Why Proper Lighting is Important When Selling Your Home

February 16, 2016

Nobody wants a gloomy or a dark room.  We are psychologically programmed to move towards the light, which is why a window at the end of a hallway or an exterior view draws you in and engages you. And that is the same reason why proper lighting is important when showcasing your home for sale.

 HERE ARE FOUR WAYS TO MAXIMIZE IT

1. THINK OF FUNCTION

When you want to showcase a room, you need to ask yourself, ‘what is this room going to be used for?’  The kitchen, for example, as one of the most important rooms in the house is also one of the best places to use lighting in layers. You might have a ceiling or pendant light over an island for ambient light, recessed lights in front of the upper cabinets to illuminate your work surfaces, and under-cabinet lighting to fill in shadows on the countertops. Think of function and practicality.

2. USE IT TO SET THE MOOD

Dimmers are the key to achieve the right feel to every room. You can use dimmer switches to change the ambiance or mood in any room ( I love it. I have one in every room). Adjust brightness depending on mood and the activity in the room. While additional lighting like floor lamps, table lamps, art lamps, spotlighting, and track lighting can be used to define areas, such as seating groups while leaving darker spaces between each area.

3. USE IT TO HIGHLIGHT A SPACE

Lighting can be used to highlight areas of a room that you want to be noticed. A good example is the dining room, without a chandelier or pendant lighting, the room looks ‘blah’ and unimportant, but having it completes the room. A common mistake, though, is to turn up a chandelier or pendant light to its brightest in an attempt to illuminate the entire room. Layer your lighting instead, combine a pendant with table lamps and floor lamps. The chandelier provides a warm glow to your dining table; while the other light sources help illuminates the rest of the room.

4. USE IT TO CREATE DRAMA

Lighting can be a decorating touch all by itself. During house showings, layered lighting is always effective.  By that I mean, providing the rooms with a mix of ambient, task, and accent light at a variety of levels instead of having one large glaring light in the middle of the ceiling. This can be achieved by incorporating different light sources like table lamps, floor lamps, recessed lighting, chandeliers, or task lighting if necessary.

BOTTOM LINE

The right lighting can bring in the right finishing touch to a room. It has the power to liven up, add warmth, and add a little (or a lot!) personality to your home. If done right, it can be the accessories that your room needs to have to take it to the next level. And the best part is, compared to other home improvement projects; lighting is a bargain.

RED BARRINUEVO

REDESIGN4MORE Inc.  Home Staging & Interior Decorating

Red Barrinuevo is a Toronto-based, award-winning Interior Stylist and Principal Designer of Redesing4More Inc., servicing Toronto & the GTA. The firm’s known for enhancing and creating stylish yet functional spaces through their creative home staging, interior styling, and design services.

Click here to learn more about Red and REDESIGN4MORE.