As the dark nights roll in, lighting up your conservatory for around the clock use becomes even more important. Winter’s short days and long nights can be difficult to handle after warm summer days, with many individuals struggling to adjust and some even developing troublesome Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) as a result.
Whatever the season, your conservatory should be an extension of your home. Once you’ve discovered the conservatory heating solutions that are right for you, sorting your lighting should next on the to-do list. Read on, to discover our top lighting tips to make your conservatory the brightest part of your home, even if weather conditions outside are far from perfect.
Remember spotlights are your friends
Whilst uplighters should be avoided in conservatory spaces, recessed spotlights are the lighting type of choice for many conservatory owners – and for good reason. As well as resembling a starry night to bring the outdoors in, integrated spotlights can be carefully positioned around windows to ensure that when the sun goes down, light levels aren’t impacted drastically. In addition, spotlights can also be placed to cast light on your conservatory space’s most interesting features, like your potted plant collection or prized ornaments.
Add some sparkle to the room
Your lighting choice doesn’t have to be plain. You can make a real statement by adding some sparkle to your conservatory space. Chandeliers offer a stunning lighting choice for conservatories of all sizes and uses, with the clear crystals used in many designs reflecting light further. Selecting the right chandelier for your space is important and as Houzz explains, size matters:
“When choosing a chandelier for most spaces, one general rule of thumb will give you a good guide on choosing a size:
Width of room (in feet) + length of room (in feet) = diameter/width of chandelier (in inches).
So, for example, if your room is 14 feet long by 10 feet wide, a 24-inch diameter chandelier would look proportionate (14 feet + 10 feet = 24 feet, which you convert to inches). This is a common rule that helps you keep the scale of your chandelier in proportion to the size of the room. To me, this rule is best used as a starting place and not as a hard and fast rule, but it definitely helps set a minimum size.”
Prepare your space for all seasons
The light-fan combination is a great lighting choice, particularly for smaller conservatories. Thanks to its dual functionality, your space can be brightened in the winter and effectively cooled in the summer to prepare your space for use all year round.
A dimmer switch is another great addition to your conservatory lighting design scheme. The dimmer is a handy accessory that will help you light your conservatory as little, or as much, as you’d like to set the right ambience for different uses.
Don’t forget to boost natural light too!
The power of natural light should be harnessed, even during the winter months. The conservatory is blessed with lots of glazing so strike the right balance between natural and artificial light.
There are a number of home décor ideas and window treatments that can be explored to boost and reflect available natural light in your conservatory. Your conservatory furniture choice can make a huge impact on light levels, with more neutrally coloured furnishings favoured over darker items.