Are you sitting the bathtub, trying to relax with that bright white fluorescent light? Not very calming, is it? I’ve often just turned the light off and left the door ajar with the hallway light diffusing into the bathroom so that I can enjoy a little ambience while I bathe! Of course, you’ll need the right lighting to do whatever it is that you like to do at home and will be a mixture of task lighting (hence bright lights in kitchens and bathrooms) and mood lighting. You need light so you can see important stuff – like your fingers when you’re chopping vegetables, and your face when you’re applying makeup – but also softer, indirect lighting to help you relax in the bath, to chill out while you’re watching TV or to create a romantic atmosphere when having dinner with your partner and there are plenty of ways of achieving this on a budget:
Candles
Candles are great at creating mood lighting – they emit a warm glow and, depending on the candle, a nice scent too. If you plan on using candles regularly, then there are a few things that you should know. If you live in rented accommodation, check that it’s acceptable with your landlord, as some prohibit it in their rental agreement. You should never leave candles unattended; with fire, no matter how small, there is always the potential for catastrophe. If you can, opt for a soy candle. There are lots of reasons why soy candles are better than regular beeswax – it burns for longer, it is sustainable, better for your walls, and your health.
A combination of lamps & candles create a warm & cosy atmosphere
Lamps
Lamps are excellent for mood lighting because they are easily changeable. There are lamps available that have different settings of brightness; you can change the bulbs themselves as well as the opacity of the lamp shades, thereby creating mood lighting literally with a click of a switch.
Task lamps will need more definite positions, like you’ll need a desk lamp where you work, for instance. However, mood lighting lamps don’t need a specific place, as it all adds to the feeling of the room. Sconces also work really well, with the potential to simply create a bit of a darker atmosphere, as well as to highlight artwork, mirrors or the TV.
Not just for Christmas: hang pretty fairy lights all year round
Fairy/String Lights
String lights create a girly, magical atmosphere for any room, and there is so much you can do with them. From wrapping them around a branch and fixing them to a wall, or popping them in a jar to using them with voile around your bed to create an enchanting look, they are so versatile. And that’s not even the ones that are decorated as flowers or with paper lanterns. You can get string lights from almost anywhere, like BrightLightz, so whatever your décor, you’ll find something to match somewhere!
Let me know if you have a go at introducing some ambient lighting into your home décor and tweet me @Cassiefairy with your ideas
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Categories: Home Design, Kitsch Kitchen | Tags: ambience, candles, decor, fairy lights, home design, interiors, lamp, Lighting, mood lighting, task lighting | Permalink.
Author: Cassie Fairy
Cassiefairy blogs about everything she does & anything that inspires her; popular culture, film, art, fashion, recipes, craft and design.