In most cases, lighting is crucial in releasing the true potential of any interior or exterior space.
It’s also designers’ favourite tool that allows them to play up the possibilities of a room, whether it’s an efficient workspace, a cosy family room or a playful kids’ room.
Getting the lighting right is the key to success because the desired effect will be lost if the lights are too strong or too weak. It’s more than just illuminating the space. It should define the tone of the room as well as complement its style. So, here are several practices that truly work when you’re fitting your kids’ room.
The right size
It’s important you choose the right size for the room so pick your lights according to the spaciousness of the room. For a smaller room, go with a smaller floor lamp and table lamp so the room wouldn’t feel cluttered. Even though it’s just the kids’ room, you can still get a statement piece that will give the room more definition, such as a crystal chandelier for the girls’ room or a ceiling fixture in the shape of a fighter plane or a basketball hoop for your growing boys.
Kids love variety
In order to create a perfect haven for your kids, their rooms need a lot of variety and small details that will form one integral unit. When you’ve already chosen a fun and playful room design, you wouldn’t want to limit the lighting options to just one dull source. In addition to a central ceiling light, create more interest with a handy nightlight by the bed, a desk lamp for homework time and a reading lamp ready for the bedtime stories.
With so many light sources, a clever thing to do is to replace all the old, traditional lights with more energy-efficient LED bulbs. For instance, contemporary Philips light bulbs will provide all the illumination the space needs, but at a lower cost in the long run. In addition, they are also a safer option as they stay cool longer, making them very suitable for indoor lights.
The effect of nightlights
Nightlights are a great choice for your kids’ bedroom as they can help them feel safer in a room that isn’t pitch black dark at night. All parents know how important it is to get a good night sleep and how easily kids’ sleep gets disrupted during the night when they need to make the trip to the bathroom. Having a nightlight not only in their room, but down the hall to the bathroom as well might dissuade them from waking you up in the middle of the night.
Another advantage of nightlights is that they provide just enough illumination to keep you safe from tripping or stubbing your toe when you do need to get up and check on the baby to change the diaper in the wee hours of the night.
Thumbs up for hanging pendants
Most parents stay away from pendant lights in the kids’ rooms thinking they’re too complicated to hang. In fact, they’re much easier to set up than you might think. As a rule of thumb, smaller pendants are usually hung lower and bigger ones are kept higher. If your home has exceptionally high ceilings, opt for larger pieces as they can be a strong decorating element.
Let your kids participate in the choice of the lampshade and you’ll have a chance to personalize it. Get an inexpensive shade and let the kids decorate them with paint, tassels, trim or decoupage.
Multi-purpose table lamps
Table lamps can also be another great accessory in the kids’ bedrooms. They don’t only serve to light up a table, but can easily double as a part of the room décor. They are still visible during daytime and, in the evening, they can serve as backup lighting that casts a soft glow in the background. You can also mix and match different lampshades for a customized look and once again, let your kids decorate them as they wish.
Picking out the perfect lighting for your kids’ room can clearly be a joy. You really can’t go wrong if you go for various light sources and make them a part of the existing décor. From nightlights that are there for safety purposes to table lamps and pendants that give ample illumination, you’ll have your children’s room shining bright and beautiful in no time!
Author BIO
If one thing is true about Lillian Connors, her mind is utterly curious. That’s why she can’t resist the urge to embark on a myriad of green living/home improvement projects and spread the word about them. She cherishes the notion that sustainable housing and gardening will not only make us far less dependent on others regarding the dwellings we inhabit, but also contribute to our planet being a better place to live on. You can check her out LinkedIn.