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Home Lighting Series

Various Lighting Methods and Functions Create Interesting Depth and Dimension.

GENERAL ROOM LIGHTING

It is what it says - lighting application used to illuminate a room in general all over fashion.

Traditionally and historically, it has meant one or more ceiling fixture outlets depending on the size of the room. An unappealing utilitarian, even garish method, some old ideas are slow to change when they are ingrained in the mind of ‘how it is’ and ‘has been’.

Effective, appealing and creative overall lighting is emerging in mainstream decor.

General lighting is far more appealing and effective when 'layered', applied to room perimeters in the form of recessed flush mounted fixtures with or without a central ceiling outlet. Separate switching allows control of light and energy conservation.

General lighting for hallways, entries, foyers really is much more pleasant applied with wall grazing sconce fixtures than overhead light casting its uncomfortable reaches.

SPECIFIC and TASK INTERIOR DESIGN LIGHTING

Light application with the purpose of creating visibility for work functions or activities is focused. There are several ways to address task specific lighting.

Recessed Flush Mount & Track Lighting

Hanging Pendant Lights or suspended double light decorative fixtures can work equally as well for task areas such as over a kitchen island, billiards table, dining table or work bench. Care should be given to placement in front of the ‘worker’ rather than behind the head, which will of course cast shadow onto the work area, totally undoing any effectiveness. (It happens!)

AMBIENT INTERIOR DESIGN LIGHTING

Architectural enhancement, mood, depth, comfort are sometimes not considered at all, or if they are, may be viewed as unnecessary.

Creating drama and mood, often overlooked in Interior Design Lighting, creates an easy living mode in any interior. Wall accent fixtures, torchieres, lamps, brighten dark corners, illuminate ceiling height, Architectural details millwork, stone and countless other beautiful features that shouldn’t be included in the enjoyment of interior decorative lighting.

AMBIENT SPECIFIC

Pertaining to reduced task areas and decorative highlighting or spot lighting creating accents. Ambient doubles as specific in the case of a reading lamp in living rooms or bedroom for example; the den or office desk lamp. In the case of highlighting wall or sculptural art, spot lighting lends a wonderful creative ambience to the task of bringing life to the piece being highlighted.

Base or Foot Lighting along stairways, walks and halls lends unobtrusive specific and subdued ease of passage – also specific ambient.

SOME DON’T’s AND ‘NEVERS’

1) A double never – NEVER NEVER use track lighting for general lighting from the center of a room expecting it to reach everywhere. Acceptable and appropriate in a place like a narrow hallway or stairwell – and then best if used for ambient wall grazing or spot lighting.

2) Never use torchieres for general or reading light – it simply doesn’t work.

3) Don’t plan a single ceiling light without other lighting support elements in the room.

4) Don’t hang pendant, drop fixtures or ceiling fans from a low ceiling.

5) Don’t use buffet of candlestick lamps for reading lamps, especially in the living room – they’re usually too small, inadequate and out of scale with the décor. Use them on a console, sofa table or ……buffet!

6) Let me know if you think of others! Use the contact link.

CONTINUE TO PAGE 3 Interior Design Lighting

Living Room with Large Mirror

Photographic Print