Choose lighting in main living spaces that fit the home's architectural design.
Older light fixtures, unless they have a classic antique look, can make a house look dated. New fixtures, which are very affordable at home improvement stores, can set the tone for a new look for each room. Although the ceiling area is not the focal point of a room, it will unify the furnishings and accessories with well-chosen light fixtures. Don't forget, however, that good lighting is meant to brighten a room appropriately. Don't just select fixtures for their decorative appeal. Choose fixtures that literally shed the right kind of light in the space.
Instructions
1. Sketch a room with all of its doors, windows and furnishings. Do this to decide whether to add more than one light fixture. Plan to respace the existing fixture or fixtures, if needed. Get a general idea of the light fixture designs you want to install for an upgrade.
2. Measure the allowable ceiling space. Use a yardstick to determine how low the fixture can hang. Figure the basic space, within a couple of inches, of a fixture's overall dimensions in terms of its diameter. Use these measurements to make sure you don't bring home a chandelier or larger fixture that overpowers the room.
3. Figure out the room's style of decor. Buy fixtures with a Spanish flavor for a Spanish-style room. Select high-tech chrome fixtures for a room requiring these types of accessories. Choose fixtures that fit the architectural style of the home's exterior if the room is close to the main entrance foyer. Use fixtures that are fun or colorful for a baby's room or teenager's room, for example.
4. Choose appropriate coloring for the fixtures. Select a brown-tone metal fixture with pale gold glass for an Italian room decor. Choose a golden or bronzed metal on a fixture to match lamps or other metallic surfaces already installed in the room. Don't choose a glass texture or color that will block too much light, however. Buy fixtures that will yield sufficient light for the space.
5. Paint and prepare the ceiling space. Avoid painting the ceiling after the lights go up. Run new wiring for additional fixtures, if needed. Add a couple of wall sconces, if appropriate, that will match the new ceiling fixtures. Buy bulbs that match requirements listed in paperwork provided by the manufacturer for each fixture.
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