Lighting a home sounds like a straightforward thing – incorporate a few lights in different corners of the room, a few floor lamps, a hanging light, and maybe throw in an accent light and you’re all done. Unfortunately, lighting a living space is incredibly tedious and there’s a lot of thought that goes behind every properly lit room.
From the different types of lighting elements to their uses and cost-effectiveness, at Light Vault we understand that you want to have the best lighting elements in your home within your budget.
We’ve combined the two factors together to give you a comprehensive guide on how to light a living space when you’re working with a budget!
5 Budget-Friendly Lighting Ideas for Your Home
Mirrors, Mirrors, and More Mirrors!
Product in Image: Beverlye Long Pole Pendant Lamp
Reflective surfaces such as mirrors are commonly used as design elements in any living space. For example, they’re used as wall-hangings, fixtures, or even incorporated as stand-alone décor pieces.
Mirrors complement lighting – their reflective surface bounces off light from one surface to another. Not only does this accentuate illumination, but it also gives the room the illusion of being larger than it is.
If you’re not willing to splurge on different lighting elements, and are fine with one or two pendant lights, then mirrors are the way to go. The key, however, is to incorporate them as strategically as possible – mirrors placed opposing one another won’t be able to bounce light off one another. The light will just bounce right back to the source.
Mirrors placed angled towards one another can bounce light around the room and contain it within the same space. In fact they can accentuate natural lighting as well as artificial lighting, giving you maximum illumination!
You can’t go wrong with mirrors!
Dimmers
Product in Image: Haralda Sunrise And Sunset Wall Lamp
When working on a budget, it’s important to differentiate your wants from your needs. For example, you might want a new floor lamp, but you need a new pendant light.
However, what if there was a way you could combine ambient lighting with task lighting and mood lighting? While it sounds impossible, there’s a budget-friendly lighting hack that can get you all three in the simplest way possible – dimmers.
Pros of Dimmers
Dimmers are adjustable dials. These little tools are a great way for you to control the intensity of your lighting element. In fact, they’re great when yo combine natural lighting with artificial one because they allow a smooth transition from one to the other.
Another incredible feature of dimmers is that they help ambient lights act as task lights. In fact, they even make functional lights act like ambient lights! This versatility saves you a ton of money!
For example, a floor lamp that’s shining significantly brightly can light more than just a reading corner. Conversely, a pendant light source that is dim enough will only illuminate a table or any other surface it’s put on.
Re-Use Lamp Shades
Product in Image: Jokum Geometric Shape Modern Floor Lamp
Lamp shades come in a variety of different styles, patterns, and aesthetics. Most of them are reusable and you can re-mount them onto different light sources.
For example, you don’t have to switch out the lamps on your nightstand when you’re incorporating a new aesthetic into your home. You could just switch out the old lamp shades for new ones.
Likewise, you don’t have to look too far to find a good study lamp. You could switch out the fabric lamp shade that gives off light in all directions for a more matted lamp shade that directs light onto one surface. The perfect table lamps!
You can even alter lamp shades with DIY hacks – you can easily switch out a boring lamp shade for a funkier one by painting over it. Suffice to say lamp shades can be used in a variety of different ways and serve a great number of purposes. They’re ideal for homeowners on a budget.
Make Smart Light Bulb Choices
Product in Image: LED COB Track Light
There’s a hidden cost when it comes to lighting – the amount of energy your light bulb sucks in. This hidden cost becomes all too apparent when you see a steep incline in your electric bill. It’s important to make the right light bulb choices when you’re trying to stay under a budget.
Types of Light Bulbs
There are several different varieties of light bulbs to choose from, halogen, incandescent, and LED. While halogen and incandescent light bulbs are rare, you can incorporate them in some lighting elements for specific purposes.
For example, ambient lighting might include halogen bulbs owing to their superior illumination, and incandescent lights might be used in accent lights owing to the warm glow that they give off.
LED Lights – The Best Choice
However, LED lights are low-voltage and provide just about the same benefits as halogen and incandescent lights – plus a whole lot more! You’ll notice the difference in the electric bill when you switch out all other light bulbs in your home for LED lights.
Yes, LED lights are not as cheap as some other light bulbs. However, they’re largely regarded as an investment that eventually pays itself off.
Layering Lights
Product in Image: Orestes Contemporary Chic Sleek Wall Lamp
Decorators believe that the best way to make the most out of your lighting elements is to layer them – ambient lights, task lights, and accent lights. When all three lighting elements are combined, they accentuate one another and rise to the occasion.
Ambient light on its own won’t make much of a difference. Sure, there’s a light source that provides illumination, but there’s nothing more to it when it’s a stand-alone element.
Ambient + Accent Lights – A Dream Come True
If you combine ambient lights with task and accent lights, they would have a moment to shine. You might be wondering: That sounds like a lot of elements for someone on a budget but layering different kinds of lights keeps you from making unnecessary purchases to achieve the same goal.
For example, you can use one source of ambient light, one source of task lighting, and one source of accent lighting in the same space instead of several sources of task lights, no ambient lights, and a handful of accent lights. You’ll be spending more money if you don’t layer lights correctly!
Lighting a space isn’t as easy as it sounds, but with Light Vault you’ll get a chance to pick out some of the best lighting stands and fixtures in one online store – this takes away from the hassle of browsing aimlessly through multiple catalogs.
Visit our website for your lighting needs!
