can lights, and pendant lights
• Wall mounted – decorative wall sconces 
• Portable - table lamps, torchieres, and floor lamps
• Safety lighting – night lights in kitchen and bathrooms.  

LEVELS OF LIGHT

An interior design tip for a space that really shines is to make sure that you use all three of the following levels of light in every room of your home:

• Accent lighting – These lights mostly add a dramatic touch, such as up lighting or spot lighting that highlight art pieces or natural leafy plants.
• General ambient lighting - A room's main light comes from recessed lights, chandeliers, or other ceiling fixtures.  Use dimmer switches to create a more intimate feel with overhead lighting sources. (Dimmer switches are a very inexpensive way to create a different feel for every space in your home).
• Task lighting- this lighting is targeted for reading or working and includes table lamps, under cabinet lights for the kitchen and pendant or recessed lighting over the kitchen island.

A general rule of thumb is to use a triangle pattern when lighting a space. In a living room, lamps can be placed on a console table behind a sofa and on an end table near a loveseat, while a floor lamp is placed by a reading chair.

Recessed can lights are a great solution for almost every room. These fixtures are low-profile and become integrated into the ceiling for a clean look. Another benefit is their flexibility to be used with dimmer switches and as general or accent lighting.

Kitchens and utility areas call for bright general lighting along with task lighting for countertops and prep areas. Living rooms, dens, and family rooms require lamps for reading as well as low level lighting for glare-free television viewing. Bathrooms are best lit with fixtures mounted above the mirror so that shadows are minimized.

Every room in a home has a mixture of lighting needs.  Lighting is an essential ingredient when decorating a room.  The light itself is a thing of beauty that meets the eye when walking into a room.  So have fun picking out your lighting!  Using these tips you can create the right lighting for you and hopefully lift your spirits and make your home functional and comfortable.  

Stop by any Cornerstone Home Design Center and check out the array of lighting packages we offer for your new home!