We all know that lighting really sets the mood for any environment. Think about the lighting you encounter when you go out to dinner, for example, if you go to a fine Italian restaurant chances are that the lighting is dim and sets off a warm atmosphere but if you go to a casual pizza restaurant the lights are likely to be brighter and set off cooler atmosphere. My point here is that the lighting in your home definitely has an impact on the atmosphere.

Some of you may have the benefit of living in a home that has a lot of natural light (this has been in my wish list for years!). I live in a garden level apartment where I get virtually no natural light. For full disclosure I could get some natural light if I opened the shades but I do not really want passerby’s looking through my windows! So, the next best option for me is to switch out the lighting throughout my apartment to liven up my place.

Light Bulb Round Up

Here I have summarized 4 of the most common types of light bulbs you will come across when light bulb shopping:

LEDs | Light-emitting diodes are the newest options we have in terms of light bulbs and what is great about them is that LED lights use a fraction of the wattage other types of bulbs require. In other words you will save money overtime if you switch to these light bulbs. Why overtime? Well, they are pricier than your other options, but for good reason.

CFLs | Compact fluorescent lights were all the hype a few years ago (at least it was in my parents’ house!). These light bulbs were great until studies showed that their life expectancy dramatically decreased if they were shut on and off frequently.

Incandescents | These are your old fashioned light bulbs where the electricity that is powered through the bulb heats it up to the point that the filament glows into a light.

Halogens | These bulbs are slightly more efficient than the incandescent bulbs because there is actual halogen inside the little tube that holds the filament. What this gas does is that it allows the used up gas to remain usable to a longer period of time.

How to Light Your Home

Now that you have an idea of the different options you have to light your home you can start to think about how you’ll implement light. I am slowly converting all of my bulbs to LED for a few reasons. Like mentioned above they will save energy and money overtime, they are brighter and they are a newer technology (I’m a sucker for new things!).

There are two main types of atmospheres you may want to incorporate into your home – ambient or productive. I like both and like to have both options and in order to achieve both options I like the dimmer lights – bless the person who invented these! Most homes have the regular on/off light switches, if your home has these, you will need to install (or have installed) dimmer light switches. These are relatively inexpensive; you can find good options that range between 20-30 dollars at your local hardware store. Of course, there are fancier options, but they basic ones will cut it for me.

Also, if you do convert to LED lights it is important to note that not all LED bulbs have that capability so look for the bulbs that say “dimmable” on the packaging. On that same note, not all dimmer light switches are compatible with LED bulbs so if you do install these make sure the ones you purchase are compatible with the bulbs you decide to go with.

There you have it! Lights in your home have a power to create any mood you want. Like I mentioned in the beginning of this post, my apartment is pretty dark and I absolutely love bright and open atmospheres – this is why I need bright lights in my home and why I chose to go with LEDs.

Have you made the switch to LEDs? Did your conversion go smoothly and have you seen a difference in your energy bills?

In last week’s blog post, 6 Different Types of Decorating Styles, we explored 6 common types of decorating styles. This week we will look at few tips and tricks that can help you define your decorating style.

Finding your decorating style is not as easy as it seems. It has taken me years to start honing into my own decorating style and trust me there has been a lot of trial and error! But like I said, creating a space that truly defines your style does not come so naturally and effortlessly all the time. Sure, you can drool over all of the beautiful pictures in home magazines, in Pinterest, on HGTV - then you get inspired, then you want to re-decorate your entire living area then you go shopping for gorgeous new pieces and … crickets! Re-decorating is easier said than done and before we go crazy buying pieces that we will not be 100% satisfied with in the long run I invite you to take a few minutes to really think about your decorating style is.

Why is Home Décor important anyway?

The majority of us spend a lot of time at home, especially in this digital age, many of us have the option of working from home either once a week or (if your one of the lucky ones!) every day. This is one of the reasons I believe it is so important to have a space that is not only inviting but also relaxing and stress free. That is where I see the need and benefit to decorating your home in a way that compliments your personality.

First we have the need (the practicality of it) - well this is the obvious , you need a couch (or two), a television (maybe), a rug, a coffee table, side tables, a couple of lamps and so on. Then there is also the benefit (the psychological aspect of it) – this is how you feel when you are in your house. For me, I find it extremely important to have a relaxing, organized comfortable and inviting home environment. So, here we go:

1. Take inventory of what you already own

Make note of pieces in your home and list them in one of two categories “Love it” or “What was I thinking”. In order to truly define your decorating style, you need to be brutally honest here, if you do not love a piece of furniture or art, ITS OK, it does not mean you need to get rid of it maybe you can make a DIY out of it by refinishing it or painting it – if it’s a piece of furniture, for example.

2. Take a good look at your closet

Your fashion style will provide great insight to your decorating style since your fashion style is really an extension of your personality and your home is a reflection of your personality. So look in your closet - do you have a lot of classic and timeless pieces? This is a nod to a more traditional decorating style. Or do you have a lot of chic and trendy pieces? This could mean you are more into the contemporary decorating style.

3. Think about your travels

Where have you traveled to a place that really inspired you, for example, did you really love that rustic little town in Italy or are you more of a beach lover and enjoy the openness and colors of a tropical beach. When you do this, really try to hone in to how it made you feel. That is the key.

4. Create a Mood Board

Go through some home magazines and cut out any and all pictures that speak to you. When doing this exercise it is imperative that you do not think too hard about it. For example, if there is a picture of a living room that you like but there is a lamp in that same picture that you absolutely love, cut the whole picture out and circle the lamp, this way when you look back you will quickly be able to see what it was about that space that drew you in. Once you have a solid amount of cut outs (I had 40-50 cut outs when I created my mood board) lay it all out on the ground, take a picture of it on your phone and keep the picture handy for when you are shopping for new home décor pieces. You can just as easily do this on Pinterest; however, I find that you can just as easily become distracted by pinning other things there too!

5. Take a walk

Walk around your neighborhood and pay attention to what piques your interest. Are there any particular types of homes you like – modern or traditional? Maybe rustic? Also look at the color palettes are you more drawn to. Maybe you like cool light neutrals which is a nod to transitional décor. Or maybe you like a very vibrant mix of color which would likely mean you like eclectic décor.

Do you already know what your decorating style is? What methods did you use to pinpoint your style?