Here's the ultimate guide to lighting your home. Get ready to discover, down to the smallest details, interior lighting.
- We will explain to you the impact of light on psychology.
- How color temperature affects the ambiance of each room.
- Then, we will distinguish the different types of lighting for your home.
When designed well, lighting can brilliantly transform a space, creating a unique ambiance for each room while reflecting your personality and that of the home.
Designing the lighting of a place may seem simple, but make no mistake, it is not. Lighting is both a science and an art.
So we're going to show you the importance of lighting in interior design and explain why you should perhaps spend a little more time than you planned on choosing your lighting fixtures.
A. The role of lighting inside and outside your home
In essence, the function of light is relatively simple: it illuminates a space, giving us the vision needed to carry out our daily tasks. Lighting is a way to allow us to see clearly in a room, but also to create a pleasant atmosphere.
You cannot fully enjoy the interior architecture of a home without adequate lighting. When light is well thought out, it becomes an invitation to fully enjoy a living space, while highlighting every detail of a room. The interior of your home will come alive with the right lighting.
Lighting helps us live our modern lives, and without it we would be reliant on sunlight and candles! Although natural sunlight has positive effects on our mental health and candles are a fantastic way to create a magical ambiance, these lighting methods are limited and impractical for meeting our daily needs, especially in winter!
B. Lighting: the choice of quality versus quantity
When it comes to lighting, quality often trumps quantity. For example, many bedrooms tend to have bedside lamps, an overhead light, and possibly accent lighting, such as a desk lamp. Although you could turn on all the lamps at once to have a well-lit bedroom, this would be excessive.
A ceiling light should do the trick to provide enough light to illuminate the entire room. But when you go to bed, you probably don't want to have such a strong light source. That's why we usually turn on a bedside lamp to transform the space into a calming retreat. We use light in many ways and the different types of lamps that exist reflect this.
C. Color and light
Color, as we know it, would not exist if there were no light. We see colors by the reflection of wavelengths (the light itself) that are emitted by the source of the light. Color is only perceptible when there is light, and the type and amount of lighting influences how we perceive the colors in a space. A color may appear to have a specific hue under one light source, but in an environment with different lighting, that hue will not be the same.
For example, in most cases people agree that a lemon is yellow. However, this is technically only true in broad daylight. In poorly lit or dark rooms, lemon would no longer appear as yellow, but rather as full of shades of gray.
If the light source is pure blue, the lemon might lean toward a greenish-yellow color, and under pure red light it would be a dark orange-yellow color. Although these are extreme cases of lighting, the type of light you use has a direct impact on the colors of your walls and furniture.
D. Color temperature
The appearance (aka color) of light is called color temperature. The color temperature of a light bulb helps us understand the appearance of light and how it interacts with the environment. The color temperature ranges from warm white to daylight.
Despite its name, warm light is on the lower end of the temperature scale, while daylight is on the higher end. It gives a room a welcoming and comfortable atmosphere.
Cool white is between warm light and daylight. Cool white is a good balance between the two ends of the spectrum and it provides vibrant light.
True daylight, which is pure white light, is very stark and sharp. Natural lighting is considered fair light, but artificial daylight is on the cooler side of the spectrum. This type of light emits a bluish-white luminosity, hence its name “cold” light.
Experimenting with lighting can change the way colors appear in a room. Understanding the relationship between light and color is very important to your lighting plan, as it is the lighting that determines the overall tone and feel of the room.
Little advice: if you want to create a cozy and cozy atmosphere, forget about cold light temperatures! In LED, 3000K would do the trick because it is warm white.
E. The psychological effects of lighting and color
You are now aware that it is essential to understand how the lighting will work in a given space. The perfect amount of light has a positive effect on our mood, while too much or too little light can have a negative or even irritating impact.
That being said, how do you get the “perfect” amount of light for a space? The answer can be tricky. It comes down to having a well thought out lighting plan. But for this you need to understand a series of factors that we are going to talk about now.
F. The three general types of lighting
There are three main sources of light:
- General (ambient)
- Working
- Emphasis.
Each is needed for different parts of your home and they can overlap in the same space.
For example, a pendant light can be considered both a direct lighting source and a general lighting source, depending on its intended use. A well-thought-out lighting plan will utilize all three types of lighting in a space.
Here's a closer look at each type of lighting and the role it plays in your home.
1. General lighting
General lighting, also called ambient lighting, is the main source of light in a room. Its purpose is to provide general lighting for the entire space. But it also directly influences the mood and the overall atmosphere, hence its name of ambient lighting, typical of Scandinavian style lighting and interiors for example.
If a room has plenty of natural light, it can often be the source of general lighting during the day. Fixtures used for general lighting can range from recessed lamps to beautiful chandeliers.
2. Task lighting
Task lighting is exactly what the name suggests: it provides lighting for a specific task. It is more localized than other types of lighting and can come from different sources. The function of task lighting is to illuminate a certain work area, a kitchen worktop, for example, providing just enough light to prepare a good meal in your kitchen or repair a lamp in your workshop.
As we age, our vision deteriorates, which is why direct lighting is so important to reduce the glare of lights and prevent eye fatigue. The types of workspaces that task lighting is typically focused on are cooking, reading, crafting, studying.
Task lighting can come from many light sources, such as recessed lights or track lights. But unlike general lighting, small lamps provide the perfect amount of task lighting, provided they are well placed. Table lamps, table lamps, desk lamps are examples of direct lighting. Their goal is to improve the productivity of the designated work area, limit shadows and reduce glare.
3. Accent lighting
Accent lighting is more design and decorative focused than the other two types of lighting. The main function of accent lighting, unlike general lighting, is to create a focal point in the room. It adds dimension to the environment and coexists very well with general lighting.
Accent lighting is used for:
- Drawing attention to a unique architectural design
- Bringing out the beauty of a work of art or photograph
- Highlight the texture or color of the walls
- Highlight the light fixture itself.
Accent lighting adds drama to the room it is located in. Its goal is to draw your eye to the focal point it has created. Choosing the angle of accent lights is key to drawing attention to what you have chosen. It may take a little experimenting to achieve the desired effect, but it's worth the effort.
G. Interior Lighting Options
There are many options when it comes to lighting fixtures. Most lighting fixtures are relatively versatile and can be used in a variety of ways.
1. Architectural lighting
Architectural lighting fixtures are those that are integrated into the structure of the building. Architectural lighting tends to be located on a ledge or shelf and the light generally reflects towards the ceiling or upper portions of the wall. It can also be found inside the structure, in wood, glass or metal cornices, which are then mounted above windows or at the top of walls.
Do you know the soffit technique?
It relies on the light being placed close to the ceiling, allowing it to radiate downward, providing elegant ambient light. Architectural lighting emits indirect lighting, as many techniques involve bouncing light off walls to minimize shadows. It is considered general lighting.
2. Ceiling lights
There are various lighting options for your ceiling - it's a generic term for the placement of lighting in different rooms.
3. Pendant lights
Hanging lamps or pendant lights are very popular in the kitchen and dining room. These particular fixtures can improve the aesthetics and visibility of your room. This type of lamp hangs from the ceiling. They come in all styles, sizes and lengths.
4. Recessed lighting
Recessed lighting is a type of lighting that sits in the ceiling. As a general rule, you should allow at least 15cm clearance for installation and the area surrounding the fixture should be well insulated. Putting multiple recessed lights in the ceiling is a great choice for general lighting. A few recessed light installations can be a fantastic form of task or accent lighting.
5. Track lighting
Track lighting hangs from the ceiling and consists of several heads or spots that can change position and adjust along the track. Track lighting is primarily used for accent lighting and task lighting, but depending on the wattage of the bulbs, it can work great as general lighting.
6. Under-cabinet lighting
Under-cabinet lighting is very simple and useful in everyday life. This is a common form of accent lighting for a kitchen, as areas under cabinets tend to be very dark. Kitchens are busy work areas that require your full attention. You don't want to end up cutting your finger!
7. Pendant lighting
Pendant lighting hangs from the ceiling and provides light directly below. The most common location for pendant lighting is above a kitchen island or dining room table. Pendant lights or pendant lights are very decorative, but they also provide excellent accent and ambient lighting. There are many types of pendant lights, so you will surely find one that matches your interior design.
8. Chandeliers
Like pendant lights, chandeliers hang from the ceiling. However, unlike pendant lighting, the light it emits is directed upwards and reflects off the ceiling. Pendant lights and chandeliers are very similar in terms of functions. But chandeliers offer a much more decorative touch to the entire room, and there is clearly an abundance of beautiful chandelier designs. Chandeliers are a great example of general lighting.
9. Wall lighting
Wall lights, or wall sconces, emit light upwards or downwards. The lighting is reasonably localized, on a smaller scale than ceiling lights, making it excellent task and accent lighting. But depending on the power of the light, it can be used as general lighting, providing a more relaxing ambiance and sufficient brightness to your rooms.
10. Floor lamps, table lamps and desk lamps
These types of lamps require no installation other than plugging them into a power outlet. The number of styles and sizes is staggering and the best thing about them is that you can move them wherever you need them at any given time. If you don't like where it is currently, you can easily move it.
Their versatility and accessibility make them very interesting and they are also excellent accent lighting. Larger floor lamps can also diffuse enough light to provide general lighting to your rooms with excellent brightness.
