Home Staging Tips: Lighting

Lighting is one of the most important ways to set the mood in a home, whether it is for sale or rent.  Think about the last time you were in a bathroom that had too little light, or a bedroom with no reading light next to the bed, or dining room that had light so harsh it was impossible to enjoy dinner.  Make sure that the level of light in each room is appropriate for the function of that room.  As a rule of thumb, bathrooms, closets and kitchens should have even, bright light while bedrooms, dining rooms and dens should have softer, ambient lighting.  Dimmers are always a great option to enhance the mood of a room.  Also, if you have the space, floor lights that go behind indoor plants or under furniture with very low wattage bulbs can also help.  If you really want to go the extra mile, consider converting your incandescent ceiling lights to halogen lighting.  It might be mood lighting to you, but if you’re trying to sell your home, keep it bright! Dimly lit rooms tend to look small and dingy— especially during the day.  If you have a particularly dark room, consider investing in a floor lamp that will bounce light off the ceiling.