Thursday, August 22, 2013

Designer Tips for Lighting and Lighting Fixtures



 Light is one of the most important, yet understated elements in our daily lives. Light helps form events, and memories…the sunny day at the beach, the marriage proposal by candlelight, the ghost stories told by the campfire. The Bible says that after God created the heavens and earth, he created light, and saw that it was good (Genesis 1:3-4). Scientific studies have shown that the appropriate and proper lighting affect our daily moods. Can you imagine living in a world with no light? Or even in a world with inappropriate lighting? How would this affect your life?

Thankfully, we have access to great lighting….which means we have options. You can use lighting in so many ways to enhance your life, and your home…to make easy life’s daily tasks, to strengthen and highlight the structural features of your home, to provide romance and warmth to the environment where you spend your quiet time. Below are some of the ideas we would like to share with you on light positioning and lighting products. It comes from years of experience and working with other professionals who are experts in the field. I hope this helps…please enjoy:


What are the different types of lighting I should know about and use when designing a room?

There are four basic types of lighting that can, and should be used to achieve the best lighting design. They are: ambient lighting, task lighting, accent lighting, and decorative lighting.

Ambient lighting fills the undefined areas of a room with a soft level of general light, enough for someone to navigate through the room.

Task lighting is a bright light that illuminates a particular area where a visual activity, such as food preparation, or reading takes place.

Accent lighting is similar to task lighting in that it consists largely of directed light. Accent lighting is used to focus attention on artwork, or architectural features, to help set a mood or provide drama in decorating your space.

Any of the three previous categories of light can come in the form of Decorative Lighting. Decorative lighting draws attention to itself, and can sometime be the centerpiece or focal point of a room. A Dining Room Chandelier is a perfect example of this. It is very important that you select the proper type of decorative lighting to create the environment you desire.


Are there any basic rules to use when planning a lighting design?

One basic, but often overlooked rule of efficient lighting is to put light where you need it. However, to insure an attractive, comfortable lighting atmosphere, you must also think about balancing light. It is essential to create an effective spread of light through each room and have it flow seamlessly between rooms. The best way to achieve this balance in a well-decorated room is to layer light sources. The first step to lighting design is to identify the main activity areas or the room’s focal points. Any room with multiple focal points will be the most visually interesting and balanced. This is where the brightest layer of light should be directed. The next step is a middle layer of light that provides interest in specific areas without detracting from focal points. The last layer fills in the background.

The first two layers are supplied by task and/or accent lighting, depending on what is being lit. The third and lower-level ambient lighting is usually indirect like that provided by wall sconces. Once the essential layers are in place the decorative pieces can be added.



Source: http://www.uttermost.com/t-tips-Lighting.aspx#top






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