How to get your basement lighting right with some handy tips

How to get your basement lighting right with some handy tips

Basements are definitely one of the most versatile rooms in the house. They’re pretty much a blank canvas that you can mold and shape into whatever space you’d like. Whether it’s a ‘man cave’, a family room, home cinema, games room or guest bedroom it’s still necessary to have a good lighting system. However, basements do come with a few challenges, in particular the lack of height and natural light. There is a danger that basements can feel dark, cold and dingy, which means you really need to get your lighting system up to scratch. Before you look into a lighting system for your basement space. You should try and make the most of any natural light that you can take advantage of. If you can, keep windows free from curtains or opt for thin fabrics such as voile to allow natural daylight to seep through. Basements should feature a layer of different lighting including accent, ambient and task lighting. Here we’ll look at some handy tips to get your basement lighting right:

• create a soft glow with wall sconces;
• track lighting;
• pendants and chandeliers;
• opt for recessed basement lighting.

Create a soft glow with wall sconces

Placing wall lighting high up on a back accent wall will give the illusion of higher ceilings and wider walls. When lit, the wall sconces draw the eye further up the wall. This style of basement lighting will also create soft pools of illumination that will give a welcoming ambience. Wall sconces can also be used to highlight wall art or wall features.

Track lighting

It’s common in most basement refurbishments to lower the ceiling and have a basement lighting system made up of mainly recessed spotlights. This makes sense as this style of lighting promotes a more spacious feel to the room. However, for a more industrial and interesting slant you could expose some of the old beams and install track lighting. Track lighting will give an airier feel as well as offering directional light with the help of specifically placed spotlights. Adjust each one to offer a pool of direct illumination over an area of your choice. For instance, if you’re using your basement to entertain guests, placing a spotlight over a drink or prep station will offer a practical light.

Pendants and chandeliers

If you’re lucky enough to own a reasonably high ceiling-ed basement then a selection of pendants or a large chandelier draped over a table, seating area or bar are will create an intimate and cosy vibe. Whilst also helping to separate areas of the basement. Another way of introducing basement lighting is by clustering pendants together over a pool table or kitchen island as a source of task lighting. For this style of fitting make sure you choose areas that you won’t be walking underneath such as bars, tables and kitchen islands to avoid any bumps.

Opt for recessed basement lighting

It goes without saying that the most obvious lighting system for a basement refurbish has to be recessed spotlights. These handy little gadgets provide an unobtrusive slim line illumination whilst still giving a substantial wash of light. The ideal combination for a low ceiling-ed basement refurbishment. Install them along the whole of the ceiling for a unified illumination or dot them in specific areas such as reading nooks. Choose a from a single pack right up to a pack of 22 if you’re lighting a large basement space, Litecraft have a range of recessed down lights in a selection of finishes including Chrome, Satin Chrome and White. Recessed lighting can also be installed to emphasise original architectural elements in your basement. Such as pillars, coffered ceilings, beams or coved ceilings. We hope these handy tips have helped you in your quest to lighting up your basement area. For more information check out our Instagram and Facebook pages.