Tag: lighting tips

  • In the mood? How lighting can influence your home’s ambience.

    Whether you’ve got guests coming over for a dinner party or you’ve just finished a stressful day at work and you’ve been looking forward to kicking back on the sofa as soon as you step through the door, the lighting within your home can have a direct effect on the atmosphere it creates. When deciding on the lighting for your home, it may be overwhelming with the amount to choose from.

    Don’t worry, we’ve got a few ideas and put together a how to guide to get you started on creating that perfect atmosphere within your home.

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    A table lamp with warm lighting can both sooth and relax.

    Inviting – Come On In

    When you want to create a welcoming atmosphere within your home, the positioning of your lighting is very important. Although it will produce a more dramatic effect during the winter months when we lose the light earlier in the day, you can make your house look inviting by placing lamps close to the windows to make it look cosy. Something like our Dar Lighting Tripod Floor Lamp placed by a window can create that effect.

    Relaxing – Take A Load Off

    So you’ve had a busy day at work and you just want to kick your feet up and relax, we’ve got the perfect solution. You’ve probably seen these popping up in all the new trendy bars and restaurants. We’re talking about Filament Bulbs – which come in varied styles and are best hung from the ceiling using something like our David Hunt Lighting Ceiling Pendant. With their warm colour and interesting

    filament design, they create a very relaxing atmosphere allowing you to unwind once you’re home. Make sure you install a dimmer so you can adjust the intensity of the light – too much glare and your eyes won’t get a chance to rest.

    Bright Light – When You Need It

    One place where you need the light is the kitchen. Not only do you need the light to prepare food and navigate around the oodles of doors and drawers, the kitchen is often the place of congregation when you have guests over at your home. Using bright and vibrant lighting helps create an atmosphere that encourages people to engage in conversation with each other. LED lights in the kitchen are a good choice because they are very versatile and also produce a vivid light. You can use them in a traditional bulb form or in something like our Firstlight LED Strip Light, which can be placed under kitchen units to illuminate the worktop.

    It’s Summer – Garden Party!

    There comes times when you have to make the outside of your home just as inviting as the inside. In the summer months we usually hold garden parties and BBQ’s, all of which require lighting for when the sun begins to fade on these warm nights. This is a great opportunity to use Solar Lighting as it saves you the job of finding and unwinding those extension cables which can become a hazard if the great British weather suddenly turns. The use of solar lights in the garden creates a great party atmosphere as it means you won’t have to pack up and head indoors as soon as the sun sets.

    Feeling Romantic? Softly Does It

    Maybe you want to treat your partner to a home cooked meal at the dining table? You can use the traditional candle on the table to create a welcoming atmosphere, but you’ll still need extra light fed into the dining room. You want to have enough light so you can see what you’re eating and soft enough to give that romantic feel. As suggested earlier, a dimmer switch is a great way to achieve this effect so you can control the intensity of the light easily. Also, have the lights positioned so the light spreads evenly over the table so one of you isn’t left in the shadows.

  • How To Create a More Relaxing Home

    A home should be somewhere that allows you to relax after a long hard day at work. But with families, children, pets and other distractions of life, sometimes that chill out time you wanted becomes a distant memory. Creating a serene environment for yourself isn’t always easy, but when you are designing your home you should focus on crafting a relaxing space that you and everyone in your family can use to escape the stresses of the outside world.

    If you are thinking of re-decorating or updating your home décor, then why not follow our ideas on how to create a more relaxing home.

    Colours – Subtle Yet Stylish

    When choosing your paint remember to opt for subtle colours such as duck egg blue, pastel greens, lilacs and creams. If you are going for wallpaper, then try not to pick a busy pattern and choose something that doesn’t over power the room. Paler shades are said to affect your psychology and help you feel more calm and relaxed.

    Furniture – Less Is More

    Many people feel the need to fill their room with as much furniture as possible, but if you want to create a more relaxing space, less is more. Only add pieces that are essential such as seating and storage and leave the unnecessary products in the shop. This will allow you to have more unoccupied space within your rooms which will create a more serene living space.

    Bring The Outside In

    There’s nothing more relaxing than nature, so make sure you add a few plants to your home. Opt for all green plants with less vibrant colours such as Bamboo, Cacti and Ivy. Peace Lilies are also great house plants to place in a room to perfect a calming atmosphere.

    Hide The Clutter

    Clutter is something we all have to deal with and is unavoidable is most homes, especially if you have children or pets. Try and make sure you have plenty of storage solutions such as cupboards and boxes so you have somewhere to hide the mess.

    Light Up

    Adding some new lighting to your home will help to create a more relaxed feel. At Castlegate Lights you will find a great selection for you to choose from in a range of calming designs. Below are some of our favourite lighting styles which are ideal for those wanting a more relaxed home.

      1. Astro Lighting Tube 600 Shade In Oyster Fabric Finsh For Use With Pendant And Wall Fittings
      2. Oaks Lighting Soft Grey 8 Inch Hard Lined Pencil Pleat Shade
      3. Dar Lighting Osaka Easy Fit Ceiling Light Pendant in an Antique Chrome Finish
      4. Dar Lighting Fence Easy Fit Ceiling Light Shade with a Wood and Metal Frame
      5. Dar Lighting Bugle Ceiling Light Pendant Shade In Cream Finish

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