Lighting can make or break the atmosphere of your home, so it's important to choose what works best for each room. To help you find just the right ambiance, we're sharing our top tips on how to select the optimum lighting solutions that bring out any space’s charm and character. Dive in and discover all sorts of inspired ideas about modern lighting possibilities – from candles and lanterns for a cozy living area to understatedly chic fixtures perfect for dining rooms. Let Pulte be your guide as you create homes lit up with style!

Types of Light Bulbs

With incandescent bulbs becoming obsolete, it's time to update your light bulb selection. Now is definitely a great moment for LEDs and other more energy-efficient solutions sure to provide you with quality lighting in every room.

LED

LED lighting is a great way to save money and the environment. LEDs, or Light Emitting Diodes, last over 20 years – offering up to 86% in energy savings. Plus, they contain no mercury, so there are even more reasons why this amazing technology should light your home.

CFL

CFLs (Compact Fluorescent Light bulbs) have long been an environmentally friendly alternative to traditional incandescent bulbs. But because of the small amount of mercury they contain, they’re unable to qualify as Energy Star-rated. More recently, manufacturers are beginning to phase out these types of light bulbs in favor of LEDs – making going green even easier.

Halogen & HID Bulbs

For those looking for lighting that stands the test of time, Halogen and HID (High-Intensity Discharge) bulbs provide long-lasting solutions. Not only are they popular in automobiles, but these modified indoor and outdoor light sources have become standard choices in commercial settings – with an average lifespan of up to a year more than traditional halogens.

Smart Light Bulbs

With the 21st century has come a revolutionary way to light your home. Smart bulbs are not only energy efficient, but they offer total control over every room with their unique Wi-Fi connectivity. Utilizing LED technology and conveniently linking up with smartphones, these smart lights can adjust brightness, hue, AND time - all without ever having you leave your cozy spot on the couch.

With Leviton and Pulte Smart Homes, you can take your lighting to the next level. Effortlessly control all your lights, lamps, and small appliances from anywhere with ease. From dimmers and switches to plug-ins – these smart technology features are compatible with Amazon’s Alexa, Apple’s Siri, or whatever virtual assistant suits your style best. Upgrade now for a smarter life – no tech experience necessary.

Light Appearance Brightness

Let's bring a little brightness into your life. When selecting the perfect light bulb, you'll want to consider lumens, which measure just how bright it will be. For an average level of illumination in each room, aim for 800 lumens, which is equivalent to 60 watts. Now that sounds like one small change with a big impact, and I'm sure any space would feel more energized with all the additional glow around.

• Kitchen: 5,000-10,000 lumens

• Bathroom: 4,000-8,000 lumens

• Bedroom: 2,000-4,000 lumens

• Living Room: 1,500-3,000 lumens

• Dining Room: 3,000-6,000 lumens

• Home Office: 3,000-6,000 lumens

Estimating your ideal lighting is like finding the perfect recipe – each home comes with its own special ingredients, and a little bit of fine-tuning goes a long way to getting it just right. Get creative when you're cooking up some cozy vibes in your space.

Temperature and Hue

When you're picking the perfect lighting for your room, it's all about creating a unique atmosphere that feels just right. Although there are many shades to choose from – ranging from warm yellows and oranges to cooler whites and blues - you have the power to create an inviting space by selecting the hue that speaks directly to your style.

If you’ve ever tried to figure out what light bulb is the best for your space, it can be a daunting task. There's a lot of information on packages that needs interpreting. The key, I've found, is the Kelvin rating; it all comes down to how cool or warm you want the color temperature in each room. Most lights will have descriptions and graphs describing whether they're soft/warm, white, or meant to mimic daylight. Get ready...here come some helpful suggestions.

• If you're looking for a cozy, relaxed atmosphere in your bedroom or living room that reminds you of home sweet home, soft white/warm white (2700 Kelvin) is just the thing. This temperature emits comforting waves of warm light – ideal for curling up and feeling comfortable.

• If you’re looking to add some light and life to your kitchen or garage, the bright white/cool white (4100 Kelvin) hue is perfect. This energizing temperature gives off a bolder, brighter look that adds a fresh sparkle to any room.

• Step into the bright and energizing world of daylight when you choose a 5000-6000 Kelvin hue for your bathroom, kitchen, or basement. Not only perfect for reading activities, but this light also has special qualities that reveal those fine details in one's makeup – especially important if you want to make sure your foundation matches perfectly with your skin tone.

With such a multitude of lighting options, creating the perfect ambiance in your home can be an overwhelming experience. But these tips make it simpler and stress-free. A new construction home can feel similarly overwhelming–but with Pulte Homes, you can make the process a lot more straightforward. Discover stunning floor plans and check out Pulte's new home communities today!

For more design tips, local attraction guides, and homeowner lifestyle articles, check out the Pulte Homes blog for inspiration.