The Economy may be in the doldrums, but that doesn’t mean your decor has to be there too! It’s possible to turn dark, dreary and dated decor into LIGHT, LIVELY AND NOW! all on a shoestring budget!

whats the secret to sprucing up on a shoestring budget? LIGHTEN UP – LITERALLY!

upgrading or updating your homes lighting can impart a whole new atmosphere, and you don’t need to spend big bucks on pricey new fixtures to do it. simple, Budget friendly changes can make a big difference in how your home looks and feels, and how much you enjoy living there.

The experts at Turney Lighting offer a few tips:

FIRST consider the first impression that guests (or potential buyers) have of your upgrading the exterior light or the entry way chandelier can add curb appeal and that first impression of your home.

Replacing old and dated fixtures, adding a few inexpensive landscape lights to highlight a few interesting architectural features can make it love at first site for potential buyers… or every time you come home!

ONCE you have face lifted the exterior, stand inside the front door. what do you see? changing the dining room or foyer light can help a lot! or maybe even consider replacing that old school ceiling fan in the living room with a nice more relevant chandelier or pendant? remember… eclectic is beautiful only in the eye of the beholder. try to make the lighting in the home look good together. it shouldn’t by any means look like a hotel but it should most definitely flow well together.

NEXT dimmers dimmers dimmers… in case you don’t get it…. DIMMERS DIMMERS DIMMERS

put everything on dimmers! they are cheap and easy to get a hold of. they even, are easy to install!

adding dimmers to your homes lighting can add so much charm! changing the level of each layer of light in the home is the best way to set any mood! for example, dimmers in a bathroom enable you to turn on the lights in the middle of the night without the jarring impact of full on brightness! In a master bedroom, they can create a soothing or even romantic mood. you may even consider a dimming system. DON’T GET SCARED! most products are extremely user and contractor friendly and start at about $1900.00 and can be easily added too to control up to 60 lights.

IN OTHER ROOMS, consider your portable lamps. one way to impact on a small budget is to change out old and dated lamp shades. use fashion and trend-forward designs.

consider how to use table lamps as well. they create a nice diverse light scheme.

KITCHENS ARE USUALLY thought of when it comes to face lifting a home.

not only do we need nice bright task lighting, but kitchens are a great place to use the “lots of layers” trick when looking at the lighting.

under cabinet lighting can make any dark kitchen seem to shine! mounted under the cabinet & tucked way out of site, these guys can add a nice romantic glow or very bright vegetable cutting light (please refer back to the paragraph on dimmers)

adding hanging fixtures that can be seen & shown off can have a great impact as well.

adding mini pendants or large lights over the island can be very appealing.but don’t forget that we need make sure that there is enough light for everyday tasks.

recessed cans and fluorescent lighting both give you another layer of light and offer great task lighting

 

 

 

IN BATH ROOMS, consider replacing the fixtures with dated styles and finishes with more modern or contemporary designs. everyone likes a great looking powder room or master bathroom. there have been great advancements in the designs of bath lighting. and remember the dimmers.

 

Remember, replacing a light is much easier than painting, new floors and yes… even new counter tops.