D-I-Y Living Room Lighting Upgrades

As a homeowner, there are lots of small changes you can make that make a big difference in the atmosphere or efficiency of your home. Since lighting is often one of the costlier parts of any home, it makes sense to look for affordable ways to change things up for a home improvement with minimal effort and maximum outcome. Here are 3 easy DIY living room lighting upgrades to help make one of the most important rooms in your home more enjoyable and efficient.

1. Install wall sconces.

A well-placed wall sconce can add ambiance and lend a level of sophistication to any living room. While they will not be a primary source of illumination, they will offer a gentle mix of uplight and downlight that is pleasing to the eye and perfect for when the room needs a gentler light. They are available in several styles and price points to meet any budget. While they are generally easy to install, there are even models that feature a simple plug and play operation you can run behind the wall for an easy addition.

2. Adjust the temperature of the lamps.

One of the easiest DIY living room lighting upgrades is also one of the most affordable. The color temperature of the bulb may not be something you often think about, but it can have a huge impact on your living room. If a lamp is too much on the warm side, it will cast a yellow light that might make it harder to stay awake during family time. If the light is too white or bluish, it can make it harder to relax. The goal is to find the happy medium for your needs. In fact, the easiest way to find the right color temperature is to have different fixtures with different temperatures that will operate independently of each other. For example, an overhead with a cooler temperature for a task that requires more light or concentration tasks such as game night or reading a book, and having lamps or wall sconces with warmer temperature for when you are trying to relax.

3. Replace older, outdated solutions with more efficient solutions.

While incandescent bulbs give a certain ambiance, they are not the most energy efficient and their effects can be recreated with better bulbs. Compact fluorescent will offer a better conversion of energy to illumination with a wider color temperature range. Another option is LED which is the superior choice for an energy-efficient, eco-conscious lighting solution. Not only do they last longer than other lamp types, they create a lowered carbon emission, consume less energy, and are free of harmful elements such as mercury.