Designing a new home is a pretty special milestone that involves a lot of important choices. Lighting is one of those details that quietly transforms how your home looks, feels and functions every day. The right lighting can make your rooms feel bigger, highlight your favourite features and create a warm, welcoming atmosphere from the moment you walk in the door.
When you build with Redink Homes, you are already off to a strong start. LED downlights are included as standard throughout the home, plus external LED lighting to the alfresco and portico, porch or verandah. That means your new home comes with modern, energy efficient lighting built in, serving as a real bonus for buyers who want both style and everyday practicality.
Below, the team at Redink Homes will step you through some simple, effective lighting ideas for each zone in your home and show how our standard inclusions can support a bright, comfortable and energy smart lifestyle.
Why Lighting Design Matters in a New Home
Lighting does far more than switch on and off. It shapes how large or small a room feels, how cosy or luxurious it looks, and how easily you can use the space. Thoughtful lighting design can make your home look and feel bigger, soften hard finishes, and draw attention to the textures and features you love.
Planning your lighting during the design stage is important. It allows your wiring, switches and lighting fixtures to be placed with purpose so they work with your floorplan, furniture layout and architectural features, not against them.
Energy efficiency should also be front of mind. Redink’s standard LED inclusions help reduce energy use while providing bright, even light that lasts much longer than traditional halogen or incandescent globes. Paired with a smart layout, the right lighting will allow you to enjoy a home that is comfortable to live in and more cost effective to run over the long term.
Lighting Ideas for Every Indoor Room
Every room in your home has a different job and the chosen lighting should support that. Start with overhead lighting for general illumination, then add feature and task lighting to suit how you actually live in each space.
Living Room – Warm, Inviting Ambience with LED Downlights
Your living room is where you unwind, host friends and spend time with family, so it needs to feel both comfortable and flexible.
The LED downlights included as standard with Redink Homes create a clean, contemporary look and even light, helping to minimise dark corners and harsh shadows. Because they are LED, they are also more friendly on your power bill and do not run as hot as older style globes.
To bring in extra warmth and character, layer your downlights with a couple of well placed lamps or wall lights. Multiple light sources, like a floor lamp beside the sofa, a table lamp on a side table or a pair of wall sconces near the TV unit, can help you switch between bright light for everyday living and the warm glow of softer moods for movie nights.
Kitchen – Bright, Practical Task Lighting
The kitchen works hard, so your lighting needs to keep up. Safety and visibility are key here.
Overhead LED downlights give you clear, bright general lighting for cooking and cleaning while staying energy efficient for a space that is used constantly throughout the day.
You can then fine tune your kitchen lighting with a few simple additions. Pendant lights over your island or breakfast bar provide focused light and a stylish feature. LED strip lighting under overhead cabinets helps reduce shadows on benchtops, and subtle lighting inside or above display cabinets can create a more high end look in the evenings.
Bedroom – Soft, Relaxing Lighting Options
In the bedroom, you want lighting that helps you wind down rather than feel switched on.
Redink’s LED downlights provide gentle, energy efficient general lighting, great for getting ready in the morning or tidying up. Pair this with warmer, softer options so you can change the mood as the day goes on.
Bedside lamps or wall mounted reading lights are ideal for night time, and adding dimmers to your downlights lets you lower the brightness in the evening. A feature pendant or small chandelier can add personality without overpowering the space.
Bathroom – Clear, Functional Light
Bathrooms demand clear, consistent lighting, especially around the mirror.
Ceiling mounted LED downlights offer bright, even coverage that is perfect for showers and general use. Around the vanity, dedicated mirror or wall lighting helps reduce shadows when shaving, styling your hair or applying makeup.
Because LEDs are durable and energy efficient, they suit these high use areas and help keep running costs under control.
Outdoor Lighting Design Tips
Outdoor lighting keeps entry points safe, makes entertaining outdoors more enjoyable and boosts your home’s street appeal once the sun goes down.
Alfresco & Porch Lighting
Alfresco areas, verandahs and porches are where many WA families love to spend warm evenings, so having lighting here from day one is a big win.
Redink Homes includes external LED lights to the alfresco, portico, porch and verandah as standard. That means your main outdoor entertaining zones are already set up with practical, low energy lighting that is built into your design.
This built-in lighting improves visibility for outdoor dining and BBQs, increases safety around steps and doorways, and helps create a smooth connection between indoor and outdoor living, all while keeping energy use low.
Pathway and Garden Lighting
Pathway and garden lighting completes your outdoor scheme and makes it easier to move around safely after dark.
Low voltage or solar LED fittings can be used to gently light front paths and side access routes, highlight feature trees or garden beds, and bring attention to architectural details or your entry. A few well considered lights often make more impact than lots of smaller fittings scattered everywhere.
Security and Side Access Lighting
Good lighting can also support home security.
Motion sensor LED fittings along side boundaries, at the garage or near service areas like bins and clotheslines provide instant visibility when you need it. Because LED fittings use far less power and last longer than traditional globes, they are ideal for security lighting that may be triggered often, without creating a constant maintenance job.
Layer Your Lighting for Function and Ambience
The most comfortable homes do not rely on a single light source. Instead, they layer different types of lighting so each room can adapt to the moment.
Designers generally talk about three key layers: ambient, task and accent lighting. Once you understand each layer, it becomes easier to plan a scheme that feels balanced rather than over or under lit.
Ambient Lighting
Ambient lighting is your overall light, the base level that lets you move safely and comfortably around a room.
In a Redink home, standard LED downlights do most of the work here, providing a bright, even spread of light that keeps your home feeling fresh and modern. They help reduce dark patches and make your rooms feel open and airy.
Task Lighting
Task lighting supports specific activities such as cooking and food preparation, reading or studying, grooming at the bathroom vanity, or working in a hobby or activity area.
Under cabinet lighting in the kitchen, a desk lamp in the study and reading lights by the bed are all examples of task lighting. When you add these where you need them, you do not have to over brighten the entire room just to see clearly.
Accent Lighting
Accent lighting is your finishing touch layer. It adds mood, drama and depth, and is ideal for highlighting your favourite features, like a textured wall, artwork, shelving or a feature recess.
Strip lights, wall sconces and small spotlights all work well as accent lighting. Used thoughtfully, they can instantly give your home a more custom, designer feel.
Highlight Your Home’s Features with Accent Lighting
Accent lighting does not have to be complicated or expensive. A few small changes can make your architectural features really stand out.
Recessed Lighting
Recessed downlights or adjustable fittings can be used to gently wash light down a textured wall, across a tiled niche or onto a piece of art. This kind of subtle highlighting draws the eye without overwhelming the rest of the room.
Wall Sconces
Wall sconces work beautifully in hallways, living rooms and bedrooms. They cast soft, indirect light and create interesting shadows, helping flat walls feel more layered and inviting. Choose designs that complement your overall interior style, whether you prefer something modern and minimal or more classic and Hamptons inspired.
LED Strip Lighting
LED strip lighting is a simple way to add a high end touch to many areas of your home. It works well under kitchen overheads and island benches, inside walk-in robes or linen cupboards, along stair treads or under handrails, and behind bathroom mirrors or TV units.
Strips are discreet, stay cool to the touch and use very little energy, which makes them both practical and stylish.
Smart Lighting and Energy-Efficient Options
Modern lighting is about more than looks. It is also about convenience and efficiency. Combining Redink’s LED inclusions with smart controls can help you get the most from every fitting.
Smart Bulbs and Automation
Smart bulbs and smart switches allow you to control your lighting from your phone, via voice control or through simple automated schedules. You might dim the living room lights for movie night at the touch of a button, schedule your porch light to come on at sunset, or turn lights on remotely when you are away for added peace of mind.
Dimmers and Motion Sensors
Adding dimmers to your LED downlights in living spaces, bedrooms and dining areas gives you much more flexibility. You can brighten things up for homework or cleaning, then turn the lights down for a relaxed dinner or quiet evening.
Motion sensors are especially useful in bathrooms, powder rooms, hallways, garages and external side paths. They ensure you are never searching for a light switch with full hands, and they help avoid lights being left on by mistake.
Energy-Efficient LED Solutions
LED technology is at the heart of an energy smart home. Compared to traditional halogen or incandescent globes, LEDs use significantly less energy, last much longer and run cooler.
Redink’s standard LED inclusions set your home up for long term efficiency from the start, so you are not paying extra later to retrofit more efficient lighting throughout the house.
Ready to Bring Your New Home to Life with Better Lighting?
Lighting is one of the most powerful tools you have when designing your new home. It influences everything from comfort and mood through to functionality and running costs.
With LED downlights throughout the home and external LED lighting to the alfresco and porch included as standard, Redink Homes gives you a strong foundation to build on. From there, layering both task and accent lighting, adding a few smart features and planning everything early in the design stage will help you create a home that feels warm, stylish and uniquely yours.
If you are ready to start planning your new build, or want help fine tuning your lighting layout, our team is here to guide you through every step.
