7 simple lighting ideas to impress your guests

April Kennedy April Kennedy
Santa María Dos, Taller Habitat Arquitectos Taller Habitat Arquitectos Modern kitchen
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Everyone wants to feel good enough showing their home to guests, and there's absolutely nothing wrong with feeling a little house-proud. But what easy things can you do when things aren't exactly as you'd wish? Perhaps your furniture is a little threadbare, things are a bit chaotic or you just never got around to really arranging the larger pieces as you'd like. Well, one of the easiest and cheapest ways to impress your guests (and yourself!) is with great lighting. It will help direct the eye to the most attractive parts of the home and may even be a feature unto itself. So let's check out a few ideas…

1. Dramatic entrance wall lights

First impressions matter – and your entrance is the place to really set the scene. No matter how small your entrance way, there is always room for some wall scones. Now we know that it's natural to go for strong illumination, but consider paring things back and installing some small wall mounted lights like this. Once you turn off the main light, you'll have an entrance with a lot of drama. If money isn't an issue, consider hiring a professional lighting designer.

2. Chandelier on the staircase

The staircase is an excellent place for a really dramatic feature light. It's not an entirely common feature in many homes, so it's one that will really distinguish your home from the others. Even if you don't need the added illumination, consider a light with a cascading design. It will mimic the flow of the staircase and add an impossibly elegant touch.

3. Light up the cabinets

There is no point having gorgeous ceramics if you don't put them on display. Light up your kitchen cupboards with cheap LED strips and take things to another level. If you don't have suitable cabinets, just surprise your guests with strip lights inside the cabinets. They are a luxurious touch that is again, not entirely common in many homes. They are very cheap too.

4. Create a trio of pendant lights

Three is the magic number when it comes to decorations. For some reason, this combination just exudes class. If you are looking for artwork, choose a triptych and if you are installing some pendant lights, choose three. Of course, pendant lights always look best when set at varying levels like this.

5. Light up the plants

Houseplants are one of the best ways to add an abundant feel to the home without spending a whole lot of money. So if you have some houseplants, make them the centre of attention with lights. Just bury the lights within the leaves of the plant for dramatic effect. If you have an outdoor area some solar lamps would be perfect.

6. Light up a water feature

Not all of us are fortunate enough to have as spectacular home as this. But we do have to admit that it provides a very good lesson on the power of underwater lighting. The simplest little pond or fishtank will look simply spectacular when the watery depths are illuminated with light.

7. Make clusters of subdued ambient light

Nothing quite ruins the ambiance of your home like overpowered lighting. Switch off the main overhead light and use lots of small lamps instead. They will create a romantic atmosphere that's perfect for dinner parties. The best part of all is that a well-placed arrangement of small lights will direct guests' attention away from eyesores in the home!

We have plenty of inspiring ideas here at homify. Next, have a look 12 entrances that will make you say 'why did I not think of that?!'

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