Lighting Ideas for Your Home

Accent Lighting

Today we share with you inexpensive lighting ideas that will give your new space a custom look.

Lighting is such a huge part of any project.  By adding accent lighting, you can completely change the look and feel of a room.  The picture here shows a volume ceiling with an accent light behind the crown.  The light casts a warm glow up into the tray ceiling.  Even if you don’t have a volume ceiling in your space, you can still create this look.  Let’s take a look at how these lighting ideas can be easily incorporated into your new project.

• Electrician:  Have your electrician install an outlet horizontally just under the double top plate in the wall.  At the same time, have her install a switch to control the outlet.  If you are building a new home or addition, be sure to incorporate your lighting design ideas into the electrical plan.
• Measure the wall perimeter and purchase the crown molding (minimum size of 5″).  For an added custom look, install a 3″ colonial base molding upside down at the crown location.  The crown molding will then be installed on top of the base.  This will give your crown molding more mass and look like a much more expensive crown.
• Purchase an LED rope light slightly longer than the size of the perimeter of the room allowing for turns and some slack in the rope.  You want the thinnest rope you can find so it fits neatly behind the crown molding without being visible in your lighting design ideas.
• Painter:  Have your painter use an airless sprayer to apply two coats of your chosen paint to the crown and base.  It’s easier to do this prior to installation…especially in an existing home.  The airless sprayer leaves a nice smooth, professional finish and will enhance the detail of your custom lighting ideas.
• Trim Carpenter:  Now have your trim carpenter install the crown (and base if desired).  Make your carpenter aware of your intentions and go over the exact location in relation to the outlet.  Be sure to leave enough room for the plug from the rope light…but not so much as to allow you to see it above the crown.  You may want to have your trim carpenter cut the backside of the crown at the outlet to provide more room for the plug.
• Plug in the LED rope light and tuck it neatly behind the molding to complete your custom lighting design ideas.

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