The Lighting Trick That Immediately Boosts The Ambience In Your Home

Imagine it: you're decorating a room, but you notice something just feels off. It's probably your lighting. Overhead lighting is typically bright and focused, but it can be overwhelming. Ambient lighting should be calming and inviting. It should also be dim, but not super dark. Unfortunately, it can be hard to get the perfect level of light. That's where layered lighting comes in. Layered lighting is another term for including multiple versions and options within a room: lamps (floor and table), under-shelving lighting, and even overhead installations that work well with these other selections. 

If your space is in need of some layered lighting, there's a way to introduce it without overwhelming the room. Combining different mediums like tall, short, and hanging lamps allows you to boost the ambience without having to worry about a lot of rewiring or adjusting. It only takes a few simple additions and decorations to make this trick work for your home, and it will completely transform the feel of a room.

Layered lighting is easy to achieve, but you also don't want to overdo it. First, consider your room and the existing lighting. If you don't already have an installed overhead light, determine if this is something you want to add. If yes, don't be afraid to get creative with your choices. For example, why not use a hanging chandelier rather than recessed lighting for a dining room or living room? Next, use either your overhead light or a large fixture, like a floor lamp, as your anchor or base.

Choosing the right light fixtures is all about balance. If you opt to go with a floor lamp, try to find a large option that provides a good deal of light. This will be your base — the fixture you pair all your other additions to — so it needs to be both illuminating and stylish. Next, you can think about other areas and surfaces where additional lighting will complement this piece. If you're decorating a larger room, you can incorporate a few smaller table lamps. These can go on side tables, but they can also go on bookshelves, floating shelves, or even a mantel. Find materials and shapes that match your existing aesthetic, or add curved shapes to a particularly boxy space to help soften it. These are to create ambience and, therefore, don't need to be as bright as your base light. 

Use warmer bulbs to give your living room or dining room a cozier vibe. While white light helps bring in a purer atmosphere, warmer illumination is ideal for areas where you want to relax. Try to keep all the bulbs the same color temperature and similar levels so you don't have too many contrasting lights. Wall sconces are another great way to bring in more light and add layering. These help to brighten those overlooked spots in your home that are begging for better lighting and areas where your floor or ceiling light can't quite reach. They should match the warm color temperature and don't have to project all the light you rely on in the room, just enough to brighten and open up darker areas.

You can also get creative with your light switches and settings, opting for sconces or lamps that have dimmers so you can alter the light as you see fit throughout the day. During the cooler months when it stays darker longer, sometimes having lower lighting first thing in the morning helps you adjust, especially if you rise before the sun. This also applies in the evening, when you may not want the harsh ambience of an overhead light or a super intense lamp. Dimmer sconces can illuminate the room enough that everyone can maneuver the space without feeling like they are in a spotlight. On the other hand, having fixtures that can be turned up for work purposes, cleaning, or even interactions that require more illumination is ideal, if not necessary.

Battery operated, dimmable sconces like the PopoIron Rechargeable Wireless Sconces from Amazon are long enough to project a lot of light into your room but can be adjusted to your needs throughout the day. These even have different color settings so you can change the entire vibe of the room. Similarly, floor lamps like the Amazon Ambimall Living Room Lamp can brighten up darker corners and act as a focal piece for your space.