If you want to improve the lighting for a specific room or plan a whole-house lighting makeover, keep these room-by-room tips in mind.
Living Room
The concept of layering light is particularly important in the living/family room, an area of the house where people tend to gather for long stretches of time and engage in an array of activities, including conversation, watching TV, reading, playing board games and using a laptop.
Bouncing light off the ceiling creates a sense of brightness in the room, and avoids the shadows or downward direction of recessed lights.
To accomplish ambient lighting that bounces off the ceiling of a living room, integrating cove or valance lighting into the room’s architecture will do. The new slim T5 fluorescents that are dimmable and have the good colour rendering and a warm appearance.
Another way to provide ambient lighting in a living room is to wash the walls with light, which can be accomplished with soffit or valance lighting, recessed or track lighting that is directed toward the walls, or even with plug-in floor lamp torchieres with translucent upward facing globes.
Task lighting for a living room may be provided by table lamps, such as pharmacy-style adjustable lamps placed near a reading chair or game table.
Accent lighting in a living room may be used to focus on an architectural element, such as a fireplace or bookcase, or on a painting, sculpture or plant.
In a large living room formerly lit by recessed cans and table lamps, a new lighting design that includes architectural lighting might consist of two valances running the length of two opposite walls (mounted about a foot below ceiling height), one soffit installed directly above a fireplace (at ceiling height), and a table lamp placed next to a reading chair.
Kitchens
With its heavy focus on the functions of food preparation and cleanup, as well as its tendency to be a gathering spot, the kitchen requires careful consideration of task and ambient lighting. Think in particular of the task lighting for the counters, where most of the work takes place, and over the sink.
One of the main reasons sinks have often been located at a window is to take advantage of natural light, and this layout is still highly recommended by lighting experts.
Augment the natural light with a ceiling mounted or recessed fixture above the sink. Using under cabinet lighting is a good way to illuminate the countertop work surfaces without relying on an overhead light that will cast shadows on the person working at the counters.
A basic lighting plan for a modest kitchen might consist of a central, ceiling-mounted fixture providing ambient light, with under cabinet fixtures providing task lighting for the counters, soffit lighting providing task lighting above the sink, and a pendant providing task or ambient lighting over the island. This traditional lighting plan is adequate for many kitchens and can be improved simply by putting all lighting on a dimmer and choosing energy efficient light bulbs.
A new lighting plan for a medium-sized kitchen might call for cove lighting along two opposite kitchen walls to provide the ambient lighting that bounces light off the ceiling, instead of recessed downlights or ceiling-mounted central fixtures, both of which primarily send light straight down. Valance lighting above the sink and under cabinet lighting would provide the task lighting.
Bathrooms
With its emphasis on personal grooming that requires viewing oneself in a mirror, the bathroom requires careful consideration of lighting placement.
Too many bathrooms feature a central ceiling-mounted fixture that casts shadows on a person standing in front of the mirror. “One of the best improvements you can make in a bathroom is to light both sides of the mirror,” says Patricia Rizzo of the Lighting Research Center.
In small baths, where one may have to choose between a wall-mounted fixture on the side of the mirror or an overhead fixture, lighting designers say to always go with the wall-mounted placement. “You don’t want to cause shadows in a bathroom,” says Rizzo.
A common lighting design for older bathrooms may feature a central ceiling-mounted fixture plus a fixture above the mirror. An improved lighting plan would eliminate those fixtures and replace them with three wall sconces, two on either side of the mirror, and one on an opposing wall (offset from mirror position).
Outdoors
Several purposes are served by outdoor lighting, including safety, security, and pure aesthetics Jody Pritchard, a lighting designer in San Francisco, says one of her first bits of advice regarding landscape lighting is to choose quality fixtures for durability.
When planning landscape lighting, Pritchard suggests thinking in threes: light something close to the house, something midrange in the yard, and something in a far corner.
Avoid the mistake of using too much light outdoors. People often think more is better, brighter is better, but outside wherever you create a super bright area you have also created super dark areas, and that can be unsafe. It is better to have low levels of lighting all around.
The front door is one of the few outdoor areas where a brighter light is acceptable, with a traditional lighting plan calling for two wall-mounted fixtures flanking the door.
Dining Rooms
The primary focus of dining room lighting is the table, and fixtures placed directly above the table may provide both ambient and task lighting for this room.
Dimmers are particularly desirable as they provide flexibility in establishing a relaxing atmosphere when entertaining.
Another consideration when lighting a dining room is to consider the wall treatment, as dining rooms often have decorative paint treatments or wallpapers. A darker colour paint on the walls will reflect less light, so more lumens may be required in the room’s light fixtures.
A traditional lighting plan for a dining room consists of a chandelier above the table, plus a pair of wall sconces flanking a prominent breakfront or sideboard, with all lighting on a dimmer. An upgraded lighting plan might include cove lighting on two opposing walls and a dimmable chandelier over the table.
Bedrooms
Bedside reading and closet lighting are two of the primary concerns in a bedroom lighting plan. For bedside reading, lighting experts suggest wall-mounted light fixtures with adjustable arms so that the light can be directed to the reading material. Each bedside light should operate on its own switch, either directly on the fixture or a wall switch within easy reach.
Ambient lighting may be provided by floor lamps, architectural lighting, or a pair of sconces flanking a wall mirror. Because the bedroom is a room where a relaxing, sympathetic atmosphere is welcomed, it may be best to avoid central ceiling-mounted fixtures that might be perceived harshly when viewed from the bed. Consider the paint colour of bedroom walls when planning light output as dark-coloured walls reflect less light. For a closet, ceiling-mounted or recessed fixtures are commonly used.
A traditional lighting plan for a bedroom might consist solely of floor and table lamps, with table lamps on nightstands and dresser. A new lighting plan might include either wall-mounted fixtures flanking the bed or table lamps on the nightstands, plus a pair of wall-mounted sconces near the dresser.
Entries, Hallways & Stairs
The entry points and pathways for a home typically require nothing more than ambient lighting, unless there are focal points such as artwork or architectural elements that should receive accent lighting. A small entry may be sufficiently lighted by a ceiling-mounted or recessed fixture or a wall sconce. A double height entry with a staircase may require a chandelier with lighting controls at both the bottom and top of the stairs. Ambient lighting in hallways may be provided by recessed fixtures, ceiling-mounted fixtures or wall sconces.
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