Light It Up: Give Your Light Fixtures A Makeover

0
119
light fixture outdoor lighting

 

Image Source

If you’re toying with the idea of giving your home a makeover, why not start off by changing just one thing. Your light fixtures often go mostly unnoticed, but they are an affordable way to add flair and ambience to a room. Updating a light fixture is a good idea if you haven’t changed the fixture since you moved in. It’s an opportunity to improve the overall look of your house. Sometimes the change can be drastic enough that you won’t even feel the urge to redecorate the whole house. Here are a few ideas to inspire your DIY makeover.

Outdoor Lights

You may not pay a lot of attention to exterior lights, but they are the first ones your visitors see, and they are often dirty from exposure to the elements. Of course, whatever you put up now will also be exposed to ultraviolet sunlight, which will cause the fixture to fade in a few months. However, there are three basic types of lighting fixtures; those with painted finishes, those with powder-coated finishes and those made of solid material, such as brass or copper.

You can slow down the effects of the sun by installing a light with a paint finish that is UV resistant.  On the other hand, a solid metal fixture is the most durable option and it will last longer. Although the finish will change, it won’t fade. Instead, it will take on an aesthetically appealing patina, like verdigris in copper and a burnished patina for brass.

Choose the right fixture for your front porch, or garden, and you can set a decorative tone for the exterior of your house.

Chandeliers

You can instantly add a touch of glamour to the dining room or the living room by adding a chandelier to the light fixture. You can find any design to suit your taste and budget, or if you already have a chandelier that feels a bit outdated you can modernize it with a coat of spray paint. Dull brass chandeliers can look clean and brand new when you paint them white. If you have a specific color scheme in the room, paint the chandelier to match. In a few minutes, it will no longer look like an eyesore.

If you’re crafty and you have a weekend to spare, there are many ways you can redecorate an old chandelier to make it look more modern.

light fixture chandelier pic

Image Source

Repainted Lampshades

Sometimes you can be perfectly satisfied with the lamps and light fixtures you have; they give off the perfect light for reading, they don’t cause any glare on the TV, and they give off the perfect ambience for a romantic evening. However, just because you’re happy with their performance, that doesn’t mean there’s something lacking about their overall design.

Your first solution is to shop around for more visually interesting lampshades. But if you can’t find one that best matches the image you have in your head, why not try working with what your already have. Invest in some fabric paint, and get creative with your existing lampshades.

Use primary colors to make some paint splashes on the lampshade in your kids’ bedrooms. Use spray paint to coat the base of the lamp in their favorite color. Use the same techniques to add some unique style and charm to the lamps in guest bedrooms.

Green Lights

It’s all about being green and saving energy nowadays. If you current light fixtures are adding to your electricity bill each month, it’s time to consider switching out your light bulbs for something more energy efficient. The most popular light bulbs available are halogen incandescents, compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs), and light-emitting diodes (LEDs). Although they can initially cost more than traditional bulbs, during their lifetime they save you money, because they use less energy. You can find these in most hardware and home improvement stores.

Typical CFLs can pay for themselves in energy savings in less than nine months, as they use about one-third the energy of a traditional light bulb.

LEDs work well indoors and outdoors because of their durability and performance in cold environments. They come in a variety of colors, and some are dimmable or offer convenient features such as daylight and motion sensors. While LEDs are more expensive, they still save money because they last a long time and have very low energy use.

Dimmer controls

If you’re looking to create a more romantic ambience during dinners with your partner, or you just prefer to have lights that aren’t so bright when you’re getting ready for bed, installing dimmer controls could be the perfect solution. Dimmers can also save you energy if you have the lights on a lower setting throughout the evening. You can even select dimmers that are compatible with energy saving bulbs.

If you’re not 100 percent comfortable with installing dimmer switches yourself, reach out to Electrical Connection and get a professional to help you.

Vanity Lights

Whether you do your makeup in the bathroom or on a vanity dresser in your bedroom, proper lighting is essential to perfecting this art form. Bathroom lighting can be poor, because they often feature a central light mounted on a ceiling. The mirror reflects the light all over the room, casting shadows on your face when you stand in front of it. The best solution is to install light bulbs on both sides of the mirror, essentially creating a very effective vanity mirror. Ideally, you should get rid of the ceiling light altogether, and install three wall sconces; one on either side of the mirror, and one on the opposite wall.

light fixture indoor dressing room

Image Source

Kitchen Lights

A lot of dangerous instruments and deep cleaning goes on in the kitchen, so ambient lighting is essential to keeping it safe and hygienic. Ideally, the light fixtures in the kitchen should be mounted on the ceiling, but it can help to supplement them with under cabinet lighting. Your best options for this are removable LED strips.

light fixture kitchen lighting

Image Source

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here