You can decorate a wonderful room, but your work won’t be appreciated and enjoyed if no can see it. No, I am not talking about having your eye glasses checked at the door. Every room should incorporate four TYPES of lighting so your guests don’t have to feel their way around the room. Each has it's own contribution to the room's ambiance.
In good light design, your goal is NOT to see the light bulbs unless it is part of the presentation such as in a chandelier. Direct view of a light bulb can be distracting, blinding, and obtrusive.
First let me mention that there are 3 basic light SOURCES:
Ambient where the light come from all directions like a ceiling light fixture; Directional where the source emits “parallel” light rays that do not diminish with distance, like that of a track light with a spot light bulb in it. Then there is Positional lighting, in which the rays are not parallel, but diminish in intensity from the source as occurs when you use a table lamp with a frosted 60W bulb. Ambient lighting comes from all directions, while directional and positional lighting come from one source.
Four TYPES of Lighting:
In good light design, your goal is NOT to see the light bulbs unless it is part of the presentation such as in a chandelier. Direct view of a light bulb can be distracting, blinding, and obtrusive.
First let me mention that there are 3 basic light SOURCES:
Ambient where the light come from all directions like a ceiling light fixture; Directional where the source emits “parallel” light rays that do not diminish with distance, like that of a track light with a spot light bulb in it. Then there is Positional lighting, in which the rays are not parallel, but diminish in intensity from the source as occurs when you use a table lamp with a frosted 60W bulb. Ambient lighting comes from all directions, while directional and positional lighting come from one source.
Four TYPES of Lighting:
1. Ambient. Ambient is general light that fills the room. The light is diffused and produces an overall glow. It should be inconspicuous and blend into the surroundings. Recessed ceiling cans with frosted flood light bulbs, subtle cove lighting, and wall light the comes up from the floor, flooding the wall with a soft spray of light.
2. Task. Task lighting provides lighting for a specific area and task. Lighting for reading, crafts, or writing are examples of task lighting. You could use a desk lamp, piano light, under cabinet lights (varying from florescent to halogen puck lights). Take into account that task lighting can be visually invasive in that it isolates it’s light to one spot and is not always so esthetically pleasing. Choose yours wisely, trying to shield it’s light source or bulb from view through dark shades or metal housing. You could have it be part of a floor lamp, like the ones you see that have a torchiere at the top and in the middle a goose neck light that you can turn towards you and it has it’s own control switch.
3. Accent. Accent lighting brings attention to a particular part of the room or object in the room. An example would be lighting accenting a painting or sculpture. Accent lighting is the most dramatic type of lighting. Track lights with spot bulbs, an uplight in the base of artificial trees, kick-plate rope lighting, recessed lighting that can be tilted towards the subject and houses a spot bulb. The bulb you use determines your overall affect on the subject(s). I will discuss this next month. Ultimately this light should draw your eye to a certain spot in the room because of the drama it has created.
4. Decorative. Decorative lighting is treated as a design element. An example would be a dramatic wrought iron candle stand or small decorative lamp shaped like a butterfly. Yes, I said candles. We forget that not all decorative lighting is “electric”. It is not made to give out much light, but provides a decorative touch. I use small shelf lamps no higher than 10” that are nicely shaded, sometimes with beads along the edges. Another type are the ones sold at Gordman’s having a decorative short base with a taller glass globe facing upward. These are nice to use on dressers, shelving, in deco birdcages, ect. The styles vary from contemporary to Tuscan. The shade faces up so you don’t see the bulb in them. Very affordable too!