Interior Lighting, Simplified

Arguably one of the most important aspects of an interior space, lighting should be part of the design process from the very beginning.  As a design professional, I know that lighting can make or break a space because both function and form fail without proper lighting.  And like colour (which doesn't exist without light), the quality of light also has both psychological AND physiological effects on human beings.  For these reasons alone, I often tell clients never to go cheap on lighting - with some exceptions which I will address later on.

As you might already know, besides choosing light fixtures to reflect both a space's function and overall look, it's almost mandatory nowadays to incorporate energy efficiency into the lighting scheme.


Now, let's get some often-confused terminologies out of the way (in my opinion, you really only need to know the difference between these two terms):

• wattage - the amount of electrical power required for a particular lamp to work.  A light bulb with higher wattage usually produces more light output (lumens) compared to the same bulb with lower wattage.
• lumens - the quantity of light that leaves the light bulb.  Two compact fluorescent bulbs of the same wattage can have different lumen readings if one is more efficiently designed.

GENERAL/AMBIENT LIGHTING

The majority of lighting found in an interior falls in this category (ceiling fixtures, wall fixtures, lamps):  They provide general illumination and creates ambience in a space.  Due to the low levels of light required for this purpose, usually a single ceiling fixture is adequate however, a combination of more than two types of lights would provide more desirable results.

For general lighting in a bedroom, I usually prefer to make a statement with a special ceiling fixture (in this case, a DIY light made with a cord set and seashell-hanging-decoration-turned-light-shade,) and  a couple of lamps (not shown)

In an office environment, one typically finds recessed fluorescent fixtures as the only light source.  While these lights are adequate for general illumination purposes, they often create very cold-looking spaces and are neither flattering to the human complexion nor psyche.  The solution?  Simply add a nice lamp to your workspace!

A note on light bulbs for ambient lighting:  I like to equip fixtures with Luminus CFL bulbs from Costco. I find these bulbs give out light with just the right colour temperature:  not too cold like a standard 'daylight' bulb, and not too yellow like a 'soft white' bulb.

TASK LIGHTING

Reading, drawing, sewing, food preparation, applying make-up, detailed product inspecting (in a work environment,) are some of the tasks that require brighter, higher levels of light for safe and efficient results.  

Please refer to http://www.leoindustries.com/light_level_recommendations.php for comprehensive charts on recommended light levels for common indoor activities.

The recommended light level for casual reading is 300-500 lumens/m2 so I equipped the floor lamp (beside chaise lounge) with a 13W CFL bulb, which checks in at around 800 lumens.  As for the ceiling fixutre, note how something a little more special than a builder-standard 'boobie' fixture can elevate the look of an entire room.

ACCENT LIGHTING

The purpose of accent lighting is to spotlight (draw attention to) certain features such as a special picture, plants, sculpture, a display cabinet, or anything you might want to highlight.

Photo: Powell/Kleinschmidt, Inc.

I often end up using some sort of halogen or LED fixture for accent lighting as they add more sparkle and life to the subject being highlighted.  As decorative a purpose as accent lighting might serve, it still needs to be considered early on in the lighting scheme for seamless wiring.  One of my biggest pet peeves is to see exposed electrical wire all over an otherwise beautiful space.

LIGHTING ON A SHOESTRING

While I generally recommend clients to allocate a good portion of their budget on great lighting, some situations call for creative solutions - mainly due to budget constraints but sometimes to achieve a certain look or execute certain values (such as being environmentally friendly through re-use, re-purpose, & up-cycling.)

The cathedral entry (left) called for an oversized light fixture of at least 36" in order for the scale & proportion to work.  I wanted to create a strong first impression (for a song) by fitting a 36" round Japanese paper lantern with a cord & double-socket set.  The same trick was employed with the cluster of paper lanterns in this home office (right.)  You can have an electrician assemble a cord set bought from hardware stores; or buy a plug-in one from Amazon or Ikea.

As you can see from the examples above, the options are limited only by your imagination when it comes to making your own light fixture:  all you really need is a cord, a socket (most hardware stores have them readily available in an E26 medium base), a light bulb, a shade, and of course, an electrician!