6 Closet Lighting Ideas
July 30, 2024Whether a smaller storage closet or a larger walk-in closet, good lighting is important. Larger closets and walk-in closets have more options. And, if you’re planning to make your walk-in closet a dressing room, it becomes even more essential to get the lighting you need where you want it. Here are a few closet lighting ideas to consider as you think about the closets in your custom home design:
1. Take Advantage of Recessed Lighting
Recessed lighting is a popular lighting option because of how seamless the fixtures are once they are installed. Because the housing is inside the ceiling, wall, etc. that it is installed into, you get lighting without fixtures that stick out or hang down. This can make recessed lighting a great fit for minimalist styles in kitchens and other rooms, for walkway lighting, and also for lighting corners and smaller areas, like closets or cabinet lighting.
The most common placement for recessed lighting may be the ceiling, but it’s not the only option available. Recessed lights can also be installed along the floor, which can come in handy as a closet lighting idea if you will have racks or drawers on the floor that you want to illuminate. Lighting down low like this is one of the outdoor lighting options that translates well to indoor use and can be a good option for closets.
2. Consider a Skylight For Natural Light
Adding some natural light into the closet is one of the walk-in closet ideas that can help you layer lighting and take advantage of natural light tones. In some cases, a standard window might make sense, but it also means sacrificing potentially valuable wall space.
Instead, consider a skylight to let in natural light from above without giving up wall space that you want to have for storage. For closets on lower levels, consider sun tunnels or daylight bulbs to mimic natural light. Layering lighting by combining natural light with a variety of other lighting options is a home lighting trend that can work especially well in walk-in closets.
3. Make the Most of LEDs
LED lights have a lot of flexible options. They can be used to illuminate ceilings, and are a popular option as rope lighting to illuminate tray ceilings. LEDs can also be installed along baseboards for floor lighting. This is one of the hallway lighting ideas that can work well in closets.
LEDs as rope or ribbon lights above and below can be useful for getting a little extra light on storage racks or drawers under the shadow of clothes hanging on racks above them or for illuminating things that are back along a wall. Modular storage and implementing storage floor-to-ceiling are closet organization tips that can help you make the most of the space available.
Strategically placed LEDs can help illuminate various surfaces and hard-to-reach areas. You can even use them to illuminate inside drawers, cabinets, etc. This is particularly useful if you’ll be including a storage island in your walk-in closet. Using lighting in this way is also a kitchen cabinet trend.
4. Install Dimmer Switches
Using dimmer switches to be able to vary the strength of the lighting options you choose is something to consider for bedroom lighting design. It’s also something that can be really useful in a walk-in closet that will double as a dressing room.
Depending on the season, time of day, and more, you can adjust overhead and different lighting options to get the light levels you need and want. You may not want bright light first thing in the morning; dimmer switches can help you adjust and ease into it if needed.
5. Identify Where You Might Need Spotlights
Another good use of recessed lighting, track lighting, or other types of spotlights is for getting a column of vertical light in a specific area. This can be a great lighting option for tall cabinets or lockers. They can also be used to highlight deep shelves or drawers.
Highlighting areas like this is one of the modern track lighting ideas that can help you get light where you need it. You can also go with recessed lights or other single spotlight options if you don’t want the track lighting fixture. Spotlight lighting tends to be adjustable. So, as long as you know where you might need them, you can find options that fit.
6. Think About Motion-Activated Lighting
Motion sensors can be used to create motion-activated lighting options. Although it can be annoying if used too much or in the wrong application, motion-activated lighting can be really useful when used intentionally and in well-thought-out ways.
If you’re not a morning person and you don’t want to deal with fumbling for light switches, motion-activated lighting programmed with a dimmer can be helpful. It’s also a good option for people who often forget to turn the light back off when they’re done with the closet. This can also be a good option for drawers or cabinets or containers that you don’t access often.
It may not make sense to have certain areas light up when you activate other lighting. With motion-activated lighting, you can get light in areas that need it only when you’re actually in them or using them. This is also an effective way to get and include task lighting in your closet. This is a benefit of under cabinet lighting that you can get with the right types of lighting in a closet.
Lighting is just one thing to consider when designing a closet. These are just a few closet lighting ideas to consider as you plan out what you want from closets and other storage areas in your custom home. If you’re ready to move past just thinking about it and are ready to bring your custom home to life, contact Custom Home Group at 717-284-4090. We can help make your dream home a reality!