Log Home Lighting Tips

Create The Mood And Show Off Your Home!

When one talks about how lighting should be used in your log home, it presents an interesting topic of discussion, especially with log homes since that type of home interior will absorb up to 50% of the light emanating from your lighting systems. That’s what darker-colored logs do—they absorb light. What it boils down to, actually, is incorporating the use of fixtures in such a way that they will provide a welcoming feel for your family and anyone else who enters your home--yes, your lighting and lighting arrangements, actually set the mood for those who enter your home-sweet-home. Secondly, it boils down to using lighting, strategically, so that one can make up for the absorbed light without increasing one’s electric bill.

Let’s take each room, individually, to see how you can incorporate perfect log home lighting tips that can, actually, create feelings of positivity and warmth, show off your log home’s interior and capitalize on strategic placement to pick up where absorbed light leaves off.

The Bedrooms:

There are several things you can do to create a feeling of a welcoming retreat: along one or both sides of the bed, place a lamp on the end-table with low lighting. A 25-watt bulb will offer a softness that will calm and sooth. Have the lamps on prior to calling it a day—when you walk into your bedroom, you will, instantly, feel a sense of quietness and peace—all due to the subdued lighting! Lamps with softer lighting, also, have a way of showing off your log’s stain—it will appear richer and warmer.

The overhead lighting should never contain 60-watt bulbs! If so, when the overhead light is turned on, you’ll feel emotionally jolted. Here, two or three 40-watt bulbs would provide enough light while still maintaining a peaceful feel, not to mention electricity that will be saved.

The Bathrooms:

Women will testify to the fact that it is difficult to apply make-up in a bathroom that is too dimly lit. On the other hand, lighting that is too harsh will cast shadows that will make anyone look years older, especially with lighting situated directly above the vanity mirror. So what is a good compromise? The solution is an easy one: Add a dimmer switch so the brightness of the lighting can be controlled. This is a nicety for anyone, actually, since flicking on a bright bathroom light in the morning is nothing less than unwelcoming. Also, installing strip lights on either side of the mirror to take the place of lighting directly above the mirror can provide prefect illumination for those who love to primp---without looking older than they really are!

And speaking of moods, a dimmer switch is a mood-creator if you have a whirlpool-tub in your bathroom and you just want to escape from the stressors of the world. Low-lighting does wonders to help the mind unwind.

The Dining Room:

To create specialized lighting and keep your dining room’s ambiance soft and relaxing, you can use accent lights that point towards the ceiling. This will showcase your log woodwork, above, and create a dramatic feeling of richness and spaciousness. If you have a large lighting fixture above your dining room table, a dimmer switch can be used to offer a soft glow that will enhance the natural glow of the wood walls and beams.

If you have a china hutch, miniature halogen or fluorescent bulbs installed inside will provide a cozy feel that will beckon people to enter the room just to get a feel of the serenity that type of lighting will exude! Or, if you have a table or cabinet, a small lamp on the end or center with a 15-watt bulb will create a sense of welcoming during the day and at night.

The Kitchen:

There’s just something so appealing about lighting under cabinets! Not only does that type of lighting offer a homey feel, but it provides functional illumination for meal preparation, as well.

If you have an island in your kitchen, there are two types of lighting that work very well: recessed ceiling fixtures or track lighting. Both provide very direct highlighting of specific areas where needed; and again, dimmers can be installed to control the amount of direct light you are in the mood for.

Lighter, more airy window treatments are conducive to log-home kitchens since they will allow natural light to give darker log walls a radiant glow.

The Living Room:

Track lighting or rail systems are a fabulous way to illuminate the room in your home that will get used the most. Cathedral ceilings can be brightened with ‘up-lights’ as high as the 9-foot level. Up-lights will bounce off the ceiling to create visual height; and will add an extra dimension of drama to your room’s emotional impression. This type of lighting will do a beautiful job of showcasing the log trusses without losing any of the light that might, otherwise, radiate elsewhere.

Another tip is to use side-lighting from wall sconces. The idea, here, is the same for your living room as it is for the bathroom lighting that was discussed, above. Overhead lighting causes glare and shadowing of not only furniture, but people’s faces; and it can make one feel as if one is in a lit-up warehouse. Wall fixtures remedy this and will complement any room and provide a softness that is universally appealing.

And don’t forget any floor lamps and table lamps. Their job is not only functional, but emotional. Nothing higher than 40 watt bulbs should be used in lamps. Lower-wattage bulbs create a welcoming, serene feel.

Though your log home has an inherent ability to make others feel comfortable and relaxed, your lighting systems and strategies will add that finishing touch! Chances are, any of your guests who feel the emotional warmth, may want to stay just a little bit longer!