Lighting the basement takes a lot of deliberate planning. You also have to take the particular part of the basement into consideration because walls, decor, and lighting from other rooms may interrupt the flow of light from area to area. Today we wanted to take a moment to share some basement lighting trends that we expect to continue through the next year. Can you believe we’re quickly approaching 2018 already?!
Open Concept Floor Plan with Recessed Lighting
Walls and tall furnishings such as bookshelves block the flow of light. An open concept floor plan gives you the opportunity to use other things like furniture, flooring, or rugs to differentiate certain areas without blocking light. Recessed lighting doesn’t cast shadows the way ceiling-mounted light fixtures do, so they provide nice, even lighting throughout the area.
Use Similar Lighting to the Rest of Your Home
Making your basement an extension of the rest of your home is very appealing. Use the same type of lighting downstairs as you use upstairs to help with the seamless transition from the main floor to the basement. This also helps add to the comfort level of the basement.
Room-Specific Lighting
The type of lighting you use from room to room depends entirely on the type of room under consideration. The basement is often the ideal location for a home theater. You need a well-lit room while you’re searching for the perfect movie, but then you want to dim the lights or turn them off to create an ideal atmosphere for movie watching.
Remote Control or Smart Lighting
Smart homes are no longer a thing of the future; they’re a thing now. Install lighting that you can control with your cell phone or tablet from area to area. Smart lights are an excellent way to achieve a particular ambiance in every area of the basement.
Task Lighting
Task lighting such as brighter lighting in a crafting area or pendulum lighting above the bar for special lighting in that particular area is extremely important. A basement kitchen needs kitchen sink lighting and under-counter lighting just like the main level kitchen.
Natural Lighting
Egress windows are required by the national builder’s code, so make the most of code by installing large egress windows with an amazing window well. This will allow you to take advantage of natural lighting as well as take in nature’s beauty. Egress window wells can be used as a flower or small vegetable garden, or you can decorate them with the seasons. They can become a small sitting area or a small play area for your child or pet.
Basement Remodeling in Newington
Call us at 860-667-8105 to discuss your basement remodeling ideas or to schedule a consultation with us. We’ll help you transform your basement into an area that you love.
