Electrical and Lighting Considerations When Designing a Room

There are a lot of details to keep in mind when designing a home. Even smaller blocks of space like individual rooms can be tricky at times. Certainly, you want your home to feel open and spacious, and you want to make the most of the space that you have. When it comes to making the most of your space, lighting can play a big part in getting it right. Here are some lighting tips for you to consider when designing a room.

Maximize Natural Lighting

When possible, have your room lit by natural light. A well-placed window can make a room seem both larger and more inviting.

Consider the Room’s Purpose

Lighting needs are different in different rooms of your home. When planning electrical outlet or lighting placement, consider your room’s purpose. As is often the case in a kitchen, will you be using multiple appliances at the same time so that you’d benefit from having extra outlets built in? Could you use a work light installed under a cabinet over the sink to brighten up that area when you’re washing your hands or doing dishes? Considering your room’s purpose can help you avoid overlooking that one feature that you’d miss the most if not installed.

Place Light Switches Near Doorways

Placing light switches near doorways ensures that you will have large unblocked sections of wall space to hang paintings, photos or posters without blocking a light switch. Care should also be taken when planning electrical outlet placement. Outlets placed a couple of feet up from the floor can often be more useful than those that are placed along the floorboards.

Dimmers Work Wonders

In a room such as a living room that has multiple functions, you may want to consider installing lights with built in dimmers. That would make the lighting more versatile. As a bonus, you could save on energy costs by dimming the lights when you don’t need them to be as bright.

Don’t Forget to Light Your Closets

An often neglected area when it comes to planning lighting, closets can benefit from having good lighting too. As any person who’s grabbed the wrong shade of pants out of their closet on accident can tell you, good lighting can make even the simple tasks of getting dressed in the morning or putting items away in the evening easier and more efficient. A little planning ahead of time can save you a lot of frustration later.

If these ideas and suggestions only further complicate things for you, consider contacting your local electrician to discuss the details. It is always a good idea to hire someone with knowledge and experience to help things run smoother and to avoid making any common lighting or electrical mistakes. A knowledgeable professional will be able to ask you the questions that need asked to get you the results you desire in all your rooms. Start planning your room today. The sooner you start, the sooner you can enjoy the comfort of a well-designed room.