The living room sofa is probably one of the most-used pieces of furniture in your home. We entertain, relax, snooze and even eat on these living room essentials. When looking to buy a sofa it’s important the one you choose reflects your needs and lifestyle. Let us help you break down the details to find a sofa that’s made for you.
Lighting buying guide
From mood to task lighting, decorative chandeliers to functional bathroom designs, at Heal's we know that good lighting is fundamental to your home's interior. Read our guide to choosing the best lighting for your home below.
How to choose lighting
Creating a well-lit home is about more than choosing a single light source. Combining different types of lighting at different heights helps build layers of light, balancing everyday functionality with a warm and inviting atmosphere.
Ambient lighting
Ambient lighting provides the main source of light within a room, typically through overhead spotlights, ceiling lights or pendants. Rather than relying on overhead lighting alone, combine it with light at different heights to create a softer, more welcoming atmosphere.
Task lighting
Task lighting provides focused illumination exactly where you need it, whether that’s above a kitchen work surface, beside a reading chair or across a desk. Positioning light with a specific purpose in mind makes everyday tasks easier while adding another layer to your lighting scheme.
Accent lighting
Accent lighting is used to highlight architectural details, artwork or other points of interest, while creating a softer glow. Wall, table and floor lamps can create pools of light at eye level and below, bringing warmth and depth to a room.
Creating the right atmosphere
Lighting temperature
The colour temperature of your light sources should be based on where and why you need it. For homes, warm light typically around 2700 to 3000 Kelvin is ideal. The almost yellow glow creates a warm, cosy and friendly atmosphere for you and your family to relax in. Any light with a rating of around 2700 K will give out a nice warm tone. Higher than 3000k and the light becomes whiter, to almost blue.
Dimmability
To make the most of your lighting, install the highest-wattage light bulb possible, then dim it down to accommodate the mood and lighting needs. Consider dimmers on both overhead lighting and lamp lighting. You may need brighter light when preparing/cooking food (or getting up and out in the mornings!) but softer
light when relaxing in the evening.
Consider the use of materials
The alabaster on our Ebro pendant is a natural stone with gorgeous veining and striations which can soften the look and feel of a contemporary space.
The position of the light source allows for light to shine down onto a surface or dining table but it is not a harsh direct light when viewed from the side.
It is also dimmable so you can dial down the brightness in the evenings when hosting or when you just need a less overbearing light source.
How to choose the right size pendant light
It’s important to consider the scale of your lighting in relation to the space. A series of smaller pendants can create greater impact when positioned together above a kitchen island, breakfast bar or dining table, while also providing an even spread of light.
In smaller rooms or spaces with low ceilings, wall or table lamps may be a more suitable choice.
As a guide, pendant lights should sit around 75 to 90 centimetres above an island work surface or dining table.
Portable lighting for every space
The portable rechargeable table lamp has been a complete game changer in the last couple of years - designed initially to be used outside, they can be used anywhere in the home that needs a bit of extra illumination, especially where sockets and cables are inaccessible or
impractical.
Our Pebble lamps in marble or travertine stone also add that natural feel which can soften the often harsh lines of a kitchen. Also they can replace candles which makes for a much safer dining experience (especially with children).
How to install dimmable LED lights
If you are considering buying a dimmable LED light, firstly, you need to make sure you have a compatible dimmer switch. It's likely that if you're upgrading from traditional halogen or incandescent bulbs to LED, your current dimmer switch won't be compatible.
So, we'd recommend getting a specialised LED-compatible dimmer switch to allow for a smoother, quieter and flicker-free performance.
There are 2 common household dimmers: leading-edge dimmers and trailing edge dimmers. Leading-edge dimmers are designed to work with old incandescent bulbs, while trailing edge dimmers work better with LED bulbs. Trailing edge dimmers have a lower wattage range and can easily read and control LED bulbs.
What Causes Dimmable LED Lights to Flicker?
The main cause of flickering with dimmable LED light can usually be traced back to the dimmer switch or dimming system. It is very rarely an issue with the light itself.
Dimmer switches come with a minimum compatible load (in short, the amount of Watts it can process). Leading-edge dimmer switches are mainly designed for older incandescent bulbs on a higher wattage, so their minimum load will be high.
In a lot of cases, you won't be powering enough wattage through LED bulbs to meet that minimum requirement as they consume such a low amount of energy (and fewer Watts). That's why it's important that you get a compatible LED dimmer switch to avoid any potential flickering.
The quality of the dimmer switch you install will also have a bearing on the performance of your lights. A good quality dimmer switch will have different modes and ranges of dimming capability. Most of the time, flickering dimmable LEDs can be remedied by simply changing the mode on the dimmer switch, or resetting the dimmer to its factory settings.
Dimmable LED bulbs in floor or table lamps
Due to the low voltage of LED bulbs, you may find that if you use one in a traditional floor or table lamp with a dimmer switch that it does not dim down completely, or there is a noticeable hum or flicker when the light is turned down.
This can be rectified by using a higher wattage bulb - we recommend at least 5W. Make sure thebulb is fully tightened in the socket.
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Looking to liven up your dining table? Find out how with our guide to pairing tableware.
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Keep your wooden furniture looking its best with simple care and maintenance that protects its natural beauty for years to come.
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