What should be considered when planning the placement of sockets and choosing light switches?

Space planning: what should be considered?

Our everyday life and life at home are no longer imaginable without technology and various gadgets that we use regularly. So that technology at home does not damage our nerves with dead batteries, unreachable sockets and inconvenient switches – It is worth investing time in room planning specifically for the placement of switches.Summarizing the advice provided by designers, as well as informative advice from industry representatives, it can be concluded that first you need to start with a sketch of furniture, lamps and interior design items – what kind of furniture will be in each room, how much space will it take up, etc.Sockets or sockets and their location, height – in order to turn on your electronic devices (phone and computer chargers, iron, kettle, etc.), it is very important to plan the height of the sockets. It can also be a matter of taste – some people find it more ascetic and elegant if the sockets are hidden behind an object or are very low, close to the floor level (and this can sometimes cause inconvenience). On the other hand, some people like to place sockets in as many places as possible, without particularly considering how many of them will actually be used in everyday life (and a row with the nth sockets may not fit into the interior design).
Experts recommend counting your electronic devices (not forgetting, for example, game consoles, several sockets in the corridor for a vacuum cleaner, blender, lamps, etc.) and still add one more to each of the planned sockets, because it is human nature to forget things. And many of us do not even realize how much we depend on electricity. Nowadays, there are also USB sockets, which would be useful to place where we most often charge our smart devices. Speaking of specific units of measurement, industry representatives and electricians It is recommended to install sockets every 3 meters in living rooms, and every 1 meter in the kitchen.

Bedroom

If you have bedside tables by your bed, plan the sockets where these cabinets will not interfere with access to them. Since almost everyone has their own smartphone that needs to be charged regularly, you will make your life easier by planning sockets on each side of the bed (determine the exact location, taking into account where the bedside table is located and how long the cable for your phone charger is). If you use tablets on a daily basis, which also need to be charged, it is worth creating 2 sockets on each side of the bed. Although experts do not recommend a TV in the bedroom, for many it is an important element of the bedroom. Therefore, it is necessary to install sockets for TV needs (TV, decoder, sound system, etc.), even 4-5 sockets could be useful. A very useful tool, of course, is an extension cord, but ideally, it does not lie in the middle of the room and its cable will not be an obstacle to movement in the room.

Living room or living room

Considering whether or not you have a TV and sound system in your living room, start by calculating the technology devices. It is important to understand the planned placement of the sofa, table and other furniture so that you can place the sockets where they will be most needed and most easily reached.

Corridor

Experts say that a full-length mirror is necessary in the hallway so that we can be confident in our image when leaving the house. Therefore, it would be useful to install lighting that allows us to use the mirror's functions to the maximum. Living in our climate zone, it is important to install light switches as close as possible to the entrance door of the apartment/house so that when we come home, we can immediately turn on the light and not have to look in the dark for a place to put our coat, boots and bag. Many people install a socket near the floor in the hallway or near the stairs to connect a vacuum cleaner there (using the hallway as a central exit point for cleaning the house).

Kitchen
The kitchen is probably the place with the most technology in your home. Various appliances that require electricity are used to prepare food and drinks. Therefore, it would be useful to install at least 5-10 sockets so that, for example, you can boil water in a kettle, operate a mixer, blender, microwave oven, extractor hood, dishwasher, electric stove, etc. at the same time.

Bathroom/WC

You need to be especially careful when planning the placement of bathroom/toilet sockets. They should, of course, serve your needs and convenience, but safety always comes first. So, be careful and sockets place where water cannot reach them (as far as possible from the sink, bathtub/shower). In the bathroom and/or in the bathroom we often prepare for our daily run or celebration, so we need enough sockets (for hair dryer, straightener, curling iron, electric toothbrush, etc.). If you have a cabinet in the bathroom, it would be useful to place a socket there – for the shaver and electric toothbrush. Many of us also have a washing machine in the bathroom, as well as a heater to dry our wet socks in the humid periods of the year. So take the time to carefully research your needs and daily habits. (we guarantee that it will be interesting and even a little shocking to realize how many devices we use every day), in order to conclude and accordingly make the best decision and solution for placing sockets and switches in your premises.
Keep this same advice in mind when planning an office or work space or a children's room (so that the sockets serve the needs of a work or study table and shelves, etc.). If your house is connected to a garage or storage room – take care of the necessary number of sockets and light switches there too. If you do not tolerate heat and want air conditioning or simply a ventilation system in your home, this also requires electricity and careful planning.

Recommendations for planning lighting or light switches.

An electrician will definitely help you with lighting planning and essential recommendations (where and how much light is needed in each room of the home, how many wattage bulbs in each room, etc.). Of course, the most important thing is the placement of light switches. at the entrance of any room (also in the basement, garage or when going out onto a terrace or balcony). Most often, when entering a room, the switch will be on the right or left side at waist or eye level. Depending on the location/history/cultural heritage, the design of the switches varies greatly (whether it is a button or a switch that needs to be moved or pressed up/down, right/left). Taking into account your wishes, tastes and preferences, the global market provides you with the opportunity to choose from a thousand available options (unlike in Soviet Latvia, when the offer was very limited, simple and almost inaccessible). If you want lighting in your room that you can control, it is worth considering dimmer purchase (therefore, romantic, darker lighting will not have to be created by partially covering the lamps, but by controlling the switch). In many homes or apartments there are balconies and terraces. Often there are no power outlets, but why not turn your balcony into a workspace on a warm summer day? Charge your computer while sitting in your lounge chair, enjoy the fresh air, and work outside the office at the same time?

When planning the placement of light switches, you need to think not only about where and how the furniture will be located, but also about practical aspects – Is the light switch easy to reach? Is it within reach of children? Can it be accidentally tripped over? If your house has stairs, it is worth installing a small light on each step to make moving up the stairs in the dark safe and comfortable.
Start by knowing your desires – Your desires, needs, habits and tastes are the primary factors.

For the LightUp team  We have a lot of experience and a lot of different tips that we will be happy to share!
Contact us and we will help you realize your wishes by consulting with interior designers, electricians and other specialists to implement the best lighting (sockets and light switches) planning in your home!