General Considerations for Planning Lighting

GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR PLANNING LIGHTING

General considerations when selecting interior lighting for new or existing spaces.

Light in the room needs contrast and/or shadow.

If it is too even then it will become bland and give little stimulation which leads to a boring and depressed feeling in the room (note this should not be confused with an office or studio or classroom which may require a bright overall ambient light for concentrated work).

Consider texture in the light effect. A strong direct light on to a heavily textured fabric or wall of stone or grooved timber will flatten it, so what is the point in having the texture.

This note relates directly to features. Features usually have to be given special treatment concerning lighting to bring out the best in the feature and to help others notice it in the overall look of the room.

Remember that the lighting is there as the accent to your interior design. It is not just function, it shows the form.

Picture lights obviously highlight pictures, and they add lighting to the perimeter of the room, helping to define the outside dimensions of the room.

When deciding on the interior lighting for a room, consider these questions: What kind of mood should the lighting create? What different activities take place in the room? What decorative elements do you want to attract attention to?

In general, to create an inviting atmosphere use five to ten light sources in every room.

To simplify your interior decorating decisions, there are lighting collections available with the same finish and style for pendants, chandeliers, wall-mounted sconces, as well as floor and table lamps. Using fixtures from the same collection within a single room creates a unified look and can save a lot of time searching.

To make rooms interesting, vary the height of the light sources in the room. The differing heights add depth and interest by creating separate areas of light and shade.

In most rooms, you should allow for varying intensities of light. Add dimmer switches or use three-way bulbs in lamps for flexibility. In addition, alternate switching patterns between general lighting, task lights, lamps, and accent lighting.

For example, while you are preparing food for a dinner party, you will need task lighting instead of accent lighting, but when the guests arrive, you will want to be able to switch off the task lights and turn on the accent lights.

Remember, because dark colours absorb light, you will need to use more lighting in rooms decorated with dark colors than rooms with light colors.