Light It Up

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Lighting is arguably the easiest way to add the most to your prayer room. Music / sound being the second. Simply adding coloured light to a room completely changes the ambience. Adding a directional light that casts shadows creates depth, richness and gradients to a flat display. Adding moving lights creates movement and shadows that makes the room come alive.

Power Source

When planning your lighting setup, the most important thing is to know where your plugs are. You want to lay your extension chords and plug everything in before you start building everything. Plugs can be hard to get to if you have built a waterfall over it. Always lay out your lighting first. Plug your power splitters/bars in, run your cables and have a plan to how you will turn things on and off. Do not cover the plug if you need access to turn things off.

It's nice to have everything plugs into 1-3 outlets. If you do this, it's easy to turn on and off the room quickly. The other nice thing to watch out for is some rooms have power outlets that are controlled by a light switch.

Don't forget to tape down loose wires that are tripping hazards. Running cables along walls and pillars helps avoid this.

Costs and Efficiency

If you are not around to power on/off the room, consider using a timer or light sensor.

If you have lighting items that require batteries, it probably worth it for you to invest in rechargeable batteries. It will save you quite a bit of money in the long run.

Another great way is to use solar power. This is especially good for permanent rooms or rooms that are open for extended periods of time. You can get really cheap solar powered garden string lights. You just need to put the solar panels by a window. The downside is they turn off when they run out of energy or if it was a cloudy day, they don't even turn on.

lighting effect ideas

  • candles
  • directional lighting
  • coloured bulbs
  • industrial looking bulbs
  • Water effects
  • light nets
  • casting shadows