Lighting plays a vital role in the way prospective buyers literally see a house. If there isn’t enough lighting, a house can feel dark and cold. If there is too much lighting, it may create a harsh effect and even make the house feel hot, especially in warmer climates or during summer.
To create an atmosphere in your home that is not too hot, and not too cold, but is just right, Select a proper mix of light fixtures to create an atmosphere that is warm and inviting, rather than cold and harsh. Start with the entryway, or foyer, in your home. If your home is a single story with a standard eight foot ceiling, then you don’t have a whole lot of room to work with. On the other hand, if you live in a two-story home with a two-story entry, then you should have ample room to hang a light fixture that will really make a statement to your guests. In fact, if a prospective buyer comes to see your home in the evening after it is already dark, one of the first things they’ll notice is the beautiful chandelier hanging in the entryway. Lighting such as this will help create a positive mindset for buyers even before they enter your home.
There are numerous chandeliers available that come in all shapes and sizes. Ask the salesperson which light fixtures are the most popular and which ones they sell the most of. Just ensure that their recommendation matches the style and d├⌐cor of your home. When selecting a chandelier for the foyer, you’ll also want to be sure that its size fits appropriately with the size of your foyer. For example, if the entryway in your home is large and spacious, don’t hang a tiny light fixture in it. The light fixture will get lost, and because it is so small, it will look cheap/ On the other hand, don’t try to put a light fixture that is too large in a smaller foyer. The fixture will overpower the space and will detract from the way it should feel. Not too hot and not too cold, but just right.
If your home has a formal dining room, examine the lighting in it to determine whether or not it complements the style of furnishings in the room. If there’s a formal dining room table complete with an armoire or china cabinet in it, the lighting should be formal as well. Chandeliers are probably the most commonly used light fixtures in dining rooms for two reasons. First, they are dressier and more formal than an ordinary light fixture, and second, they hang down from the ceiling at the appropriate height above the dining room table to provide light while eating.
To further enhance the look of a dining room, wall sconces can also be used. If you’re not familiar with wall sconces, they are light fixtures designed to mount on the surface of a wall rather than hang from the ceiling. If your dining room is not already wired for sconces, you may have to hire an electrician to run the wires and mount the receptacles. Chandeliers and matching wall sconces often can be purchased as a set. So when you get ready to replace the lighting in your dining room, be sure to look for matching sets.
One often overlooked place that accent lighting can be used in a house is the kitchen. Most kitchens have plenty of overhead lighting in them, but they rarely have under-cabinet lighting. Under-cabinet lighting can easily be installed, provided there is an outlet or wiring nearby, by mounting fluorescent light fixtures under the cabinets. The best way to wire the lights, however, is by routing all of them to one or two switches. This allows you to turn on all of the lights from a central location rather than having to do so individually.
Finally, the same type of fluorescent lighting can also be mounted on top of the cabinets. This will provide soft accent lighting behind plants and other décor that may be on top of the cabinets.
The value of this home improvement is strong because the cost of replacing light fixtures is low relative to their impact on value. Not only are the light fixtures themselves highly visible, but the effect they create, especially at night, is also very visible. When properly done, this effect can be exceptionally powerful and dramatic. For more information, you can check out Terry’s article on this topic. The article will provide you with some simple and detailed tips and strategies on how you can improve your home’s value through lighting improvement. Creativity is indeed an essential skill specially for home designing and development.
