Lighting is one of the most overlooked aspects of party planning. While great food, drinks, and music are well known party-musts, you might not be aware of the importance of great lighting. Careless lighting instantly creates the wrong vibe. Harsh light is unflattering and can put guests on edge. If the space is too dark, you lose the carefree, celebratory atmosphere. From bright and festive, to dim and romantic, lighting is your party’s backdrop. Here are a few ideas for using LIFX light bulbs to enhance the decor and desired mood.
Dinner Lighting: For intimate sit-down gatherings, you can’t go wrong with neutrals. A warm white glow will make sure your carefully prepared food looks as good as it tastes. Stay away from blue—especially darker shades—since it can take guests’ minds off of food. If you’re starting the evening with a cocktail hour and want to mix in some colour, choose a palette of reds, which increase appetite.
Accent Lighting: Theme parties are a great opportunity to go colour crazy, but there are also more subtle and chic ways to work colour into your decor. Try uplighting a corner of the room in a rich colour and enjoy the effect on the wall colour. Or, pick a hallway and go bold and bright. The hallway will look visually stunning from the next room, and create wow-factor for guests passing through.
Spot Lighting: Brightening a a single bulb while dimming the rest, creates a central focus and directs guests to a specific part of the room—the hors d’oeuvre table, for example. In the kitchen it’s a helpful tactic for distracting the eye away from party-prep clutter, towards your new centerpiece, or bouquet purchased just for the event.
While these tips will get you started, like all design, lighting ultimately comes down to personal preference. It’s best to play around with preset Themes and custom Scenes in the LIFX app to find settings that work with your space and style. Because LIFX light bulbs are controlled with the touch of a smartphone, it’s easy to adjust the lighting as the event moves from afternoon to evening. Remember that deep rich red is calming and can help wind things down when you’re ready to get the house back to yourself.