Did You Know You Could Do This With Accent Lighting?

You can use accent lighting at home to make your favourite rooms look even better!

Accent lighting is one of those little things that can change your house in a big way. It's just like the rudder on a ship, in some ways. The rudder on a ship is less than one per cent of the whole ship, yet it steers the ship where the captain wants it to go.

Accent lighting lets you be the captain directing your visitors' eyes where you want them to go. For example, let's say you have two pieces of fine art in your home. One piece of fine art you love, the other you merely tolerate. With an accent light (let's say a downlight) you can direct your visitors' eyes towards the piece of art you love (and away from the artwork you merely tolerate).

Accent lighting comes in many styles to complement the home you live in. For example, you can buy stainless steel accent lights to suit contemporary homes, white accent lights to suit in ultra-modern (stainless steel), conservative (white-painted metal), or many other styles to complement your home.

One of my favourite uses for accent lighting is for when I have visitors or that special someone over for dinner. As Leona Edmiston, a famous Australian designer once said, uplights (lights that sit on or near your floor and shine up) are extremely underrated. Turn off the overhead lights next time you have a dinner party and rely on the use of uplights instead. Accent lighting such as this can totally create a new mood for your dinner party, sparking interesting conversations and generating a memorable evening.

If you've ever been to the theatre (or worked behind the scenes), you'll know how powerful accent lighting can be. Soft lights can create a calm mood for Scene A, while a harsh spot can create a more dramatic mood for Scene B. Same set, different lighting, different mood and results.

Sound familiar? You can't change your furniture everyday, but you can change your lighting fairly easily.

For all of you who want your desires to be met instantly, accent lighting is the quickest change you can make to improve your home. Accent lighting is inexpensive and readily available from lighting or decor stores.

Remember, you are the captain of your visitors' eyes. Is there a part of your home you can't stand? Direct your visitors' eyes away with accent lighting. Are there parts of your home you are proud of? Shine an accent light on these areas.