Tag Archives: home interior decor

LIGHTING TECHNIQUES THAT CAN BRIGHTEN UP YOUR HOME INTERIORS

Lighting plays a very significant role in your interior decorations. The light you choose can set the mood of your home. It can energize you, soothe you or inspire you. Though it can be affordable, it is an important aspect of your home interior and should not be neglected.


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Ideally even before you start doing up your interiors you should have an idea of the kind of lighting you want in your home, based on your personality. This will help you to choose styles and pieces in the overall home interiors that can be complemented by your lighting style. So first, it is important to understand the different kinds of lighting and how you can make them work for your home.  You will need to use all of these lightings – just choose the correct placement, proportion, combination and fixtures to create your masterpiece!

AMBIENT LIGHTING

These are the lights that we use regularly on a day-to-day basis. The role of this lighting is to provide more illumination to the overall general area or room. This can be either warm or yellow, depending on how bright you like it. So choose a location that can distribute light around the room equally and well. You can use ceiling-mounted fixtures or wall-mounted fixtures, which come in a variety of finishes and designs to be aesthetically pleasing while also uniformly distributing light across the room.


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AMBIENCE LIGHTS

This light is used to set the mood of the room and is not used on a day-to-day basis. Usually, they are concealed and only emit the light you need. You can switch them on when you have a party or want to just wind down in a mellow setting after a hard day’s work. You could have color changing lights for a party mood, a warm yellow or soft white for a festive or romantic evening. Recessed lights or running LED strips are most commonly used to create an ambiance and can be fixed to the floor or ceiling. Here, you cannot see the bulb or the wires. Only the soft glow of the light is visible, which sets the mood.


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FOCUS  LIGHTS

These are used when you want to draw attention to a specific object or space. They are sometimes also referred to as Task Lights. You can use them to highlight an accent wall in your home, for your paintings or art. It can be used in the kitchen by fixing it to the bottom of the cabinet so that the countertops are lit, providing you a little extra light when you are cooking and need to see clearly. Pendants lights in different designs like a single bulb or as a set can be hung from the ceiling, above the area you want to focus on. These have elongated wiring from which the bulb and its shade are hung. Pendant lights can be used anywhere – in the kitchen, above the dining table or for that cozy corner you want to highlight.

DECORATIVE LIGHTS

This is what adds that bling quotient to your home. They need not be permanent fixtures but can be put on during festivities and celebrations to add that sparkle. You have many options like fairy lights or curtain lights for a backdrop or your balcony. You can artistically place colored decorative tea light holders or Moroccan lamps. The idea is to have something different for those special days that can add to the celebratory mood.


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You could also have permanent fixtures that double up as the focal point in a room. Ceiling fixtures such as chandeliers act as a piece of art and add to the overall décor of the room, while also doubling up as a decorative light for that extra bling. Decorative overhead lamps fixed above the dining table throw that extra light when you want to highlight your well-set table. Wall Scones also add a decorative element to your room. They can focus the light upwards or downwards depending upon the design you want to create for the room. Similarly, a funky looking lamp can be placed on a table or in the corner like a piece of art. It also serves as a focus light for reading.

So the next time you want to renovate your home or are looking for options for a new home, remember to use these different techniques. Create your unique combinations and enjoy a well-light and beautiful home that suits your personality.

DOES YOUR HOME REFLECT THE ONCOMING FESTIVITIES? HERE ARE 5 THINGS THAT YOU CAN DO WHEN DECORATING FOR DIWALI.

Diwali is celebrated all across India as ‘the festival of lights’ and the victory of light over darkness. So the décor, rituals and traditions of Diwali are all about lights and glitter. It is the time to bring out all the lamps & candles, polish the brass to a shine, cook up delicious sweets and be ready to welcome guests into your home to take part in the festivities. Here are a few things you can do to spruce up your home this Diwali.

Entrance Décor

Make the entrance to your house and the foyer welcoming and festive. There are many ways to decorate it for Diwali.

Create intricate Rangoli patterns if you are good at drawing. You can use colorful chalks or powders to create these patterns. You also get ready-made Kundan Rangolis that come as pieces and can be just placed on the floor. These use a base of plastic sheet on which bright beads & glitter are stuck. They can be reused and you can also make your unique design by combining different sets.

Hang Torans of natural mango leaves & flowers like marigold or jasmine. Along with the festive color, they add a heady fragrance as well – one that is associated with festivities. If you like some glitter, you can choose from many artificial ones that are made of sequins, wood or mirror-work. These also come in many fancy shapes and bright colors.



Photo credits : a href=’httpswww.freepik.comphotosdiwali’Diwali photo created by freepik – www.freepik.coma

Lighting Ideas

Diwali is all about lights.  Be it traditional lamps, terracotta diyas, candles or electric lights – this is the time of the year that you can use ALL of them.

For the exterior lighting like balconies, choose electric lights as the natural flame cannot stay alight in the wind. There are many fairy lights or string lights to choose from. But if you like to go in for candles, choose hurricane lamps or lanterns that offer some protection against the wind. You could use water glass or mason jars too to place tealight candles in.


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For lighting up your home interiors, you can buy some terracotta diyas and paint them with bright colors and stick beads & sequins. Place them around the house – on tables or ledges or even line them as a border along the floor or arrange them in a rangoli pattern. String up fairy lights along the ceiling or the walls.  You could place fairy lights that work on battery inside mason jars or old liquor bottles for some quirky lighting options. Use some gold lace or paper to wrap these candle holders and add some bling to the light. Polish the brass & silver lamps to a shine and fill them with fragrant oils to light them up. This truly gives the authentic feel of festivities and is considered auspicious as well.  Decorate the lamps with flowers if you would like to add some color.

Fill urn or urlis or large bowls with water and put in flowers and petals in them. Add some floating candles for that touch of Diwali.

Color & Glitter

Looking to redecorate? This is the right time to do it and be ready for Diwali. If you don’t want to spend too much but still want a new look for the festivities, you can get a new festive look for the living room – the main area where you will host your Diwali parties. Buy new curtains in bright colors with gold motifs or made of art silk. Place matching bright cushions across sofas and chairs. This can instantly transform how your living room looks and set the mood for the festivities.


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Binge Without Any Guilt

Apart from the new dresses and decorations, festivals are also a time for some awesome food. Traditionally kitchens would be busy before a month, preparing for Diwali. While this may not be possible now, try your hand at some homemade laddoos and other sweets & savories. It is the right time for the chef in you to experiment. Traditional, elaborate meals are a must during this season. Of course, the presentation of this wonderful food is also important. If you have silverware or copperware, polish them well and use them. Even if it is not an entire set, choose good pieces that can be set as a centerpiece. You can also use some zari lace or kundan rangolis and lamps to decorate the table.

Party Favours

Who doesn’t like gifts? And Diwali is a time for exchanging gifts. You can add a bit of personal touch by making some party favors for your guests to take back home. Buy some terracotta diyas and paint them in gold or bright colors like orange, yellow or blue. You can also create patterns with simple dot painting. Get some glass jars and fill them up with homemade sweets like besan laddoos, chocolates or brownies.Use some brightly colored paper to make a bag, fix some gold string for the handles and create a gift hamper by placing a couple of your hand-painted diyas and a jar of your homemade sweets. Your guests will be thrilled to receive this little personalized gift when they leave. You can also add a little note thanking them and wishing them a Happy Diwali!!

What do you do to make your home special for Diwali? Do let us know….