Five tricks for lighting big spaces

Whether you’ve lucked out with an industrial warehouse apartment, grappling with the huge proportions of a Georgian home or just happen to live in a pile of American-esque proportions (the average US home is 2687 feet). You’ll be in the same quandary: how to make those super-sized rooms feel stylish, and homely whilst still celebrating their uniqueness. After all having a room that’s ‘too big’ is the interiors equivalent of being too rich or successful – it’s a good problem to have. But without the right lighting, big spaces can start to feel cold and impersonal. Here are our top 5 cheats for lighting big spaces. 1) Go a little brighter: Light coming from up high decreases as a function of the square of the distance. Confused? Don’t be: it basically means that light mounted twice as high, is one-fourth as bright. So – unless you are opting for multiple lights - you just need to go a little bolder to get the same impact as in a normal height room. Try Factorylux, Eco-LED Bulb, Dimmable, (E27, £30.60) which has a 330 degree beam angle ideal for lighting larger spaces. 2) Love LED and eco: The higher your ceilings the bigger a pain it is to change your bulb. So opt for one that’ll last as long as possible; all our eco and LED bulbs have a 25,000-hour life meaning less hair-raising trips up a ladder. Shop Factorylux LED-Filaments 3) Opt for a long-drop: Double-height ceilings are the perfect partner to statement shades hung from long pieces of chain, or lighting cable. They add a feeling of intimacy to a room and are especially useful in dining areas, hallways and stairwells. 4) Have different levels of light: Start up high with a super-sized pendant or chandelier, then move down to sconces like a swan or goose neck lamp, and finally add warmth from the ground with table and floor lamps. This helps you create the feel of rooms within a room; with pockets of light in a reading area or around a dining table stopping the space feeling too vast. Adding in dimmers also helps. 5) Pick the right paint: Opting for smoky shades like Mylands, Smithfield, or Farrow and Ball's Worsted will instantly add warmth to a double-height space.