Fall Design Tips: 3 Ways to Emphasize Lighting
BWS Design • September 5, 2018
The days of BBQ’s, picnics, and long days spent outdoors are nearly at an end.
We’re heading towards the crisp days of fall, where the days are shorter and the nights are longer. As you make adjustments for the autumn, it’s a perfect time to make sure your home is an absolute haven.
One of the most important — and also the simplest — elements to consider is lighting. As the days shorten and people retreat indoors, nothing is more important that emphasizing the lighting in your home. Here are some considerations for experimenting with light, color, and coziness this fall:
1. It may be time for new overhead lights and lamps
Let there be light. Fall means less natural light from outside, and a greater emphasis on indoor space. Has the same lamp been gathering dust on your end table for the last decade? Do you use way too much energy keeping your house lit? Consider making some changes to the light fixtures in your home, starting with these quick tips:
- Consider installing a dimmer system to gain more control over the overhead lights in your home.
- Take advantage of the summer’s craft and artisan fairs to find unique lamps.
- Contemplate the benefits of light therapy lamps that may help fight the winter blues.
- Think about making a small investment in more energy efficient light bulbs, both to save money in the long run and add a thoughtful, ecological element to your home design.
2. Don’t be afraid to play with paint and color to emphasize light
A dingy coat of paint can really make a room seem small, dim, and cramped. Take advantage of the end of summer by investing in new paint for your walls, and prepare to be amazed at how it can utterly revitalize a room. Here are some facts to keep in mind:
- Light colors like eggshell make rooms seem larger.
- Darker colors — like a gorgeous navy blue or maroon — make rooms cozier.
- White ceilings can help brighten a room.
- Textured interior paint can add a unique vibrancy to any space.
3. Focus on natural light: window treatments, blinds, and shades
Windows are your home’s eyes out to the rest of the world, and offer the best way to suffuse your home with beautiful natural light all year long. Since you’ll be spending more time indoors as the days shorten, it’s absolutely vital that your windows reflect the way you want to see the world. Specialized window treatments, blinds, and shades can add just the right element to your home and help you emphasize lighting for your unique situation.
- Wood blinds — these are an incredible yet subtle statement for any home. Wood blinds can be adapted to fit just about any style of home, and their natural, warm look will create an absolute oasis in your home. They can be adjusted to block out as much light as you need to make a room seem cozier.
- Roman shades — these classy and elegant Roman shades will truly allow your originality to shine through as you choose the fabric that works for you. They’re also a great choice for smaller spaces since they can be adjusted easily to fit any space, and they work well for families with children and pets since there’s nothing to tug on. You can customize the translucency of the Roman blind to allow the most appropriate interaction with light in each room.
- Draperies — nothing says elegance like draperies. Cozy and warm, draperies allow so much variety in light filtering based on the texture. And they’re extremely versatile, allowing you to let more light in during those dimmer fall days while still maintaining privacy.
- Valances — just like adding a splash of paint to a room, a decorative valance can set the mood for a room. Try to consider which colors will brighten up a dim room, and which will add an element of coziness.
The fall is an amazing time to make your home a perfect oasis for the cooler months ahead. Take the time to craft a home that’s filled with comfort, class, and light. If you’re feeling inspired to make the best of the natural light in your home, contact the professionals at Just Blinds today for a free, on-site consultation.
Expert Advice by Just Blinds
We all know and understand the concept of installing outdoor shades on a patio. It is the classic way to create a cool and comfortable space for yourself and your friends to spend some quality time together outdoors. There is nothing wrong with that, but it is limiting to think that the patio is the only part of one's property where outdoor shades are appropriate. There are some surprising and unexpected places where homeowners have taken to installing outdoor shades recently. We want to take a look at some of these to provide you with ideas for your next home improvement project. 1) Balconies Some homes are built quite close together, and some homeowners naturally feel like they would like to do more to protect their privacy. Although their neighbors might not intentionally be looking through their balconies, it is easy for the human eye to drift. Thus, some city-dwelling homeowners have made the choice to install outdoor shades in this area. On top of keeping prying eyes off of your property, outdoor shades also block the sun rays from your balcony as well creating a more comfortable space to spend some time. 2) Outdoor Kitchens One of the most delightful social experiences that someone can have is to invite over a large group of friends for a meal cooked outside. It gives everyone the opportunity to share stories, laughes, and a bit of food all at the same time. Of course, this is best done in an outdoor kitchen. Your outdoor kitchen is a space where you should feel comfortable and have the ability to entertain a large group of people all at the same time. This means looking at installing outdoor shades to provide an extra layer of protection from the heat of the sun. Thus, this has become another area where homeowners are quickly installing outdoor shades. 3) Poolside Lounges Now we are really talking! Who doesn't love to kick back with their favorite cold beverage and spend some time relaxing next to the pool? That is what you can enjoy more completely when you set up a poolside lounge with outdoor shades. Poolside lounges are meant to be a place where you can spend several hours at a time. However, it can get pretty hot while doing so if you don't put some outdoor shades in place. Get those shades up so you can let all of your worries melt away as you take in the smell of pool water and sunscreen. 4) Garden Areas Do you enjoy a little gardening in your downtime? You might like it even more after setting up outdoor shades that protect you from the excessive heat of the sun. Gardening is labor-intensive work and can take several hours of diligent labor to do it properly. However, you don't want to overextend yourself and end up getting physically overworked. Keeping some of the sun away is an excellent way to ensure that you don't overdo it. Just make sure that you check up on the sunlight needs of the various plants that you intend to put into your garden before installing outdoor shades. 5) Exterior Windows Did you know that it is possible to reduce your energy bills by installing outdoor shades? It's true! If you place outdoor shades on the exterior windows of your home, you can reduce the strain placed on your air conditioning by naturally reducing the overall temperature within your living space. This means less money out of your pocket and more money for working on your next project. There are many interesting places where homeowners are installing outdoor shades these days. For more creative ideas on what you can do with yours, reach out and contact us now.
One of the most frustrating things that can happen to someone trying to improve their home is to find that they have somehow made a common mistake. That person will be upset that they didn't stop and do a little research prior to making a change. That is why you are here today, and that is why we want to provide you with some details about the most common mistakes that people tend to make when putting up blinds in various rooms. Let's also examine how you can avoid making those same mistakes. Living Room - Let the Sun Shine In! A major mistake that many people make when setting up blinds in their living room is that they select an option that does not permit enough natural light to enter the room. Heavier blinds like this might have a look that you like, but you certainly don't want them to block out all of that natural light. That is just setting yourself up for a living room that is gloomy and unnatural. Go with a more lightweight option that allows plenty of light into your living room. Bathroom - Avoid Moisture Sensitive Blinds Do you know what there is a lot of in any bathroom? Moisture! From the water running in the faucet to the moisture that gathers in the air after a shower, there is plenty of moisture in the atmosphere in any bathroom. Therefore, you must make sure that you don't use any kind of material that is moisture sensitive when it comes to your blinds in the bathroom. Kitchen - Keep it Easy to Clean The blinds that you set up in your kitchen should be easy to clean. These blinds are more likely to attract things that you want to clean off of them. Why? Because you will be doing all of your cooking in the kitchen, and it is all too easy for things to splatter or otherwise cause issues for you while you are working in the kitchen. Make sure you use blinds that are straightforward and easy to clean when you set them up in your kitchen. Make things as easy as possible on yourself. Home Office - Watch Out for Glare Many people have a home office set up so that they can get things done even while they are at home. That is a wonderful thing, but you also need to think carefully about your lighting needs when it comes to this. This is to say that you should look for blinds that do not cause excessive glare on the screens that you have in your home office. When you have blinds that keep the glare off of your screens, then you won't have to strain your eyes quite as much as you might have otherwise. Dining Room - Don't Forget to Keep it Stylish One room where you can truly focus on the stylish nature of your blinds is in the dining room. In fact, this is one area where style outweighs so many other considerations. You want blinds that go well with the other colors and styles that you have set up throughout your living room. It is very easy to fall into making common mistakes when selecting blinds for different rooms in your home. Don't fall into the same traps that others have before you. It is now clear and obvious what you should do for each room in your home. Keep these tips in mind as you begin the search for the blinds that you require. For more detailed information about the mistakes that people commonly make with this purchase, reach out and contact us today.