Lighting plays an important role in any kind of interior design. Light strongly influences the mood and theme of any room. With only subtle differences from one area to another in terms of lighting, the feel of the room can change vastly.
Lighting also affects how big or small a room is perceived. A brightly lit room, for example, where all elements are clearly visible, creates the illusion of space. This is because equally distributed lighting reduces or completely eliminates the shadows present.
But there’s more to maximizing lighting than just enhancing the perception of size. In fact, many interior designers purposefully choose to highlight certain areas, elements, and fixtures of a room to create visual interest. This is called accent lighting. By focusing lights on house plants, sculptures, paintings, or even shelves, the attention of people is drawn towards these items.
The rule of thumb when working with accent lighting is using light that is at least three times brighter than that of the room’s. These lights are usually recessed and wall-mounted.
For this article, we will focus on a specific example of accent lighting – using the Nanoleaf.
Nanoleaf
From the innovations in smart home appliances and the internet of things come the intuitive and intelligent Nanoleaf smart lighting. These LED lighting fixtures add colour and brightness to any room. They are highly customisable and tunable using devices like your smartphone.
Nanoleaf lights are usually bought in groups. They come in different shapes and sizes to fit the need of the room and the overall interior design theme.
Interior designers love working with these lights because of how they can transform areas with just a couple of taps or even some voice commands. They are usually used as accent lighting but some also use Nanoleaf smart lighting as ambient lighting or lighting that can illuminate an entire room.
Nanoleaf Integration
Aside from the ability to customise the colour and brightness of each individual fixture in the group, Nanoleaf smart lighting also offers an array of other features. Perhaps what sets Nanoleaf lights apart from other smart lighting solutions the most is how much integration it offers. Nanoleaf lights can be controlled using any of the following technologies.
- Apple Homekit
- Google Assistant
- Amazon Alexa
- Razer
- IFTTT
- SmartThings
- Flic
- Screen Mirror
- Mobile and Desktop Apps
Nanoleaf in Interior Design
Although on paper the qualities of Nanoleaf smart lighting makes it sound like it can only be considered as accent lighting, its highly customisable nature makes it easier to be used as general or ambient lighting or task lighting.
Here are a few examples.
Entryway
Making a good first impression is a must for entryways. Designers usually use warm lighting here to create that welcoming feel as people enter. They would typically have hanging pendants, wall scones, and even chandeliers.
Nanoleaf offers an alternative to this approach. Wall or ceiling Nanoleaf lights set to warm tones will create the same effect but with a modern, hi-tech twist. This lets people know that the home is a hub for modern technology and smart objects.
Living Room
The living room is one of most, if not the most, visited areas in a home. Lights should be functional but at the same time easily controllable. Although relying purely on Nanoleaf may not be an option here, their smart lighting can still do a lot to improve the space.
For example, instead of using lamps or table lights to compliment overhead fixtures, Nanoleaf lights may be able to pass as task lighting particularly when placed strategically.
Using accent lighting on artworks and other similar features is also common in living rooms. These can easily be replaced with Nanoleaf lights to highlight those features.
As a plus, Nanoleaf lights also have the ability to be dimmed or brightened on command.
Dining Room
Since the dining room is a place of sharing, relaxation, and warmth, overhead lighting fixtures add a nice touch. Interior designers usually recommend pendant lights and chandeliers but dimmable lights, like Nanoleaf smart lighting, would be an excellent addition. The ability to dim and even to change the colour of Nanoleaf lights can add drama and ambience to the room. Nanoleaf lights can be placed on walls to better set the mood for family interactions.
Kitchen
Most interior designers will recommend utilitarian and task-oriented lighting when it comes to the kitchen. This option makes sense considering the kitchen is a high-traffic, high-activity area. But there are a lot of opportunities to be creative here as well.
Instead of using shelf or under-cabinet lights, Nanoleaf can take the functionality and creativity to a whole new level. Their lights can provide the much-needed illumination while also adding to the overall aesthetic character of the room.
Entertainment Room
Many homes now have separate entertainment rooms for activities like binge-watching, gaming, music playing, and other similar engaging and fun stuff. This is a room where the Nanoleaf smart lights can really shine.
Aside from having the ability to change the colours and effectively, the mood of the room depending on the type of activity, Nanoleaf lights also offer a feature called the Rhythm Module. This allows the lights to sync with music or other sources, giving the user a more holistic experience.
Imagine listening to music as the lights change hues and brightness levels to keep up. This feature is even described as the lights ‘dancing’ to the sounds present in the room.
Bedroom
This is the best place to showcase soft and ambient lighting. Nanoleaf smart lighting can do wonders here. The ability to dim down the lights and even set it to nightlight territory, while also using cool tones is simply magic.
Wrap Up
Giving special attention to lighting in interior design can be very rewarding. Using Nanoleaf smart lighting adds even more layers of sophistication and style. Its wide range of features and functionalities also lends itself well as more than just accent lighting. It’s definitely a mainstay in the homes of the future.
If you want more ideas or just general information about Nanoleaf products, don’t hesitate to give us a call at 0333 0230 827.