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LIGHTING & ACCESSORIES. Properly used, lighting can emphasize the best features of the room and furnishings. It can set a mood and affect the way a room is used. Lighting. If a room is too dark or overlit, it will appear unattractive. It can create subtle drama and ambiance.
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Properly used, lighting can emphasize the best features of the room and furnishings. It can set a mood and affect the way a room is used. Lighting... If a room is too dark or overlit, it will appear unattractive. It can create subtle drama and ambiance. Proper lighting contributes to comfort and safety. Inadequate lighting can create eyestrain, affect your level of comfort, and result in accidents.
NATURAL LIGHT Lighting from the sun depends on the time of day, the season, the weather, the number, size, and location of windows, the kind of window treatments, and orientation of the room to sunlight. Sources of light... Sunlight consists of a mixture of colors, which vary with the time of day and orientation of the room. Afternoon light from the south and west has a warmer cast, toward the red end of the light spectrum. Light from the north is cooler, with bluish tones. Light from the east is somewhere in between. Too much natural light can fade fabrics and cause sun damage to furniture. Window coverings or exterior foliage can be used to filter the light.
ARTIFICIAL LIGHT At night, on cloudy days, or in rooms without windows, we depend on “direct” or “indirect” artificial lighting from fixtures. Sources of light... Direct lighting is light that shines from a fixture on a specific area. In this picture, the light from the lamp shines directly over the shoulder of anyone seated in the chair… perfect for reading. Indirect lighting is light reflected off ceilings and walls. The small alcove behind the chair is well-lit, but not from any visible light source. It is reflected light. Indirect lighting is usually more “diffused” or softer.
The amount of illumination produced by a room’s light sources, whether by natural or artificial means, is measured in footcandles. Light needs... A footcandle is the amount of light produced by a standard plumbers candle at a distance of one foot. Light meters can be used to measure the number of footcandles produced by light. Various activites can best be accomplished in adequate footcandles of light: 10-20 for conversation or dining; 20-50 for grooming; 50-100 for food preparation or reading; 100-200 for finely detailed crafts. One footcandle of light A small, handheld light meter
Purposes of lighting... Task lighting, more intense light, focuses light on the area where it is most needed. General lighting, both direct and indirect, provides enough lighting to see everything in the room. It softens shadows and harsh contrasts. It is background lighting. Accent lighting is aimed directly on a specific object to create a dramatic effect. Accent lighting should be 3 times brighter than the general lighting, and can be accomplished with increased bulb wattage or a light-focusing fixture.
Track lighting is a series of light “cans” that are moved along a track, rotated, and angled toward specific area. It works well for accent lighting.
The light you get from any fixture depends on the type and wattage of the bulb. The higher the wattage, the greater the intensity of light. Some fixtures can only be used safely with certain wattage levels. Light bulbs... Incandescent bulbs produce light when electricity passes through a tungsten filament in a glass bulb… and it glows. This light tends to be warm and flattering. A frosted bulb reduces glare and softens the light. Small clear bulbs may appear to “sparkle”, such as those used in chandeliers. Some have a silver or aluminum reflector coating which directs the light forward. Fluorescent bulbs produce light when chemicals inside a sealed glass tube transform ultraviolet light. They are usually long, straight tubes, but come in other shapes. They produce more light with the same wattage as incandescent bulbs. They cost more, but last longer. Avoid dimmer switches and electronic timers. They produce various color casts, but some create light near natural sunlight.
Light bulbs... Halogen bulbs are a special type of incandescent bulb. It contains pressurized halogen gas, producing a whiter, more intense light. They are usually smaller than a regular bulb, but last longer and therefore are more expensive. They can become very hot during use. LED lights (light emitting diodes) are silicon chips with an electric current running through it. They last much longer than compact fluorescent bulbs, but have limited residential use. Fiber Optic lights consist of fine, hair-like strands of glass with light flowing through them. This light emits no heat and no ultraviolet rays, so is good for use in accenting expensive or collectible artwork.
Structural lighting... (Permanent; built in) Luminous ceiling panels consist of fluorescent tubes behind plastic panels in the ceiling Valance lighting is found over a window, and hidden by the window valance Cove lighting is similar to cornice lighting, but directs light upward. It gives the room an illusion of added height. Cornice lighting, often next to the ceiling, is concealed behind a cornice feature and directs light downward
Structural lighting... Strip lights are rows of incandescent bulbs or fluorescent tubes around the top or sides of a mirror. Downlights direct lights from the ceiling downward, and can be used for general or accent lighting. They may be “recessed” or flush with the ceiling. Soffit lights shown below are enclosed in a soffit and direct light downward. Wall washers are lights that spread light over a wall, and may be on the wall or in the ceiling near a wall. They emphasize wall texture.
Accessories... Accessories are items added to a room design after the structural lighting and furniture styles have been determined. Accessories should reflect the personalities of the individual. Accessories can be: Functional (useful) Decorative Or a combination of both
Some accessories are functional, but not decorative: A dirty throw rug does not go well in the décor, but saves the rest of the floor! A free magnetic notepad on the refrigerator may be useful, even if not attractive. A worn out footstool doesn’t look pretty, but still provides relief for tired feet and legs.
Throw pillow, in all shapes and sizes, can be both decorative and functional.
Favorite vacation spots, sports teams, hobbies, interests, antiques, etc. can become the focal point of accessories.
Clocks are another example of accessories that are both functional and decorative.
Mats and frames of pictures should complement the room. Avoid busy prints on busy patterned walls.
Large pictures look best in the center of your primary wall - a wall that catches the eye of someone entering the room. Your painting looks best when it hangs at eye level (this is called museum hanging), which means that the center of the canvas should be about 60" above the floor. When you hang your painting over a couch or other large furniture piece, the general rule is to allow 6" to 8" above the furniture, even if this is higher than described above. There should be 6 – 12” clearance around each picture or picture grouping Use toothpaste to fill nail holes Break the eye off a sewing needle, and then use the needle as a nail to hold pictures; the average needle, driven into the wall in a downward angle, will support 40 pounds but doesn’t leave a large hole
