Are you in the process of updating or upgrading your home’s lighting? The “2017 U.S. Houzz Kitchen Trends Study” and the “2017 U.S. Houzz Bathroom Trends Study” both show that homeowners are engaged in a variety of renovation projects and overall upgrades.
Popular Kitchen Lighting Projects
Many homeowners are upgrading their lighting while their kitchen is being remodeled. The “2017 Houzz Kitchen Trends Study” found that this was the case with 84% of its participants. These were the most popular projects:
- Pendant lights: 58%
Modern recessed lighting: 70%
Under-cabinet lights: 71%
In addition to having high end lighting installed, chances are that many of these homeowners also added Matthews fans to their kitchen areas. Matthews fans can be a welcome addition to the laundry room, workshop, or other areas of the home, such as the sun room. Given that Matthews fans come in a variety of sizes, styles, and colors, they can work well in other parts of the house as well.
Popular Bathroom Lighting Projects
Homeowners are also updating lighting fixtures when remodeling their master bathrooms. The “2016 U.S. Houzz Bathroom Trends Study” found that these were popular projects:
- Wall lights: 67%
- Recessed lights: 50%
Designer lighting is considered to be the most important master bathroom feature for many homeowners. This Houzz study found that 46% of homeowners engaged in renovating their master bathrooms indicated that this was true for them.
Basic Types of Lighting for Home Interiors
When it comes to interior lighting, there are 3 basic types:
- Ambient lighting
- Task lighting
- Accent lighting
Ambient lighting isn’t as bright, and can provide a relaxing atmosphere for an evening in the living room. It can also assist with keeping specific areas illuminated to aid in moving through a home after dark. When lighting for projects is needed, task lighting is recommended. In addition to serving as a design feature, accent lighting can illuminate a gallery wall, object d’art, or a home’s foyer.
A Few Tips for Lighting Placement
If you’re adding a new light fixture to your dining room, it’s important to remember that this should illuminate the dining table. When the brightest spot in your dining room is the table, it can serve to invite people into this room. Combined with a well-set table and centerpiece, you can create a beautiful space here with a chandelier or pendant light. The total wattage for this lighting should be limited to 100, however.
When you use pendant lights in the kitchen, these should be hung roughly 36 to 48 inches over the top of your counter or other surface areas. Pendant lighting can be a nice addition to a breakfast or reading nook as well.
Semi-flush lighting can be hung in a variety of rooms throughout your home. Whether you decide to use this type of lighting in the kitchen, dining room, or bedroom, it should hang about a foot from your ceiling.
Lighting and Energy Efficiency
Most homeowners are concerned about energy consumption and efficiency, and lighting usually accounts for 7% to 10% of a home’s total energy consumption. It’s interesting to note that incandescent or halogen bulbs are less energy-efficient than their fluorescent counterparts. In fact, fluorescent light is 5 times more efficient.
