Lighting Up Your Basement
Your basement certainly doesn't need to resemble a cave. If you feel like lighting up a torch when you go into your cellar, you may need more lighting. Light helps to make small spaces look and feel larger, and also helps to warm the area up visually.
Try to use natural light as much as possible. If your basement is partially above ground, consider adding new windows, or enlarging existing windows. If necessary, you can dig some window wells to allow light into the basement, just be sure to use window wells with waterproof covers. This is also a good time to make sure the insides of the window wells are painted white, or covered in a reflective material, to reflect more light into the basement. If security is an issue, then use glass blocks instead of regular windows, which may be broken easily.
If you are going to install lighting in the basement, consider the head room. The ceiling in the basement is usually lower than on the upper levels of your house, so you may not want hanging light fixtures. If you have the space, then recessed lighting fixtures are ideal. They keep the lights out of the way, so you won't be bumping your head on a low hanging light bulb, and they also keep the lights from being broken if there will be children playing.
If you don't have the space for recessed light fixtures, then you may want to consider sconces mounted on the walls. Track lighting will work well too, especially around the edges of the room, where they would be less likely to present a hazard to tall people. Floor and table lamps also present a solution for basement lighting, as well as versatility, as you can move them around as necessary.
When planning your basement lighting, plan some directional lighting to highlight certain features. You can use directional lighting to direct attention to artwork on the walls, or specific architectural features, or just to provide more light to a work area. Having some lights aimed at the ceiling will help to visually open up the space, and make the ceiling look a bit taller.
With proper lighting, you can enhance your living space in the basement, as well as providing enough light for any work spaces. Just keep in mind what your basement will be used for, and plan your lighting accordingly.
