DIY Hacks to Improve Your Home Lighting

You can have a beautifully designed home, but without good lighting, how will every last detail be highlighted? Good lighting can do wonders for any space in your home. From making the area feel larger to highlighting certain aspects of your home—good lighting is a must.

Some people stop short of adding more lighting to their homes because they believe it’ll come at the cost of hiring an electrician. However, there are several ways you can illuminate your home without calling for professional help. This blog will explain all the DIY hacks you can use to improve your home lighting.

Why Is Lighting Placement So Important?

Lighting is a crucial aspect of designing an appealing space. Insufficient or poorly placed lighting can make any room seem smaller or cramped. But distributing light effectively can create a more immersive and inviting space. How does well-placed lighting do this? Your light source(s) can eliminate shadows or harsh lighting, making the room seem bigger.

Good lighting doesn’t just make spaces more appealing, it can help you stay productive. Working from home has become more common, creating a greater need for staying focused and productive from your home office. Well-placed lighting can have a mood-elevating effect that makes it easier to work. It’s more enjoyable and efficient to work in a well-lit environment compared to a dim or dark setting.

Light Up Your Home: Easy Tips To Brighten Your Living Space

Create a Focal Point

Like a work of art, each room should have a focal point where your eyes will be drawn. Locate this focal point and add one or more interesting light fixtures to add extra appeal. This works best in large living spaces since it can help differentiate rooms. As you’re setting up a focal point, be sure to add simple lighting fixtures that won’t take away from the main source of light.

Use Speciality Light Bulbs

Tired of standard light bulbs not bringing anything new to your home? Swap them out for a specialty light bulb. Improving your home’s lighting and aesthetics can be as simple as screwing in a new bulb. The mood or look you want will help you determine what kind of specialty bulb will work best. Some people prefer warm white to cool white, while others prefer bulbs for specific things like red light therapy.

Upgrade Your Ceiling Lights

It may be a little harder to get to, but upgrading your ceiling lights can amplify your space. If you have a ceiling fan, you can add a light kit to it. You could also add a swag with a hanging light—just be sure to adjust the length and connect it to a ceiling mount. Do this by holding the cord in place as you screw it in. Then add your light bulb and see how much better the room looks.

Set the Mood With Candlelight

Not all your sources of light need to be electrical. You may only break out the candles in case of a power failure, but they can be used for so much more. Candles are a timeless way to light a room and create a peaceful and relaxing environment. Carefully place them away from any flammable objects and never leave them lit if you’re not in the same room.

Use Light Dimmers for Your Ambient Lighting

Have you ever wished your overhead lights were a little dimmer? How about a little brighter? Better yet, wouldn’t it be great to have better control over your lighting experience? You can do just that with a dimmer. A dimmer can help you customize your lighting to fit whatever your needs are at the moment. Make the room brighter when you need to be productive or dim them when you want to relax. Get a dimmer for your ambient light and have the best of both worlds.

Add Mirrors On the Wall That’s Opposite Your Windows

Did you know mirrors can play a big role in lighting? That’s right—they’re for more than just checking your look. Mirrors can significantly improve natural lighting in your home by reflecting incoming light from your windows. A well-placed mirror can make all the difference in a room. They can help illuminate your rooms during the day, eliminating the need for additional lighting fixtures.

Add String Lights to Your Patio

Want to make the most of your patio space? String up some lights to create a more warm and inviting space for gathering. First, you’ll need to pick a location(s) for your sting lights. This could be along a fence, porch, rail, or a tree—but you should choose an area where people would likely gather. When hanging the lights, do so in a delicate, swooping pattern. Sometimes the weight of the bulbs can cause the string to sag too low for your liking. To fix it, add a piece of wire to help stabilize the weight of the cord between bulbs.

Consider Scale When Selecting Light Fixtures

Make your home seem like it was designed by a professional without needing to pay for one—consider scale. Selecting the right-sized lighting fixture(s) for a space can make all the difference. If you have a large, open floor plan, you should choose one large light fixture over several small ones. Large fixtures can both meet the lighting needs of open spaces and help maintain the focal point of your room. So if you’ve been looking for an excuse to add a chandelier to your high ceilings, this is it. Likewise, use smaller fixtures for intimate rooms and spaces like offices or bedrooms.

Some DIY Hacks for Better Home Lighting

1. Use Pendant Lights in Place of Chandeliers
   Chandeliers are marvelous, but usually too much for your average DIY project. If you want to achieve the same high-class feeling without the same high prices, use pendant lights. All you have to do is mount a pendant to your ceiling, wrap the cord, and let the bulbs hang. Before you know it you’ll have beautiful lighting at a fraction of the cost (and stress).
2. Use Plastic Jugs To Cut Down on Harsh Light
   Looking for a fun and creative way to add a touch of charm to your lighting? Look no further than your fridge or recycling bin. With just a plastic milk or water jug, you can create a unique and stylish lampshade in no time. It’s easy – simply cut off the top of the jug, let it dry, and place it over a lightbulb to enjoy a soft, warm glow. And if you’re into photography, this DIY hack doubles as a handy flash diffuser for your next photoshoot. So why not give it a try and see how it can elevate your space?
3. Use Laser Lights for Picture-perfect Effects
   Bring the light show home by adding laser lights to your rooms. Whether you want a starry night, a green aura with a blue background, or anything in between, laser lights give you loads of possibilities. Laser lights use lasers to illuminate spaces and create visually appealing effects. These can help amplify a house party and some can even work in tandem with your music.

Enlighten Yourself to the Wonders of Being an Electrician

Make room for lighting on your list of ways to improve your home. It doesn’t take professional training as an electrician to bring out the best features of your home. You can accomplish so many lighting improvements in your home with little to no hassle.

But if you want to get even more hands-on experience working with electricity and lighting, you should consider a career as an electrician. In our 15-month Electrician Training program, you could learn the practices and applications found in residential, commercial, and industrial electricity. This program can help you tackle more advanced lighting challenges, allowing you to further customize your home’s lighting. Graduating will also put qualify you for positions as an electrician, electrician’s helper, electrical technician, and more. Learn more about our program in Erie, PA.