Lighting brings life into a room and
without it most of a rooms function would be obsolete. This article explores
several ideas and things to think about when selecting the lighting for
interior decoration, both in terms of form and function.
What do you want to show?
What do you want to show?
This is the first question any lighting
designer should consider when creating the lighting for an architectural space
and it has both an aesthetic and functional value. Firstly, let us consider
function. Lighting is needed to enable you to see and complete the tasks you
need to complete. Some tasks, such as writing a letter at a desk, require more
lighting than others. Therefore think about how you use a room and the spaces
in which you want light to breathe in order to complete your day to day task.
Secondly, let us consider the aesthetics of lighting and how it can be used to
highlight certain areas and ornaments within a room. Consider the spaces that
you want to showcase throughout your house. This could be an ornament, a
painting, or even an exquisite ornamental feature such as a fireplace or
ceiling rafters. Test out the levels of light intensity that suit this object
the most and different ways to cast light over it. If you use light to
highlight your favourite object, it will make you like your room more.
Reflecting
light
Lights and windows are not the only things that give out light. This is an incredibly important thing to remember when creating the lighting design for a lighting space. Some of the most intelligent lighting designs are those that think about how light is bounced and reflected around a room. This is often evident in architectural lighting, where the lights face the internal walls and ceiling to make visible the architectural features of a room and in turn the light reflecting off these features lights up the rest of the room. Furthermore this takes the glare and intensity from a bright white light and changes the mood of the lighting depending upon the colour the light is reflecting off. For example if the light is reflecting off a red or dark wooden structure, it will bring warmth into the room. Whereas a white structure will increase the brightness giving a natural feel. Mirrors can also be used to increase light intensity within a room.
What different themes can you create with the lighting?
The best lighting designers do not only think of a single lighting theme, they consider how the light changes throughout the day and how the turning on and turning off of a single lamp will change the entire aesthetic of your lighting. Consider how the lighting affects the function of a room at all times of day and how different combinations of lights can be used to create different moods. Finally the light itself is an incredibly important aesthetic feature, requiring consideration when purchasing.
AUTHOR BIO
Smith has been reviewing and critiquing
interior design for over fifteen years and writes regularly for a variety of
national and international magazines, newspapers and online media. Smith uses http://www.nationallighting.co.uk for all the latest products in interior
lighting and to keep abreast of developments within the industry.
