Find out how you can seamlessly introduce lighting control systems into your older home. Old homes are gorgeous, but the older fixtures don’t always hold up to our modern standards of convenience and functionality. When you’re ready to upgrade the lighting in your traditional home, there is a lot to consider. First, you need to think about the furniture and overall aesthetic of your home. Second, you need to establish what you want out of your modern home lighting system. For many homeowners, light quality, energy efficiency and automation via lighting control systems are high priorities. So, the question becomes — how can I integrate modern lighting into my older home? I’ve got a few suggestions to help you find lighting inspiration for your vintage space, so let’s dive in!

 

 

Lighting Control Systems

Automation using lighting control systems helps bring your old home into the 21st century

 

 

For those who want to preserve the classic look of their home, it may seem like introducing high tech lighting is impossible. Thanks to advanced lighting control systems, it is now easier than ever to automate any home. Using smart lighting, you can adjust your lighting from anywhere using a smart device. If you’re prone to leave the lights on when you leave the house, this is an extremely helpful feature. 

 

All you have to do to take advantage of home automation is install a few WiFi capable smart light bulbs in your home. After you’ve installed and connected your smart bulbs, you’ll be able to control your lighting using your smartphone, tablet, or smart speaker.

 

Energy Efficient LED Lights

 

LED lights are becoming industry standard and work well with lighting control systems

 

Over the last few decades, incandescent and fluorescent light bulbs have fallen out of popularity in favor of LEDs. LED lights have the distinct advantage of being far more energy efficient than their predecessors. If you are worried about overpaying on your electric bill in your traditional home, it’s time to ditch your old bulbs for a set of new LEDs. LEDs work well with lighting control systems due to their versatility in color and tone. Not only that, but LEDs also provide white light that promotes a regular circadian rhythm — unlike incandescent and fluorescent bulbs.

 

Mix and Match Pendant Lights

 

Pendant lights mesh with older furniture to create a chic, casual look

 

Moving on from tech and into lighting design, it’s time to talk about pendant lights. Pendant lights are trending this year for all types of homes, but mixing and matching different styles is especially popular for older homes. Since vintage furniture usually has a few imperfections, it’s important not to make your lighting choices too uniform. That’s why we recommend picking out a few styles of pendant lights and mixing them together. This casual lighting style makes the perfect accent piece for a kitchen or dining room area.

Keep it Simple

 

When selecting modern lights, it’s better to contrast rather than with your vintage fixtures

Older homes tend to have a lot of dark wood paneling, wooden furniture with ornate carvings, and extravagant chandeliers. However, when you’re looking for a modern lighting fixture to complement your vintage surroundings, it’s best to stray away from ornate and extravagant. Choosing simple yet elegant modern lights is a great way to update your home without taking away any of the charm. Unfortunately, a very intricately designed modern fixture will not mesh well with vintage styling and can make your home appear cluttered. 

 

Choose a Modern Chandelier

 

By introducing a modern statement lighting fixture into your older home, you can easily change the look of your space

When it comes to interior lighting design, sometimes it only takes one statement piece to update your home. In this case, we recommend choosing one modern chandelier to feature as part of your updated home lighting. Finding the right chandelier for your space can be tricky. That’s why we recommend choosing a piece that helps highlight your home’s vintage appeal rather than causing a distraction.

 

Floor Lamps Create Visual Interest

 

Floor lamps are one of the easiest ways to update your home lighting

Now more than ever, homeowners are using floor lamps to bring some added intrigue to their home. Floor lamps work especially well in vintage spaces because they can be adjusted to flatter your space. Just like choosing a statement lighting fixture, it’s best to keep it simple when it comes to a floor lamp. We recommend choosing a sleek design that can add just a hint of modernity to your space.

 

Don’t stress about choosing modern styles for your older homes! Old homes are beautiful in their own right — it’s just up to you to determine the best lighting to show it off. Through innovations in lighting control systems and automation, you can update your home without having to make any invasive changes. You might be surprised how a simple change in lighting can change your whole space. 

 

(This post is in partnership with Responsival)