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6 Tips for the Best Basement Lighting

Posted by Birddog Lighting on Mar 1st 2021

6 Tips for the Best Basement Lighting

What's the current state of your basement? Is the atmosphere dark and cold? Do you often avoid spending much time in it because of these reasons? 

Your basement is just as essential as any other room in your home. With the right basement lighting, you can completely transform the space into something you'll love. Why give up an entire room in your home due to bad lighting? 

It's time to stop neglecting your basement and finally get the most out of it! Whether it's a home movie theater, a gaming room, a bar and place for entertainment, or an extra living room, your basement is worth the effort you'll put in to make it as enjoyable as possible. 

In the guide below, you'll find several basement lighting ideas to consider when amplifying your basement's space. Continue reading to find out more!

1. Find Its Purpose

The best lighting for basement spaces depends on the purpose the basement serves. The first thing you'll need to do, before deciding what type of lighting to use, is find your basement's purpose. What do you plan on using your basement for? 

Do you want an extra family room for watching tv, hanging out, playing board games, and more? Or, do you envision the basement as the perfect gaming spot? 

A family room might require more ambient lighting while a gaming room might benefit more from indirect lighting. Once you know what you want to use your basement for, you can then make a decision on the best type of lighting to use. 

It's also important to know the measurements. Measure the room to determine its size. You also want to take into consideration the height of the ceilings and how low the ceiling lights will be able to be. 

2. Use Ceiling and Cabinet Lights

Ceiling lights and cabinet lights are generally great options for a basement. Because your ceilings in the basement might be low or your basement might already feel small, these light options work well. They won't take up space. 

Stick-on puck lights, integrated LED lights, and under-cabinet LED light bars are all great options. LED lights are bright enough to light up a large room, but you'll need to use those measurements you took earlier to decide how many you'll need in your specific basement. 

The under-cabinet lights can help light up the basement by illuminating the bottoms and tops of any cabinets in the room. This also provides you with some great task lighting if there's a counter space under some of your cabinets. 

All of these light options mentioned above take up little to no space in your basement. You won't have to worry about hitting your head on a light fixture as you walk down your basement stairs. 

3. Consider Lighting the Stairs

Lighting the stairs is another wonderful option. The stairs leading down into a basement can get dark. Stair lights are a great solution. 

Rather than hanging a light fixture on the ceiling, where it might be too low, consider using the puck lights mentioned before or light bars. Puck lights will work well for wall lighting. You can stick them onto the two walls on either side of your stairs. 

Light bars can be installed under each stair. These lights will light up the way for you and prevent tripping or stumbling.

4. Highlight Art With Accent Lighting

If you have any art displayed in your basement, then you can highlight it with accent lighting. Accent lighting is lighting that's placed around or under picture frames on the wall, sculptures, and other important displays. Although accent lighting won't illuminate your basement, it's a good way to add some indirect lighting into the mix. 

If you have a night that you want to spend watching a movie in your basement, then this type of lighting will provide you with just enough light to help you see but not take away from the screen. 

5. Don't Forget Seasonal Lighting

When's the last time you decorated your basement? Don't forget there are many amazing seasonal lighting options to choose from! Having seasonal lighting in your basement is a great way to entertain guests during a special holiday. 

There are rope lights for different holidays, wreaths for the fall and winter, and even bistro lights to hang around your basement bar. It's nice to have some different options to bring out depending on the time of year. Seasonal lights also make spending time in your basement a lot of fun!

6. Keep Things Tidy

Keeping things tidy will eliminate that basement look and give you a more homey feel. Leaving out visible wires or cables can add to that cold, basement feel. When you hide all of these wires, the basement becomes more like another room in the home!

To keep things tidy, consider installing your basement lighting on beams. You can then run the wiring through the beams to conceal them. There are also wall cable covers you can install to run the wires through if you're unable to run them behind the walls or through a beam. 

Don't hesitate to get creative either. There are plenty of other ways to hide those ugly wires and make your basement feel like a part of the home. 

Find the Right Basement Lighting Today

What type of space will your basement provide for you? No matter how you choose to enjoy your basement, there's a right light fixture option for it. Use the information given in this guide above to determine the best type of basement lighting for your home.

Be sure to browse through some of our wonderful light fixture options for some inspiration. 

Still not sure what lighting to use? Do you have any questions regarding certain lighting? 

We're happy to answer any questions you may have! Contact us today for professional lighting help.