Light more than anything else is perhaps the most essential element of design in any interior scheme. The most glorious of architectures can fall flat on their backs if lighting has not been considered as part and parcel of its plan. Light is what creates feelings, sets the mood, and enhances ambiance. Without proper and adequate light, natural or artificial, a home can feel cold and drab.
When thinking about lighting, it tends to be artificial light that comes to mind. Optimizing the use of natural light, however, is also key, in terms of practicality and in order to be able to appreciate the beauty of the space. When creating an interior design scheme from scratch take both artificial and natural light into consideration, but even within existing design there is still much that can be done to improve matters.
Light is generally classified into four groups: general or ambient, task, accent and natural. General or ambient lighting is the all-purpose background light of a room. It can come from decorative ceiling fixture, recessed lighting, or track lighting. For general lighting you will want either a regular or “flood” bulbs, which shine with diffused light. Dimmer switches are a good idea for these fixtures because they provide the opportunity to change the mood of the space and avoid potential glare.
Task light direct their energy right onto the work surface of the room. For example, if you have a study where you read and use the computer, you will want a good task lamp that illuminates the table surface so that you can avoid eye strain. You can create task lighting in a kitchen by cleverly hiding them under cabinets to illuminate countertops. Task lighting illuminates work surfaces for efficiency, comfort and safety without creating shadows.
Accent lighting draws and dazzles the eye. Decorative in nature, these fixtures are used to accentuate detail such as artwork, interesting architectural features, and in cabinets to showcase your crystal wares and other collectible.Natural light is perhaps the most important light of all. Unfortunately not all houses are built the same. Living spaces that face east receive optimum lighting during the morning hours and tend to be darker towards evening. Rooms that face the west on the other hand get maximum light in the evenings. Rooms that face north are perhaps the ones most disadvantaged as they are quite bleak and even cold. If you know the orientation of your rooms it will much easier to light them appropriately to bring out their full potential.
Lights come in all shapes and sizes and most common are incandescent lights. These give a nice golden glow to a room and are much nicer than fluorescent lights. Downlights are round or square canisters, usually metal, that recessed into or mounted onto the ceiling. These lights can be used as spotlights or general lighting. Table lamps are so versatile they can be used for task, accent, and ambient lighting.
Uplights are normally one-bulb lights that are placed behind furniture, glass shelving or plants to give them a dramatic accent. Uplights can also be creatively inserted into the floor surface. Track lighting makes it possible to use one electrical outlet to supply power to many lights along the tracks length. The track can be surface mounted or recessed. In some models it can also be twisted and realigned to face any direction.
Whatever your choice of lighting is, always consider using energy saving options in your home. With that in mind, it is also important to note energy saving bulbs do not work with dimmer switches. Some ideas are expensively permanent so it helps to do a bit of homework first before embarking on a building project of even remodeling from scratch.
By Tsedaniya M. Delnessa
