Lighting plays a very important role in our homes and needs to be planned based on the type of activities and furniture of each room. A well-designed and harmonious lighting system makes our lives easier and more comfortable while enhance the look of our homes at the same time. every room in a home follows specific rules and has specific needs, which we’ll cover in this post.

THE ENTRANCE HALL
As the name already indicates, the entrance hall is the first space we and our guests see when we enter our home and lights should be used to create a welcoming and warm atmosphere. Often, entrance halls are relatively small and don’t have any windows. The best way to create a welcoming feeling is to have spotlights to light up the door and the bell and once inside other wall lights that will gently guide us through the living areas.

LIVING AREAS
The living areas need different lights for different functions. For the TV and relaxation area spotlights and floor lights are ideal, as lighting shouldn’t be too intense, not to tire our eyes. Wall lights are instead perfect to enhance pictures or shelves.

In the kitchen we need lighting that is intense and doesn’t create any shadows, so it can follow us in our daily activities. Spotlights are perfect to lighten up the worktop, while a ceiling or pendant light can be used above the table. If the dining room is separate from the kitchen, a ceiling or pendant light above the table will be a perfect way to give the right importance to the room and underline its function.

SLEEPING AREAS
When choosing light fittings for a bedroom we are faced with lots of choices, from ceiling or pendant lights that light up the whole room to table lamps for our bed side tables in different materials, colours and shapes. You can be as daring as you want when choosing the ceiling or pendant light for your bedroom, which will become a design object setting the tone for the whole room.

The light in the children’s bedroom requires more planning, as we need to keep in mind all different activities our children engage in when in their room, from studying and reading to playing and relaxing. Lighting needs to be therefore flexible and positioned in a safe place away from prying hands! For this reason, avoid floor lamps that can get in the way of playing. Ceiling lights are the favorite choice, from simple shades to more colourful and playful designs. Another must is the table lamp for the desk, while for shelved and bookshelves spotlights are perfect.

BATHROOM
The first thing to keep in mind when choosing bathroom lights is the specific rules required to guarantee safety — only light fittings specifically made for bathrooms can be used. In terms of type of light, the best solution is usually a main ceiling light and additional lights by the basin and shower or bath tub. A new trend for bathroom lighting is chrome therapy, which mixes colours and lights to enhance the physical and psychological wellbeing.

OUTDOOR

Outdoor and garden lights have the dual purpose of making our outdoor areas safer by acting as deterrent and of course to make our gardens more beautiful and inviting.

As with the rest of the house, when planning for outdoor light we need to take into consideration where we are going to use the light and for what purpose. For garden paths, for example, we can use floor spotlights or taller lights that guide us along the way. In general a combination of outdoor wall and floor lights can help define the different areas of the garden, from the BBQ and al fresco dining to play and pool areas.

Once we choose what areas we want to light up and where to fix the different light fittings, we can move on to the most fun and creative part: choosing the style and design of the fittings, which should be in line with the style and design of the rest of the furniture. Whether modern or classic, rustic or ethnic, materials, shapes and colours create infinite possibilities that will blend with the interiors of our homes.

For more ideas and inspiration, visit the Lighting section on Luxxdesign.com, featuring stylish light fittings rigorously Made in Italy.