While it may not be immediately apparent, one of the most cost-effective strategies to increase your home’s value is through simple and efficient lighting upgrades. Whether you decide to update your home’s existing interior lighting or exterior lighting, there are plenty of options and a lot to consider. The difference between before and after home lighting upgrades can be pretty dramatic.

However, it's not just a bolt of common lightning but along with the perks of being energy efficient and eco-friendly, LED lighting makes a huge difference in the look and feel of a room! Clients are always surprised at how much brighter their space looks once LED lighting is installed. It is the best choice if you want to showcase a remodeled area, like a kitchen or bathroom. Because there are different options available – can lights, tubes, and strip lights – LEDs are a great option for both primary and accent lighting. These different options can also be used together to create a no shadow environment. Decorative lights make a room look nice, but they’re not as practical today as they once were.

Here are the 5 most valuable areas for you to consider for home lighting upgrades in your house this year.

Exterior Lighting

One feature of outdoor lighting is its ability to highlight your landscaping, driveway, paths, fire pits, fountains, fencing, and other outdoor areas. If your home has an outdoor patio, a deck, a pool, or a grill area, these can be decked out (pun intended) with beautiful lighting fixtures. These make the area both stand out and provide more overall visibility.

The purpose of outdoor lighting is to increase the efficiency of human activities during the time when it is dark and to make production, transportation, construction, city beautification, etc. in the outdoor areas efficient, safe, secure, and comfortable.

NOTE:

Outdoor lighting can be used to create ambiance on patios and decks while making the exterior of a home look more dynamic and attractive from the sidewalk. Lighting your outdoor space adds an extra touch of elegance.

Plus, outdoor lighting can be used to create ambiance on patios and decks while making the exterior of a home look more dynamic and attractive from the sidewalk. Lighting your outdoor space adds an extra touch of elegance.

Even when you consider your home’s location and overall design/style, there are endless options for exterior lighting updates. With some simple additions and finishes, the “curb appeal” of your home can skyrocket almost instantly.

Kitchen Lighting

The kitchen is often the heart of the home. With some lighting upgrades, you can make that space even more beautifully designed and inviting.

For starters, the kitchen typically has three different sets of lighting: general, task, and accent. Each one of these can be updated according to your preferences and budget to get a great new look. 

The perfect lighting can set the mood and tone for all aspects of your home, including the kitchen. It can create an inviting, welcoming space while also providing a useful and purposeful atmosphere. The right light will ensure safety, cleanliness, and ease of visibility for anything you need to do in the kitchen.

If you have an island, consider updating your more general recessed lighting by installing new hanging lights. To highlight a unique backsplash, add LED lighting upgrades as an accent under your cabinets for a dramatic finish. For the family chef, a series of well-placed task lights over the stove/grill area can make all the difference.

 Bathroom Lighting

The bathroom is another space that optimal lighting can create a relaxing spa-like atmosphere. For one thing, if your bathroom currently has simple overhead lighting, you might choose to install wall-mounted fixtures instead, in order to add value and a dash of warmth.

When done right, the bathroom lighting should help us feel good and ready for the rest of the day, as well as help us relax and wind down for the night. It is, therefore, important to set the right ambiance with the right lights. 

Great care must be taken when selecting a bathroom light as all bathroom lighting must conform to the current regulations which are designed with safety in mind - where you have electricity and water there is an increased risk and this is why the regulations are quite specific.

Lights should be positioned to reveal thresholds, steps, and areas that might be wet or slippery. Lights above mirrors cast unflattering shadows on faces if they are the only light sources in the area.

Providing additional light from the sides balances the light levels and reduces those shadows. Mirrors can be used to bounce light around a room enhancing its effect placing a mirror on a wall opposite a window multiples the light available to the room during the day.

Note: 

For safety’s sake, add recessed light in the ceiling over the shower to cast the perfect amount of light. This light can be turned off when the shower is not in use or left on as a night light.

Entryway Lighting

Though it’s not a place you spend a ton of time, entryways and foyers have a unique position in the home, which bold, upgraded lighting can highlight. While some rooms in the house may not call for, or even support, eccentricity, the entryway is the exception.

Small and big chandeliers are featured in all kinds of foyers and entryways. When you have a foyer with a tall ceiling, a chandelier is an ideal lighting option. You can brightly light up the entrance to offer a well-lit entry for guests, plus they can look fabulous.

Also, the entryway or foyer is a key spot for making the first impression. Whether you pick a bold statement pendant or a subdued, minimalist sconce, your entryway light will set the tone.

Given a little time and attention, the entryway can become one of your home’s most exciting features, and homebuyers (who will likely enter by the front door) are very likely to take notice.

But all in all, it really depends so much on the style of the home, the amount of wall space, and how the walls are used.

Living Room Lighting

Your lighting should complement the overall tone of the room, as well as match the design of the entire area. By utilizing strategic lighting, you gain the ability to both enhance the look of a room, as well as the overall functionality.

Like the kitchen, living rooms are a space that utilizes multiple types of lighting. In addition to the task and accent lighting of the kitchen, they also make use of ambient lights to create an overall feeling of comfort, leisure, and relaxation.

If you’re looking to upgrade your living room light situation, a particularly helpful strategy is what’s known as “light layering”. With light layering, you first take into consideration the primary use of the room, and then you layer the lights in such a way to make these activities easier and more enjoyable.

Think about what each area of the living room needs

Try breaking down the room into functional areas Ask yourself, where do you need the most light?

Does it need to be bright and focused or a background ambient light?

• Lighting the whole living room, in general, raises overall ambient light
• A brighter light near to where you perform activities helps you read and focus
• Adding decorative accent lamps highlights your living room decor and furniture. 

Making your house more efficient, adding square footage, upgrading the kitchen or bath, and installing smart-home technology can help increase its value. The good news is, keeping up with repairs and making smart improvements are both proven ways to increase home value over time. Adding or updating your light fixtures is a relatively inexpensive way to add value to your home. However, the amount your home value will increase after a lighting fixture update is hard to determine. Even if upgrading your lighting doesn't make a difference to your home's value, it could make it easier to sell.