Shedding light on... well, light. Part two.

A traditional chandelier can enhance both period and contemporary rooms. Image crystalprismworld.com

In Part One we looked at how important it is to consider the various functions of your rooms when planning a lighting scheme, as well as how lighting tricks can enhance tricky spaces.  Now we can start to tackle lighting on a room by room basis, and then explore the pros and cons of different light fittings.

Lighting needs and opportunities - room by room

Hallways and landings

• Warm lighting will immediately welcome your guests and family. Remember that first impressions count – your hallway sets the mood and lighting scene for the rest of the home.
• These areas have heavy traffic flow and thus safety considerations.  The lighting shouldn’t be much dimmer or lighter than adjoining rooms; eyes shouldn’t have to adjust.  For safety and versatility, light switches should be placed at both ends of the hall.
• On stairs the tread of each step should be clearly lit, and the depth made clear.  Consider down lighters on the wall that will light the tops and edges of the steps, along with a softer light in the hallway/landing below which illuminates the depth (don’t use an opaque pendant here, but rather a glass ball or chandelier style).
• Another option is to fit small recessed lights just above every third step on one wall.  Yet another is to fit hidden LED strip lighting in the handrail.
• Consider fitting a light switch on the upstairs landing by the principle bedroom door, which turns off all lights before you go to bed.

Living areas

• Flexibility is key to the lighting of these rooms. These areas often require – or benefit from – all four types of lighting, general, task, accent and decorative. Family members may use the room for different purposes - there may be a piano that needs task lighting, a fireplace that will benefit from accent lighting, recessed down lighters on dimmer switches depending on the outside light levels…
• If the room has more than one door – maybe it has garden access - then it’s advisable to have a switch to at least one of the lighting circuits at each point of entry to the room.
• Studies show that lower levels of light a couple of hours before bedtime can help induce sleep. Using lamps with a dimmer to create a very soft glow is advisable – this also enhances TV viewing.
• Artwork is a focal point which benefit from accent lighting. Traditionally people put strip-style down lighters above the frames for this effect. But more modern practices include directional recessed lights or a series of adjustable lights on a track. The latter is helpful should you want to rearrange the ‘gallery’ at a later date, since the lights are easily moved and redirected.

A reflective ceiling adds to this light's 
ambience. Image www.homedit.com

Dining areas

• Dining rooms come into their own at night and this is a room that often suits a sense of drama. Use the contrast of dark and light areas. If the walls are dark the effect is further enhanced.
• Use lighting that is comfortable and flattering to the room and the diners. You can include candles in this. Practically there needs to be enough light to serve food safely, and see what you’re eating! Down lighters are a good choice, especially if they are directed to cross-light across the table without dazzling the diners.
• Dining rooms provide another opportunity to light specific artwork with accent lights.
• Pendant lights or chandeliers above the table must be hung correctly – too low and it obstructs the view of the diner opposite, too high and it risks causing glare.

Kitchens

• This room needs good general and task lighting – but since kitchens are increasingly the hub of a home where everyone gathers, flexible and softer lighting will be sensible too in creating a comfortable space.
• If the space is a kitchen diner, use two separate circuits. That way you can dim the lights in the kitchen area once you’ve served the food, and that cooking space becomes less visible and intrusive to your diners.
• Recessed down lighters provide a good level of general light – if more light is needed in a room with poor natural light then uplighters on the top of wall units can boost levels when shone onto a soft sheen white ceiling.
• Sinks are often placed by windows for practical purposes of drainage and daylight – don’t forget to light this area well at night so that anybody washing up isn’t doing so in their own shadow.
• Directional recessed lights can illuminate inside of cupboards – larger cupboards may need an internal light with a momentary contact switch (where light is on only when the door is open)
• Task lighting is easily provided with LEDs underneath wall units. It is also possible to buy glass splashbacks which incorporate LEDs at their back to wash the entire splashback with light and flood the work surface immediately in-front.  
• As long as the task lighting is bright enough, the general light need only be to a level that allows safe movement around the room.
• Bear in mind that kitchen light fittings will gather grease and dirt and need to be easily cleaned periodically.

Studies or work areas

Illuminated splashback by litetile.co.uk

• Place the work table so it benefits from natural daylight but avoids glare on a computer screen.
• General lighting levels should be high enough to ensure no eye strain.
• Task lighting can be provided by an angled task light – such as the classic Anglepoise – or alternatively the whole area may be lit to a sufficient task level with down lighters and wall-washers to produce an even level of light across the whole work space.
• Lamps should be placed so they don’t cast shadow across the page when writing etc – i.e. to the left of a right-handed person or the right of a left-handed person.

You don't have to spend much to create
 interesting lighting. Image www.pinterest.co.uk

Bedrooms

• Remember the need for low lighting to aid sleep.  But bedrooms also need high levels of light for dressing, applying makeup etc.  Flexibility is key here too.
• Bedside reading lights should be positioned so they don’t disturb a partner and so the light shines exactly on the page when the user is in their favoured reading position.  If seated, the optimum lighting position is for the bottom of the bedside shade to be at shoulder level.  Adjustable lights offer greater flexibility here – be they table-based, wall-mounted  or suspended from the ceiling.
• Task lighting for a dressing table should come from both sides so it doesn’t cast shadows on the face. This can be achieved with directional down lighters or tall table lamps. Or those theatre dressing-room mirror lamps if that’s your thing.

Bathrooms

• Please let the light be flattering in here! Soft is best, but some brighter light might be needed for shaving or make up. These lights should be positioned so not to cause severe downwards shadows.
• Check the safety regulations needed for lighting and sockets in moist rooms.  Some light shade coverings or materials sometimes don’t fare well in moist atmospheres so check with the manufacturer if in doubt.

Conservatory

• Lighting here is often an afterthought - but conservatories can often create dramatic and welcoming spaces with careful lighting.
• Depending on the available wall space, wall lamps and table lamps can be used to provide the general and accent lighting, without the need for a central pendant.
• Another option is to use a discreet slim track in the apex of the roof, with a few directional low voltage lights highlighting specific areas or objects.
• Positioning low-voltage uplighters behind planters can create a dramatic effect by casting interesting shadows through the foliage.

Selecting you lighting fixtures

When you know what type of lighting is required for a specific space, you need to start thinking about the lighting fixture itself - before you start overwhelming yourself in the lighting departments!

Function – this usually determines the positioning of the fixture, to ensure that it sheds light on the correct areas of your space.  Make sure that if you need directional light, you choose a fitting which can hold a lamp of sufficient wattage to illuminate as required.

Or you can play around with scale! prssalsu.com

Size – consider how large a fitting can be used in the space you have, and in relation to other key design features in that space. If you have a scale plan of the space, use that to determine the maximum and minimum sizes.

Flexibility – since tastes and uses may change (a living room may need to provide a homework space in a few years time), flexibility is helpful.  Some recessed down lighters have interchangeable trims that allow them to become, for example, a pinhole light. Or lights on a track can be directed in multiple ways with no disruption.

Maintenance – especially important for fixtures in difficult to access spaces (high ceilings etc), where a long-life lamp is going to be helpful! Kitchen and bathroom fittings need regular cleaning so it’s best not to have complicated designs which grab dirt and grease.

Cost – consider both the cost of the fixture and operating it. How often is the light used and for how long? This might determine whether it’s cost effective to fork out for a more cost-efficient and long lasting bulb.

Types of fixtures explained

Pendants – a single light hanging from a cable, with either opaque or transparent shade. The former tend to leave the corners of a room in shade and thus require supplemental lighting. Popular now are large hanging decorative bulbs which are also classed as pendants.

Chandelier – in traditional and contemporary designs, these can provide a good source of light since the bulbs are often multiple in number and unobstructed by shades.  Dimmer switches are useful. Chandeliers can be heavy fixtures and may require a very strong hook in a ceiling joist, so their positioning is critical.

Wall lights – these can be contemporary uplighters/down lighters, or traditional or industrial wall sconces. Good for providing general light.  These can highlight uneven wall surfaces.  They should be installed above eye level – particularly on stairs to avoid dangerous glare.

Table/standard lamps – in limitless designs, these can provide both general and task lighting. These are often seen as an accessory for a room, and can provide a focal design point.  Opaque shades will throw light up and below, and the angle of light depends on the size and shape of the shade.  In listed buildings these may be the only source of light where ceilings do not allow a pendant light to be fitted.

LED strip lighting. www.hometalk.com

Recessed down lighters – these can be fitted into a ceiling if there is sufficient space between the ceiling and the floor above. Fittings can be from 120mm to 300mm deep, though some manufacturers provide shallower designs for narrower ceiling spaces.
Wall washers – a type of down lighter which bathes the walls in light. These can help ‘push out’ the walls in a smaller space. They can also provide a more direct beam of light to illuminate artwork or interesting objects.  Wall washers are usually installed about 800m-1m from the wall and 1m apart from each other.  

Built in and perimeter lighting – this can be fitted into coving, or false ceilings which finish just before the wall. The lamps are obscured from view and create a sense of space, but they provide an indirect source of light that won’t be sufficient for task lighting.
LED strip lighting - these flexible strips of LED lights can provide accent lighting on shelves and in display cabinets, or as already suggested in the handrail of a staircase. 



There's so much more that can be discussed around lighting your home, but I hope these two posts have provided some practical guidance and inspiration. Now that lighting won't be an afterthought, you can integrate it to show off your beautiful rooms to their best.