Want to Makeover a Room? Just Update the Lighting!

Are you tired of the look and feel of your family room, kitchen, or bathroom? You didn’t need to redo the entire space to get a refreshed environment. Small lighting changes shift color, mood, and scale without needing new furniture or paint. At Eighteen Group, we integrate lighting fixtures and lighting control that add a spark to your Portland, OR, home. Read on to see quick lighting wins you can use now.

SEE MORE: How to Create a Dazzling Landscape With Outdoor Lighting Design

Pick the Right Color and Clarity First

Color plays a huge role in your decor. You’ve likely taken great care to find the perfect hues for your furniture and walls. But what about your lights? The great thing about today’s tunable LED lighting fixtures is that you don’t have to settle for one color. With just one bulb, you get to choose across the color spectrum based on the space's needs. 

A color temperature of 2700K feels cozy, 3000–3500K looks balanced, and 4000K+ reads crisp for tasks. We’ll program lighting scenes so you’re not limited to one color temperature the whole day. You can adapt based on your needs. 

You also want to be mindful of the fixture’s CRI. This is the light’s Color Rendering Index, which indicates how accurately a light source shows the true colors of objects compared to natural light. The higher the CRI, the more natural and vivid. Use high-CRI lamps so wood, fabric, and art come to life.

Layer Light for Depth, Not Glare

Once you’ve chosen the right fixtures, it’s time to layer them into ambient, task, and accent lighting. By not relying on one light source, you eliminate glare and make the room look larger. Ambient lighting provides general illumination, task lighting is practical, and accent is all about style. 

Among our favorite accent lighting tips: 

• Wall washing smooths big surfaces and will make rooms feel wider. 
• Wall grazing highlights textures like brick and stone for stylistic flourishes. 
• Uplighting draws the eye up to showcase lighting or architectural finishes.

While recessed lighting is great for the ambient lighting category, we recommend going with a wide range of fixtures to finish out your layered lighting design. Your style and home’s architecture will help determine which models would work best for you, but here are some common applications: 

• Pendants over dining room tables provide task and accent lighting 
• Slim linear lighting and under-cabinet strips for your kitchen 
• Sconces provide indirect lighting in living rooms and theaters 

Bring It All Together With Lighting Control 

Layered lighting designs do require more fixtures, which means on-off switches may start cluttering up the walls. We recommend upgrading to a lighting control solution that lets you manage it all from on-wall keypads, apps, or touchpads. Pair fixtures together for easy control

Then, create presets for your go-to illumination: cozy lighting for bed, clean, bright lighting for cooking, and cool, bright hues for a morning boost. With our wireless keypad and dimmer solutions, you can retrofit your space without opening up walls. 

Ready for a fast lighting refresh in your Portland, OR home? Call 503.515.1192 or use the contact form to start your plan.