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12 Considerations When Choosing Contemporary Lighting
When redecorating a room, or even an entire house, contemporary
lighting is a major concern. Dimly lit areas are uninviting and even
depressing since human beings naturally crave the light. Some rooms,
of course, invite subdued lighting ... a bedroom doesn't need
glaring light whereas a dramatic entryway or living room might be
stunning with bold, dramatic spotlight.
The older the home, the greater the challenge when planning for
modern lighting. Here are twelve issues to contemplate when planning
your lighting update.
1. Consider your natural lighting first. In what direction are your
windows facing? Northern light is usually cooler and whiter whereas
daylight from southern-facing windows will be warmer and yellower.
This is perfect for plants, but not as satisfactory to artists, who
prefer the truer white of the north. Northern light is a more even
hue and is more shadow-free, which isn't as comfortable in a
relaxing den.
2. How is the light affected by your architecture and landscaping?
Do you have trees that shade the light, or bushes that block the
lower parts of the windows and decrease the over-all quantity of
illumination? Does a roofline cast a shadow in an important area of
a room? Can you increase the quality and quantity of accessible
light without spending a fortune?
3. What activities take place in your rooms? Do some of them require
more light than others? A desk that hosts homework or needlework
requires strong and steady light that covers the entire work area.
However, someone relaxing on a recliner and watching TV at the end
of a busy day does not want this kind of focused brightness.
4. Do you need variable lighting? You might require a bright light
focused on a dining room table while it is being set and dinner is
served. However, once all diners are seated and have loaded their
plates, a softer lighting is more appropriate and a dimmer switch
will nicely provide for multiple intensities.
5. Are there details in your room upon which you wish to focus
attention? Perhaps you own a spectacular fireplace or exceptional
art? In that case, spot lighting might be appropriate. There might
be other necessary, but not-so-attractive areas, that you might wish
to downplay by muting the light. Or you might own a spectacular view
that is especially enchanting at night. In that case, lights
reflecting from the windows will make it more difficult, or even
impossible, to see out.
6. Can you add light to a room by changing your decorating scheme?
We recently brightened a dark-paneled den by painting all the
woodwork and cabinets a creamy white and adding 2" white wood
blinds. With this relatively simple change, the entire room has
taken on an entirely new appearance and brightened dramatically.
7. How do your window treatments affect the light? Some homes with
heavy drapes are either "on" or "off": that is, either the drapes
are closed, making the room dark and frequently gloomy, or they are
open and sunlight isn't filtered in any way. Blinds or certain
shades can diffuse light while still allowing a large percentage of
it to access and brighten a room.
8. Decorating features in your home may add light or take it away.
For instance, a mirror will add a sense of spaciousness and
illumination whereas outside shutters or awnings may block the sun's
rays. It might be wonderful to shut out harsh sunlight on a 95
degree summer day, but in the middle of winter we want every sliver
of light we can grab.
9. What about the natural traffic pattern of your room? A floor lamp
placed so that people must detour around it isn't the wisest use of
your light sources. Is an off/on switch conveniently located near
all entrances? Groping around on the wall in the dark isn't favored
by most people. If this is your situation, a simple sensor that
turns on lights when a human enters a room is a clever solution.
10. Which areas are underlit and which are overlit? In my bedroom,
for example, there is an exceedingly bright overhead light as part
of a ceiling fan. It is great when finding an appropriate color of
socks to wear in the morning, but completely unsuitable for reading
in bed before going to sleep. A pool table needs strong lighting
whereas a romantic seating area in a garden room does not.
11. What kind of lighting does your room need? Fluorescent fixtures
might be perfect above a kitchen island but would be repulsive
directly above an eating area. Schools and other institutions might
welcome such unflattering lighting, but incandescent lighting might
be more appropriate at home.
12. What is the condition of your wiring? Old and outdated wiring
often cannot accommodate sleek new lighting systems without some
work. Updating wiring can be expensive and disruptive, but it is
also the opportunity to add new switches and cause updates for new
computers, high speed Internet connections or high-tech TV or sound
systems.
If you consider all these situations before spending a single penny
updating to more contemporary lighting, your end result is certain
to be more satisfying to everyone who lives in your home.
About the Author: D. Benjamin is the owner of
iapsales.com LLC - a family business specializing in HVAC products. We
are distributors of
Qmark Heaters,
electric tankless water heaters,
bathroom heaters,
patio heaters, electric heaters,
portable air
conditioners & electric towel warmers. Shop on line at
www.heateroutlet.com for these great home improvement products.
Iapsales.com LLC was established in 2003 and is the sister company to
Innovative Air Products located in historical Exeter, NH. We are a 2nd
generation manufacturers’ rep firm dedicated to providing residential &
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