Here in Chicago, we don’t always have sunny days, particularly in the more dreary days of Winter. So how do we chase the “blahs” away through smart design?

The first thing homeowners think of when it comes to changing a mood is the paint color. “We need to freshen up this room with more bright colors!”

That’s possible, but you may be surprised to learn that you don’t have to necessarily re-paint – it might just take better lighting. After all, there are so many lighting choices for any room, you may incorporate different lighting as the day progresses.

How do you do that? It starts with the preparation, really – for example, if we want our bedroom to be a sanctuary that we can more easily fall asleep in, do we want to walk into a brightly lit room? Probably not.

Instead of one giant light that floods an entire room, think about layering your lighting with different aspects that change the lighting of the room in different areas: Recessed can lighting, torchiere lamps, floor lamps, picture lights and table lamps.

Besides the type of lighting environment we can create, letting in more natural light at peak times of day is essential. That’s where silhouette window treatments that open or close during the day can complement the other elements of a room beautifully to let more light from the outside in. Even if it isn’t the brightest sunshine, adding a warm, outside glow to a room through natural light lends an inviting touch.

At Aspira Interior Design, we’re particularly excited by the developments we’re seeing in pre-set lighting that can automatically adjust up or down, ultimately yielding both a visually appealing and cost-effective product that works well with your lifestyle. While this exists more in the commercial space at the moment, over time, pre-set lighting should be a more affordable option for the residential space as well.

 

With a wide variety of options to choose from in lighting, window treatments and more, it’s not surprising that homeowners feel challenged selecting the ideal combination to transform a room from dark and cold to bright and warm.

Let Aspira Interior Design provide the inspiration, an eye for detail and an understanding for just the right feel you want to experience from the moment you set foot in a room. Done well, outside it could be 80 degrees and sunny or 10 degrees and frigid, but if the room is designed to maximize the natural and artificial light, you’ll feel amazingly comfortable inside. To arrange an in-home consultation, please call Aspira at 847-713-5007.