If you are wondering how to choose light fixtures and bulbs that will flatter every room in your home, you’ve come to the right place. Our lighting buying guide will explore how to choose the right lighting for your home, whether that’s choosing lighting for your bedroom, dining room or living room, and the best light bulbs for your needs.
Your lighting choices can transform any living space into a brightly lit, well illuminated, and inviting space if you pick carefully. Once you’ve used this guide to assess your needs, browse our lighting collection to find the perfect options to create the ambience you desire.
Lighting effects
The first step to choosing lighting for your home is to understand the different types of lighting effects, and where they are most appropriate. The primary lighting effects that you should know about are:
- Ambient. Ambient lighting is soft, natural, and inviting. You will find this lighting effect in living rooms, dining rooms, communal spaces, and especially in bedrooms as it creates a welcoming and cosy ambience.
- Accent. Accent lighting highlights certain features or areas of your home, including art installations and sculptures, statement furniture pieces, or any rooms that you truly wish to showcase.
- Task. Task lighting is designed to provide bright illumination for a range of purposes, including desk work, studying, creative endeavours, and DIY. Most task lighting options can be moved around to provide light wherever you need it the most.
Types of lighting
Lighting fixtures also come in a wide range of different forms and styles. Here at Fishpools, we offer all of the following lighting options in various styles and finishes:
- Ceiling lights. These lights provide bright, even lighting across entire rooms and spaces. They need to be in proportion with your ceiling height. If you have a lower ceiling, your lights should be flush or semi-flush with the ceiling. If you have a higher ceiling, chandeliers or pendants are a great choice. When it comes to choosing ceiling lights, our online collection at Fishpools has all the variety you need to align your choices with your home décor.
- Table lamps. Table lamps are compact, portable, and offer bright task-based lighting for desks and workspaces, or can give ambient relaxing light in bedrooms or living rooms. They can easily be moved around to provide lighting in the areas in which it is most needed and can be plugged into a wall socket.
- Floor lamps. Floor lamps can make quite a statement in living rooms, bedrooms, or dining rooms. These tall lighting fixtures provide ambient and accent lighting and can also be easily relocated wherever extra light is needed.
- Wall lights. These lights are installed onto interior or exterior walls, making them ideal for providing extra light for safety reasons or to enhance the ambience.
- Lighting fans. Lighting fans pair bright illumination with the functionality of a fan for a cool breeze. Ideal for living rooms and bedrooms, lighting fans are installed onto the ceiling of a room, providing many benefits without taking up any space. Some lighting fans also allow you to control the brightness of the light and the fan speed, either via a remote or an app.
- Outdoor lighting. If you’re looking for outdoor lighting, Fishpools offers a variety of robust outdoor lighting options that are weatherproof, hard-wearing, and simple to install. Outdoor lights provide illumination for decks, patios, and driveways, enabling tranquil summer evening gatherings, fuss-free outdoor dining and an added element of safety and security.
Lighting ideas by room
Each room in your home will have unique lighting requirements, and your personal needs and preferences will also play a major role in your decisions.
Here are some lighting ideas by room to inspire you!
Living room
Living rooms can accommodate a range of different lighting options, including ceiling lights, lighting fans, floor lamps, and wall lights. Use floor lamps to illuminate statement pieces in your living room, and wall lights for a relaxing low light level.
Kitchen
Proper visibility is essential for kitchen work, so we recommend installing bright ceiling and wall lights throughout your kitchen when choosing kitchen lighting. A lighting fan above your counters will also help to keep your kitchen from becoming too stuffy or steamy, especially in the summer months.
Dining room
Dining rooms love ambient lighting options like elegant floor lamps, ceiling lights, and chandeliers. Consider adding a few wall lights around your dining table as well to provide extra light for family activities, game nights, crafting and more.
Bedroom
Your bedroom lighting needs will depend on your personal preferences. You might prefer the gentle light of a lighting fan or ceiling light above your bed, as well as a table lamp at your desk or dressing table for optional extra illumination. A pair of sophisticated table lamps also look fantastic on side tables at either side of your bed and can promote easy reading and relaxation before bedtime. Or, you can opt for wall lights with adjustable heads above your bed for added illumination.
Bathroom
Bathroom lighting should be bright, yet ambient and flattering. When choosing bathroom lighting, we recommend opting for ceiling and wall lights that can be adjusted whenever you need extra light on the subject. All light fittings in your bathroom must be splash proof and rated at least IP 44.
Home office
Home offices require task lighting that is bright enough for detailed work, without being overwhelming or harsh. Start with a ceiling or wall lamp in your home office and add a flexible table lamp to your desk for up-close work. A lighting fan may help to keep you cool while you work from home during the warmer months.
Hallway and staircase
Hallways and staircases offer limited floor space, but they need to be well lit. This makes them the ideal places for wall and ceiling lights. Wall lights provide consistent illumination without hindering anyone’s passage, and ceiling lights can look great as a feature in these spaces.
Garden and outdoor
When it comes to choosing outdoor lighting, it’s essential to remember that outdoor lights are designed with exterior use in mind. Fishpools’ garden and outdoor lights are made to withstand the elements without becoming worn or damaged.
There are so many options available for outdoor lighting, from ceiling and wall lamps to motion sensor wall lamps, and spotlights. Start by installing a few bright outdoor wall lamps around your patio, and if you need extra illumination, you can always opt for some post lights in your garden as well.
Which light shade is best for me?
Light shades can elevate the look of any table or floor lamp and help to match your lighting fixtures to your interior décor. In most cases, if you are looking for optimal, bright lighting, you should choose lamp shades made of thin materials in wider shapes and soft, light colours.
Darker shades may be better suited to areas that require ambient lighting, such as bedrooms and living rooms. Bear in mind that shade styles with wider openings at the top and bottom will cast more light than those with narrower openings.
What light bulbs should I choose?
The colour of a light bulb is measured by its temperature. Warm light bulbs offer a colour temperature of around 3000K, while cool white lights have a colour temperature that ranges from 5000K to 6000K.
Warm white and natural white light bulbs offer the most natural lighting that can be described as being similar to natural sunlight. Cool white bulbs tend to offer brighter light with a cooler blue hue to it, which is often ideal for workspaces and bathrooms but can also be perceived as harsh by some.
There is also a variety of different light bulb types available today, including incandescent, halogen, and LED bulbs. LED bulbs are the most cost-effective of these options and can be used both indoors and outdoors and are available in a dimmable version. They are widely used for table lamps and decorative lighting.
Nowadays, most homes use LED light bulbs in virtually all lighting fixtures. They last up to 20 times longer than incandescent or fluorescent light bulbs and save between 80 and 90% energy.
Fishpools offers a wide range of LED light bulbs in a variety of shapes to provide you with the perfect lighting solutions for your home! Visit our store today to see our extensive variety and designs of lightings collection.