Good Lighting

Good lighting will make you feel good. Sounds simple but it doesn't happen by accident. It takes years of experience, dedication and creativity to get it right, which is why it's a very good idea to hire a lighting designer to oversee the lighting aspect of your home project. 

Good lighting not only lifts your mood, it improves the value of your home. Furthermore, good lighting provides a sense of well-being in terms of relaxation, ability to carry out tasks like cleaning and makes your space functional, safe, welcoming and enjoyable. 

Lighting is subjective. One person prefers a bright space whilst another wants their lighting soft and subdued. Good lighting is flexible. Universal lighting truths like the psychological benefits of lighting corners and walls, the uplifting power of uplighting and avoiding harsh light and glare applies to all. A good lighting designer will listen to your particular desires and create a lighting plan that provides beautiful lighting results within the parameters of your individual taste. 

Bad Lighting

Bad lighting will make you feel bad. Just watch any crime drama and you'll see how dark, gloomy lighting is connected to danger. Grim lighting is connected to depression, failure and sometimes poverty. You can gauge the socio-economic status of the characters by the lighting. These set designers know that if they hang a basic pendant in the middle of a room, they are communicating that these characters are basically hardworking folks that aren't able to invest in interior design specialists. Harsh, I know. But true.

There are other ways for lighting to go wrong, like too many downlights that have no relationship to the space below. It's so heart-breaking to see a stunning interior design ruined by too many downlights peppering the ceiling in a boring grid. As soon as I see it, I know that someone other than a lighting specialist did the lighting. What a shame. I call that panic lighting.

PANIC LIGHTING:

Builder: 'We need lighting!' 

Homeowner: 'Where should we put it??' 

Builder/Electrician: 'EVERYWHERE' 

Lighting Designer ... [deep sigh]

If the person you've put in charge of your lighting does anything else as their main job, then you are not going to get the same results as you would if you hire a lighting specialist. That makes sense, right?

Value for Money

Can you afford to hire a lighting designer? Yes, you can. I don't say this casually, I have a deep respect for money and do not waste my customer's money just as I do not waste my own (same goes for time). A few hours of lighting design (a few hundred pounds) pays off in spades in terms of elevating your home into a well designed and well thought-out living environment. If you're planning on investing a few thousand pounds purchasing lights, isn't it worth a few hundred to have an expert look over your options?

When you hire a lighting expert to help you make your lighting decisions, you'll avoid costly mistakes, like ordering the wrong lights or delaying the project. Besides, it's proven that homes with good lighting enjoy increased home value and sell quicker. Plus, you'll enjoy your home more, which is hard to put a price on.

Here's a link to view my rates.

Hopefully you'll agree that your home is worth hiring a lighting designer and you won't leave this very important aspect of your living environment to chance (or to non-lighting experts).