Installing Architectural Lighting Can Increase Your Home’s Value

 

When selling a house, almost 90% of real estate agents will tell homeowners to invest in better landscaping before putting the house on the market. This is good advice, as superior landscaping can boost a house’s resale value 14% on average. An important distinction in this undertaking is that “landscaping” encompasses more than just grass and walkways. It also includes architectural lighting.

What Do I Need to Know About Architectural Lighting Before Installation?

The lighting is usually an after thought in interior design. Architectural lighting makes use of both natural and electric sources of light to enhance the appearance of a space. In theory, this is simple. It can be tricky in application. The key is to know what you want the end result to be before starting.

Could New Lighting Lead to Energy Savings?

For commercial buildings, lighting takes up nearly 18% of energy costs, and only 11% in residential lighting in buildings. With today’s advancements is energy saving appliances of all types, the wrong lighting can add up to extra expenses over time. It doesn’t hurt that efficiency marries well with style in today’s architectural lighting designs.

Florescent lighting has never been flattering or visually appealing. It works well in areas that require starkly bright illumination, such as hospitals. The light emitting diode, or better known as, LED lights are a little better. They at least lack the perpetual humming noise associated with florescent lights. LED lights are known for being powerful because the bulbs can emit up to 85% more light while using only 15% as much energy as a standard halogen light bulb.

LED lights come in three colors: blue, white, and warm yellow-ish light. The colors actually correspond to the kilo wattage of the bulbs. For blue lights, look for 4200-6500K; 3000-4100K for white; and 2700-2900K for a warm yellow type of light. Blue lights may be best suited for exterior lighting, while the softer light in the lower kilo wattage range may be preferably for interiors.

Style Considerations For Interior Lighting Design.

Interior lighting can do more than provide enough light to see by. There is a was to use lighting to increase the attractiveness and welcoming atmosphere of any room. The key to designing that maximizes lighting techniques is to know what needs to be illuminated. For example, any room is likely to need light in areas that require concentration. For a bathroom, this would be the mirror for checking grooming practices. For a bedroom, it might be the side of the bed for reading.

Knowing what areas to illuminate allows a designer to do the opposite for areas that are transitional. A hallway rarely is a place where focused work is completed, so perhaps that is an area in the house that has little to no lighting.

This rule does not apply to special items that you want to show off, such as paintings or collectibles. Using a spotlight effect can be an elegant way to showcase precious items. Doing this will add an extra level to your home’s interior decoration, as it plays with contrasts. Contrasting features in a home add interest.

Good lighting doesn’t need to simply mean “bright.” That requirement is good and needed for hospitals and supermarkets. It is not conducive to creating a calm and relaxing home environment. Good interior lighting makes the most of a space. It does this by singling out the areas we want to to see clearly, and ignoring the rest.