Lighting is a critical aspect to consider when choosing what color to paint your interior walls. Understanding how natural and artificial lighting accent the walls inside your home will allow you to nail the perfect ambiance you want to create. But just how does lighting impact different paint colors? And what causes it to do so? That’s exactly what this article will cover.
Let’s get started.
Natural Lighting
The natural lighting in your home is caused by the sun’s position in the sky. As the sun rises and makes its way across the sky, the paint on your interior walls will glow in different ways.
Natural light is probably the most important factor when thinking about paint color. The general rule of thumb is that if the room you are painting is north facing, it will let in softer light, causing a warming effect. This means that dark colors will look darker, while lighter colors will be more dim. On the other hand, if the room is south-facing, the light in the room will be much more intense. Dark colors will take on a brighter look, while lighter colors will look washed out.
It can be a lot to consider, but luckily you can use artificial lighting to control the colors and hues in your rooms at any time of the day, regardless of the natural light in your home.
Artificial Lighting
Incandescent and LED lighting are the two most popular sources of artificial lighting you can use within your home that will affect the way paint colors will be seen. Both of these will bring warm, natural light into your home causing brighter colors to appear more intense, while cooler colors will look duller.
Even warmer than incandescent and LED lighting is the use of Edison bulbs. These vintage bulbs emit a yellow color, adding warmth and sometimes an amber hue into your room. You can use Edison bulbs to warm a room that doesn’t get much natural light.
The opposite of the warming effect of Edison bulbs is fluorescent lighting which emits a bluish, cooler hue. These lights will pair well with cooler colors and are used primarily in work spaces such as kitchens.
Light Positioning
Light position is another important aspect to consider when deciding on which paint color to use on your interior walls. Positioning your lights in different ways will create different effects.
Chandeliers and lighting fixtures distribute light throughout the room and utilizing table lamps and floor lamps will make it a touch brighter, while not affecting your wall colors much. Things like string lights, rope lights, and candles are perfect for adding warmth to a room, while also brightening your paint colors.
Final Tips
Testing your walls with a few coats of paint in a particular color, in a particular room can help you decide what you think will look great on your walls. Make sure to keep in mind the natural light each wall will receive.
And don’t forget that the objects in each room also play a part in color perception. So keep in mind that if you are testing paint in an empty room, it will contrast differently once you move in your furniture.
Ready to get to Painting?
Pro Edge Painting is the perfect partner to create the perfect ambiance inside your home. Our team of expert painters is your best resource in Northern Virginia for selecting the right paint for the lighting you are after. Contact us for a quote today!
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