The attic easily becomes the ideal place in the house where it is nice to relax, relax, do your favorite hobby, and possibly work in a calm and secluded atmosphere. The non-standard layout and inclined walls in the room give a lot of clues for interesting design decisions, but it is not always possible to make it cozy. For the space to really “work” and be comfortable, you need to carefully consider all the nuances of attic lighting.
Features of the attic floor
The attic on the top floor of the building, directly under the roof, is called the attic. At first, it had no practical value, but in the XVII century they began to use it as residential premises, which is considered a good idea today.
The main feature of the attic is a sloping ceiling, located at an angle to the walls. He can bend only on one side, be gable or broken, ruthlessly cutting off the space of the room. The walls of such a room are usually low, which in tandem with a sloping ceiling can "put pressure" on perception.
So that the room does not oppress, you need to take care of the good natural lighting of the attic. At the same time, windows can be installed not only in the walls, but also on the ceiling, which allows more light to penetrate. Without artificial lighting, too, nowhere. Even if you use the room only during the day, in cloudy weather it will be very handy. Lighting fixtures and lamps not only make the room brighter, but also help to solve various interior tasks - expand it, make it more romantic, or turn it into a full-fledged working area.
What to look for?
When arranging the attic, it is important that each of its elements work in conjunction with others. Then the interior will turn out to be holistic and will fulfill the role that was assigned to it. Before deciding on the lighting of an attic with sloping walls, analyze your room. Pay attention to the following points:
- The purpose of the space. An abundance of light is necessary if the room will be used as a full-fledged room in which they spend a lot of time. If the attic is planned as a lounge area, a bathroom, or a place to watch movies, then sometimes spotlights or sconces will be enough.
- The shape of the room. Perhaps it has various protrusions and niches. In addition to the main one, they can install additional lighting and create separate functional areas.
- The slope of the ceiling and the presence of beams. These elements compress the space and can be too massive and intrusive details in the interior. The right light will help them hide a little and shift the emphasis to something else. If they need to be emphasized, then he will cope too.
- Room decoration material. Brick, wood, plaster, wallpaper behave differently in the same light. If with the wallpaper one diffusing chandelier is enough, then the brick will more like multi-level solutions. A tree absorbs light, and a room with it always seems darker, so to illuminate a wooden attic it is better to combine local and common sources.
- The prevailing shades. Color and light in the interior are always at the same time, so it is important to take care not only about the location and appearance of the lamps, but also about the spectrum that the lamps emit. Cold light (from 4500 K) is used in bright rooms. But in a white monophonic setting, he can oppress and give the room blue or gray shades. A warm range (up to 3500 K) creates comfort, helps to relax, but can make dark walls and furniture more “heavy”.
Attic lighting options
The attic can be turned into a room of any type - from a bedroom and a workshop to a bathroom or kitchen. It can be divided into several zones or turned into a single vast space. In each case, you will have to choose your type of lamps and fixtures that will create exactly the atmosphere that was intended.
There are such types of attic lighting :
- chandeliers and pendant lamps;
- sconces and wall lights;
- spots for walls and ceilings.
- Spotlights;
- mobile lamps and floor lamps;
- LED strip.
They all perform different tasks and are divided into two large groups according to the type of lighting: general and local. The former scatter light evenly throughout the room, making the interior coherent. The second are aimed at certain areas of the room, highlighting them and giving the space completeness and volume.
Chandeliers
Pendant lights, as a rule, are a very noticeable element of decor. They focus on themselves and emphasize the style of the interior. An openwork chandelier with many details looks good in a bohemian, gothic or oriental setting. A modest lamp on the wire will fit into industrial style, loft or minimalism.
However, as an attic lighting, this option should be chosen with caution. Pendant lights greatly narrow the already small space, visually make the ceiling lower. If you do not want to reduce the room, then choose a chandelier with a short leg and with a small amount of detail. Take a look at LED models, which are usually more compact.
Sconces, floor lamps, table lamps
Wall and portable lights are used as local lighting. They make the room more comfortable, create a chamber atmosphere and add zest to the decor. They are placed above the bed, near the writing and coffee tables, as well as in the darkened areas of the room, where the general light does not reach. With their help, it is possible to zone the space even without the participation of partitions and dampers.
Spot light
Spotlights are one of the most versatile indoor options. They are suitable for creating accents, dividing zones, highlighting individual objects and niches. Several powerful spotlights can be used as full lighting on the attic ceiling or placed on the darkest wall in the room to highlight it. The originality and freshness of the atmosphere will add a combination of various in form and style of such lamps. But it is better to limit yourself to only two types to make the interior artsy and lurid.
Spots
The spots for walls and ceilings, in fact, carry the same functions as spotlights. They are also used to emphasize individual zones and objects, for general lighting and illumination of work sites. Their only difference is that they are located on the brackets and can be rotated in different directions. This is very convenient, especially when the attic is used for different types of activities.
LED strip
This type of attic lighting is often used in addition to the rest and carries a decorative function. Tapes, as a rule, hide behind interior objects, playing the role of highlighting them. Thus, you can highlight a shelf, cabinet, wall or ceiling, creating an alternative to general lighting. In the kitchen, bathroom or in the dressing room with LEDs, it is good to highlight the shaded work area and mirrors.
Summary and Tips
Lighting is one of the most important elements of a holistic and stylish interior. It can transform space, solve its problems and create the necessary atmosphere. When choosing lamps and fixtures, the main thing is to take into account the size and layout of the room, its color scheme and style.
Before making a choice, you should analyze all the shortcomings of the room, identify which places need to be hidden, and which ones should be emphasized. Sconces, floor lamps and a warm range of lamps will make the large attic more pleasant and comfortable. A small room can be visually expanded if you direct the light of the lamps on the wall or put floor lamps in the shaded corners.
Be sure to think about security. For example, attic lighting in a wooden house should not be installed with internal wiring. Otherwise, in a fire it will be extremely difficult to extinguish the fire, and the flame will quickly spread throughout the building. Instead of plastic boxes, it is better to use steel and copper, and place the switches away from the windows so that they are not flooded during bad weather.