Home Lighting Design |
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Here are the basics of lighting design, learning the different types of lighting and what they are used for. This will give you the grounding for you to start looking at a room and concepting how it will be used so you can work out the task lighting you require. Defining what you want to make as focal points, so you can allow for directional lighting to highlight these areas and then looking at the space and the amount of general lighting required.
Types of Lighting Categories and Sources
General Lighting
A general light, is a light that is an overall source. The general light hasn’t had its light focused into a beam or set in a particular direction. The light shines in all directions from its source without obstruction, glass and translucent shades are included in this.
Directional LightingDirectional light is light that is focused and forced to travel in a particular direction either by a reflector or baffle. This may be a spotlight of any sort or a lamp with an opaque shade (not translucent) so that the light goes in a particular direction.
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Uplighters and Downlighters
Downlights come in all sorts of forms that give a narrow beam that spreads down to the floor. They are recessed or semi recessed and may be a feature or extremely discreet. Some have baffles or reflectors and are able to be angled to direct light to wash a wall i.e. a wall washer.
Uplighters can be freestanding or may be mounted directly to the wall and either fully shrouded or have a translucent shade giving an overall ambient light as well as a reflected light.
Uplighters can be freestanding or may be mounted directly to the wall and either fully shrouded or have a translucent shade giving an overall ambient light as well as a reflected light.
Various Type of Interior Lighting
Living Room
Light three of the four corners, focusing one of those lights on an object (art, a plant, a striking chair). Use a combination of table lamps and floor lamps, some with a downward glow and some that shine upward. Allow for reading in as many seats as possible with down-glowing lamps on three-way switches. If you have an overhead fixture, put it on a dimmer
Kitchen & DiningFocus on overhead lighting (on a dimmer that you can crank up when cooking), and add lower sources to illuminate work surfaces. Use pendants, under-cabinet lights, or a sturdy table lamp (kept away from the sink).
To draw people in, make the table the brightest spot in the room. Use a chandelier or a pendant above the table, limiting the total wattage to 100. Elsewhere in the room, indirect lighting is best—it’s relaxing and flattering. |
BedroomAim for a cozy, insular atmosphere: Place reading lamps or sconces by the bed—but not pointed directly at it. If you have recessed or track fixtures, angle them away from the bed, toward the dressing area. On a low table, include a small, intimate lamp with a tinted low-wattage bulb to mimic candlelight.
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BathroomThe best choice for applying makeup is sidelights, such as a pair of sconces flanking the mirror. An overhead light helps fill in any shadows on your face and also fully illuminates the room (important when cleaning). In a large space, you might also want a light directly over the shower.
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