Ever walked into a room and felt instantly relaxed? Or entered a space and become overwhelmed with an inexplicable sense of anxiety? It’s probably because of the lighting that you may get this type of feeling. Lighting really can have a lot of answer for. This is the case as you enter a room and get a feel for the space. How light flows, where you see light and darkness and how warm the space feels are all key elements.
There is a wide array of restrictions, legal codes, and other guidelines. These all very much determine what lighting is “proper” for a specific place and use. California is a state very much overall at the forefront of “green” energy efficient lighting products. There are also a number of brands as well as movements in areas of Europe in the lighting industry. These are also striving hard also to make something of a lasting difference too. Elsewhere in the U.S., New York has detailed building codes to guide how exit signs in commercial buildings must be powered independently during outages and how the message must be presented to ensure clear communication of exit routes.
Integral rules for good lighting design
- Spread the light around. Using very bright lights causes glare, and makes pupils dilate, which results in the surrounding area appearing even darker. To make a space comfortable and well-lit, it’s important to place lights in several key areas. You need to eliminate dark corners, highlight focus areas, and prevent needing a “lighthouse”. In one corner you also need provide enough light to a distant space or a facing wall.
- Customize your controls. Dimmers, remote switches, timers, motion detectors, and other controls can improve lighting as for you as an end user you can have more control of your lighting.
- Buy quality light sources. Cheap lightbulbs are just that – they are cheap; the brand you buy is the lighting you get. You very much get what you pay for. Buy LED and CFL bulbs that have a CRI rating of 80 or above. Anything lower will illuminate colorful objects with a washed-out appearance by comparison.
- Use multiple light sources. The best lighting design incorporates multiple “layers” of light sources that can be in turn adjusted light for multiple uses of the same room.
- Focus the light on what’s important. The key to good lighting isn’t how bright the space is, but how much contrast there is between the things you want to be looking at. For example, In a kitchen, it’s important to see the entire counter space, but you don’t need a lot of light in the walkways. All of these elements need to be fully taken into consideration in the planning stages to this.
- Do not over do it. From the above point, basically you never need to have light everywhere.
Lighting done right gives you all the options you need without you even realising it’s happening. Often, it’s the light that causes us to call a room beautiful and for us to feel good in a room. All of this is vital also for a room to be able to work better too. This will also be key if you are to give off the feeling that a space is also welcoming to others and also how easily you are able to function in a space. Good lighting can most definitely help and allow a space to sell itself. You can really feel this in retail environments as well as in bars and restaurants where the lighting and lighting levels can in turn become an extension of the space in question. These are all details which can make a vast difference as to how you are able to consume the space too.
Also read: Designer lighting stores melbourne
Taking a more professional approach to lighting
Don’t let lighting design be an afterthought in your self build or renovation. While it can be relatively easier to complement an existing lighting scheme with freestanding lamps, your hardwired lighting system does the majority of the heavy lifting in how you use a space. Get it right, and when the daylight starts to fade you’ll have a home that’s comfortable to be in and functional to use. Off of the back of this, this too is when you’ll find yourself more at ease in the space.
When we talk about lighting design, we don’t just mean choosing the right fixtures and fittings. Any designer will tell you this. It is not about just spending a load of money on a designer brand of lighting, such as Lightnet Lighting or a similar other brand. Ensure from the offset that there is enough lighting of various types, highlighting and interacting with your space in the right way. Lighting may even affect your health, so the stakes are high in creating an excellent lighting scheme for your home.
Task lighting
This provides extra, targeted illumination to those areas where everyday activities take place, such as reading, cooking and working. Floor, table and desk lamps are all good sources of task lighting, as is that incorporated into cooker hoods and vanity mirrors; however, ceiling downlighters may be considered task lighting too as they are functional, rather than ambient.
Another good tip when it comes to lighting is using the right other accessories. For example, using dimmers and asking your electrician to install your lights can help massively. This is also the case on separate switches. This is so that each ‘type’ can be independently operated will make creating different moods easier. For you to get the most out of your lighting and for the very best installation, this is where and how it always helps to hire the right electrician. You need to hire an electrician familiar with working with lighting. This really can allow for you to get the right end finish you so need and deserve in your property.
Create a Lighting Design Plan
An architectural lighting plan is something you can come up with yourself, having assessed the uses, size and natural light levels in each room. Alternatively, an interior designer, your architect, electrician or a specialist lighting company can help. They will in turn be able to assist you in coming up with such a plan. They will go right through the ins and outs of how to get the most from your lighting. A good, thoroughly-considered lighting plan allows you to begin to shop around for the types of fittings you need in your property. You should begin planning and making provision for your lighting scheme at the same time as you are planning the plumbing.
Lighting design schemes can be created by an interior designer or a lighting design professional. If you’re renovating a relatively standard house, it’s likely that you’ll be able to create an effective lighting scheme. This is without the help of a design professional, especially in a moderately sized room.
When creating a large new extension, professional help will help to go a long way. This is to help create the perfect overall lighting scheme. While in a self build, this is also very much key for the project. As a percentage of your overall budget, hiring in a lighting design expert may in fact be a lot more affordable than you’d have first off imagined. A lighting designer may cost between £500 and £5,000 depending on the size of your project.
