Let There Be Light

Lighting is one of the most vital aspects of any room. It creates a certain mood and ambiance, it highlights special features such as interesting architecture or significant artwork, and it shows off color, forms and textures to their best advantage. But most importantly, it creates a safe and functional home.

Knowing how you'll use a room is critical when it comes to creating a good lighting plan. No single light source can provide all the necessary lighting for a room particularly in high performance rooms, such as the kitchen or bath. Different lighting sources will create specialized effects for specific purposes and the key to making your space look and function its best is to layer these different types of light.

Types of Light

Besides natural light, there are four main types of lighting you'll want to consider when putting your lighting plan together: ambient lighting, task lighting, accent lighting and decorative lighting.

Ambient Light
Ambient light or general light is the foundation for any good lighting plan. It creates a soft, overall glow that fills a room, softens shadows and helps make people feel welcome. Ambient light can come from a number of different sources, such as recessed down lights, surface mounted ceiling or wall lights, as well as table and floor lamps.

Task Light
Task lighting's objective is to provide focused, directional light on a specific area where certain functions are performed such as reading or chopping vegetables. Task lighting can be provided by recessed lighting, pendant lighting, under cabinet lighting, track lighting, and desk lamps.

Placement is important - if the light source falls on top or behind a person, it'll cast a shadow on the work surface, so best placement is between the work surface and the person’s head.

Accent Light
Accent lighting illuminates a specific object or area and can add depth and dimension to a room by creating visual interest. It's often used to spotlight art or other prized possessions, but also can be used to highlight an interesting wall texture or beautiful drapery.

Accent lighting requires at least three times as much light focused on the focal point as the surrounding ambient light. The main sources for accent lighting are recessed lighting, track lighting and wall mounted spot lighting.

Decorative Light
Decorative lighting is what adds a little sparkle and extra style to a room. Rather than draw attention to something specific like accent light, decorative lighting draws attention to itself. Good examples of decorative lighting include chandeliers, wall sconces, and unique table or floor lamps, and even candles. By adding visual interest, decorative lighting is like a fine piece of jewelry and can really enhance the design of a room.

Light Bulbs

You’ll also want to take into consideration the types of bulbs you use. Bulbs are available in many assorted shapes, sizes, wattages and color temperatures - each giving off its own distinct glow.

Incandescent Bulbs
Incandescent bulbs are one of the most common types of light bulb. These bulbs emit continuous-spectrum light, or light that contains every color. The illumination given off by incandescent bulbs is a warm, consistent light. They come in a variety of shapes, sizes, wattages and can be used in a variety of applications. They are inexpensive, however use a lot of electricity, give off a lot of heat, and have a short lifespan.

Fluorescent Bulbs
Fluorescent bulbs are energy efficient, produce very little heat and have a long lifespan. They come in a variety of shapes and sizes including the standard tube and the compact fluorescent or CFL. Older versions of fluorescent lights produced a harsh cold light, making them undesirable for any space other than a garage or basement, but newer versions are warmer and offer better color rendition.

The color temperature of fluorescent bulbs is noted by a "Kelvin Temperature" rating; ratings range from 1,800K to over 7,000K. The lower the rating, the warmer the light. For example a Kelvin rating of 1,800k would be similar to candle light, while a rating of 7,000k would be like a very overcast day. For a warm light with good color rendition, look for a rating of 2,700K to 3,000K.

Halogen Bulbs
Halogen bulbs are a type of incandescent bulb, except they produce a brighter, whiter light but at lower wattages and greater efficiency. The advantages to halogen bulbs is they produce a brighter light while using less energy than incandescent but they cost more and burn at a much higher temperature.

LED Bulbs
LED stands for light emitting diodes. LED lighting is the wave of the future for energy efficient lighting. The new LED high powered light bulbs produce twice as much light as compact fluorescent bulbs and can last 6 times longer. They produce pure, monochromatic light and do not emit any damaging UV light making them a great choice for lighting artwork or other sensitive materials.

Lighting Controls

How you control the light is another important aspect of the lighting plan. One of the most common mistakes when remodeling is forgetting to leave space for your switches, especially in rooms where there's a lot cabinetry, such as in the kitchen. Be sure to leave a space for your switches near the main entrance to the room and remember to consider which way the door swings, so they don’t end up behind an open door. Finally - don’t forget the dimmer switches! If the light source is dim-able, then put it on a dimmer switch. Not only do they help in creating a beautiful atmosphere, but also help save energy too.

Web Resources

• Expert Tips For a Well-Lit Home from BHG
  12 great tips from Better Homes and Gardens to help you create a beautiful and well lit home, including how to layer different types of light and add drama with accent lighting.
• Energy-Efficient Lighting Options from This Old House
  Learn all about "green" lighting options including LEDs, compact fluorescents and the next-generation halogen bulbs.
• Choosing a Chandelier from Ballard Designs
  Here is a quick guide to choosing the right size chandelier for your dining room.
• All About Bulbs from Lighting Universe
  This simple pictorial guide will help you understand and identify all the different types of light bulbs available.