Clueless to Flawless: How To Light Your Room Correctly (and get that man!)
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Lisbeth Chandelier by Anthropologie
There’s this heartbreaking scene in Clueless where Cher pulls out all the stops to snag this guy, Christian. She has a full makeover, attempts to bake cookies, and agrees to watch his favorite movie only to have him dip out early with a kiss on the cheek. Frustrated about being “friend-zoned” Cher wonders
“Did I stumble into some bad lighting?!”
*sobbing*
If she had only known what I’m about to teach you…
In order to look your hottest and seduce guests with your amazing your home you have to master lighting. There are three types of lighting, Ambient, Accent and Task. Each room in your house will have some combination or all three types depending on the use of the room.
First there’s Ambient Lighting which refers to your main light source(s). Basically its the light the fills the space when you flip the light switch - overhead fixtures, chandeliers and table lamps. Most rooms have either overhead lighting built in or switched outlets which allow you to control a lamp via wall switch. Start here by adding decorative table and floor lamps to your space. To ensure the light is flattering select bulbs in a soft or warm white tone at or under 60 watts per fixture. You can also buy a plug in dimmer to control the light for an even more flattering effect.
Next add in Accent Lighting to highlight a focal point in the room. Think sconces and track lighting used to accent artwork. Generally speaking, there is only one focal point per room so use it sparingly. Accent lighting is typically used when you’re entertaining or setting a mood in the space.
Finally add in Task Lighting which is pretty self-explanatory; lamps and fixtures that help you complete a task. You’ll need this kind of fixture in rooms like the office, kitchen and bedroom where you add in adjustable desk lights, under-cabinet lighting and bedside reading lamps. Good task lighting clearly illuminates the job at hand so the wattage and bulb color will depend upon the fixture chosen. My advice is to stick to the recommendations made by the manufacturer on the box or included in the instructions. Task lighting should only be used when you’re working on something and should be used in addition to the ambient lighting in the room.
To sum it up, lighting your space correctly is about picking the right fixtures based on the activities of the room. Okay okay, so the truth is Cher was never going to seduce Christian no matter how good the lighting was, he wasn’t into women. But I’m confident that the epic lighting in Cher’s mansion did help her land Josh, and what girl wouldn’t want to end up with Paul Rudd anyway?!
