Pumping Up The Party with the Best Lighting Techniques

Unlike how they make it seem in the movies, party lighting involves a lot more than simply stringing together a couple of strobe lights and letting them blink crazily on and off the whole time. Coming up with the best lights for parties usually takes a lot more finesse than that, and lighting can play a pretty huge role in creating just the right ambiance you want for your gathering.

The first thing you need to consider is what kind of party you’re holding. For instance, there’s not a chance that you’re putting up green neon lights in your living room if you’re entertaining a more adult audience for a sit-down dinner. Conversely, you’re not going for formal mood lighting if you’re throwing a graduation pool party for a sister. Think about what the party is for before you start worrying about what kind of lights to get.

The second consideration is size. How much space are you lighting up? You’re going to need different lighting techniques to make smaller spaces look bigger, for instance. If you have a larger space you can work with, then that’s awesome.

One crucial technique for most parties though, is that you don’t want the same ordinary overhead lighting. It’s quite bad for mood lighting, and the best lighting techniques are usually built around dim light, so turn down the glare with a dimmer switch. Or switch to the ambient lighting that most floor lamps and accent lighting fixtures are meant for. If you don’t have a dimmer switch, simply turn off the ordinary light bulbs and replace them with low wattage yellow lighting for a better effect.

In fact, the rule of thumb is to have, at most, three lighting sources in the room, just keep well away from the ones overhead. Floor lamps, table lamps and wall lights are good examples of the best light sources for effective mood lighting.

Also, don’t be afraid to get creative! If you’re aiming for a fun, turn-up-the-music kind of get-together, opt for colored LED lights that will make your room buzz with vibrancy and trendiness. If your party is a little on the formal side, you can choose candle light (with elegant candlesticks) over colored lights, and position them in strategic places around the room. Remember, how to spice up your party depends largely on what kind of party you’re throwing, and it’s good to keep this in mind when considering different lighting techniques.