11 Ways To Create Mood Lighting Without A Dimmer Switch
Lighting can completely transform the way a room looks. With the right lighting, a minimalist space can appear opulent and serene. The wrong lighting can make a room look drab and uninviting or too bright and harsh. Mood lighting is a great way to create a cozy and romantic vibe in a room, and you can achieve great mood lighting even if you don’t have a dimmer switch.
To add mood lighting to a room without a dimmer, light a fire in your fireplace, or strategically place and light candles. You can invest in a smart plug or smart bulb that can change the room's intensity and color through an app on your phone. Add lamps and use layered lighting. Swap out hard light fixtures with new ones that add ambience and warmth.
Mood lighting is a fantastic way to completely change the vibe in any room. It is also a very cost-effective way to transform your home. Whether you have a room with lighting that’s too harsh, or you want the option to effectively switch up the lighting in a common area but don’t have a dimmer, then you’re in luck. Below is a list of some easy ways to add ambience and mood lighting to your home when a dimmer switch isn’t an option.
11 Ways To Create Mood Lighting At Home Without A Dimmer
1. Utilize Your Fireplace
A glowing fire is the ultimate mood light. If you have some type of fireplace or fire feature in your home, then use it to help create a fantastic setting. Fires often provide enough light to fill a room with a soft glow.
If you need more light, simply turn on a lamp or a small additional light. Allow the fireplace to be the main focal point of light. The red and orange tones will add a cozy hue to the room, and you are guaranteed to achieve a romantic feeling in the room.
2. Light Some Candles
Not everyone has the luxury of owning a home with a fireplace. Even if you do own one, there are many rooms in your home that still don’t have a fireplace. This is where the use of candles comes in handy.
Candles are, in essence, small fires that you can place throughout any room. You can achieve incredible mood lighting with candles, especially if you know what you are doing.
First, ensure that all candles are safely and strategically placed far from anything flammable, and in a location where they can offer the most light. Opt for thick-wicked and slow-burning candles. This way you will get plenty of light but won’t have to replace your candles every time you want mood lighting in the room.
3. Buy A Smart Plug
If instead of the old-school fire route you'd prefer something more high-tech, then consider buying a smart plug. Smart plugs are the perfect option for someone who wants a dimmer light but doesn’t want to go through the headache of changing the light switch.
A smart dimmer light plugs into the wall and controls whichever light you attach to it. What is amazing about these lights is they are very precise and can be controlled directly from your phone. This makes them great for the bedroom, as you can adjust lighting without leaving your bed.
If you have pets or small children and are nervous about open flames, consider a smart plug.
4. Use Warm-Toned Bulbs
If you don’t want to spend the money on a smart plug and don’t need to control your lights with a remote, consider swapping out some of your bulbs. Even if your bulbs don’t dim, you can still opt for warmer and less harsh lighting.
If you find that your living room looks more like a medical lab than a place to relax, then you likely have the wrong bulbs. Incandescent warm LED light bulbs are ideal to give your room a lovely warm tone in the evening. These LED lights can also help lower your energy costs in some cases.
5. Layer Your Lighting
If you aren’t looking for one “mood” for your room, but rather many different moods and tones, then you should opt for layered lighting. Layered lighting means utilizing several different light sources to achieve the brightness and tone you want in the room.
To achieve great layered lighting you need a few types of lights. For one, a few lamps at different heights is a great place to start. An up-light, as well as some hidden track lighting, is also great. The idea is to use different lights at different times to achieve the perfect balance.
6. Switch Up Your Lamp Shades
If you already have a lamp but find the light too harsh or bright, swap out the lampshade. You’ll be amazed at what a new lampshade can do to change the tone in a room. Opt for a lampshade that increases the warmth of the light, and disperses it evenly.
Natural tones work great. You can also opt for a patterned shade or a woven one that allows small bursts of light. Choose a lampshade that suits your room and adds, rather than subtracts, from the ambience.
7. Incorporate Accent Lights
Accent lights are a specific light or set of lights meant to shed light on a specific object or part of the room. Many accent lights are up-lights that are positioned near the floor. They can highlight a wall, a plant, or a piece of artwork.
These lights work to draw the eye to a specific object. If you highlight a particularly beautiful part of the room, then the room will look better.
8. Try String Lights
If you are looking for a fairy-like or outdoorsy mood for your room, then string lights can be great. String lights are particularly fantastic for screened porches, or other spaces that function as indoor and outdoor rooms.
String lights are also a fun mood light option during the holidays and in kids’ rooms. If you want a “classy” take on string lights, opt for warm Edison bulbs. These give a higher-end look to the string light concept and provide soft vintage tones that warm up any space.
9. Add Wall Sconces
Adding wall sconces might seem like a difficult DIY project, but it doesn’t have to be. If you want to create some simple mood lights with wall sconces, you can use electric bulbs, and turn them on manually any time you want to turn on the sconces.
Sconces add lovely floating light that highlights the walls without over-saturating the room with too much light. They also don’t take up much space, which is great for those with smaller homes.
10. Invest In Smart Bulbs
Smart bulbs are similar to smart plugs and are a great option for people looking to turn their entire home into a smart home. Smart lights can be used in any light fixture, and are popular in overhead lights.
You can control them with an app on your phone. This means you don’t even need to be home to start setting the mood in your home. It also means you can turn off your lights if you forget, which is a good energy saver.
11. Maximize Natural Outdoor Light
Lastly, remember that the warmest light of all is the sun. When you are looking to bring warm light into any room, especially during the day, there is no substitute for natural light. All the other options above are great at night, and can add to existing natural light, but always use natural light when you can.
This means removing anything near your windows that blocks light and adding sheer curtains for privacy that still allows light in. Remember to keep windows clean as well, so light comes in clearly. Even at night, you can enjoy the glow of the moon, which is a truly romantic evening light.
Summing Up Ways To Create Mood Lighting Without A Dimmer
You may think you need a dimmer switch to create mood lighting, but there are tons of alternatives. You can use your fireplace or strategically placed candles to create warm light in your home. You can go high-tech and buy smart bulbs or a smart dimmer plug to make mood lighting possible from your smartphone. You can also use layered lighting, wall sconces, and string lights, and try swapping out harsh light bulbs for warm incandescent LED bulbs.
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Tom Gaffey is an expert writer who currently resides in Washington D.C. Tom has a passion for real estate and home improvement writing, as well as travel and lifestyle writing. He lived the last twelve years in Hawaii where he worked closely with luxury resorts and event planners, mastering his knowledge of aesthetics and luxury products. This is where he found his passion for home improvement and a keen interest in DIY projects. Currently, Tom resides in Washington D.C, and also working on his debut fiction novel.
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