Inspiration
Why lighting matters in interior design
Furnishing a house or an office takes attention on many fronts: colours, furniture, decoration and layout. One element is routinely overlooked, and that is lighting. Good lighting sets the atmosphere of a room, and it affects your wellbeing and how well the room works. This article covers what lighting does for a space and how it earns its place in an interior design.
Inspiration
Atmosphere
What different light sources do
Different kinds of light call up different moods. Warm white light suits company and winding down; in our lighting plans we usually specify sources of 2700 kelvin for it. Cold white light is better suited to workspaces and concentration. Colour-changing lighting lets you adjust a room to the occasion, a dinner with friends or a quiet evening for two.
Accent lighting
Accent lighting draws the eye to what deserves it: artwork, plants, an architectural detail. It also lifts dark corners and gives a room depth. Paintings and sculptures come into their own under directed accent light. A well-placed accent in a hallway, for instance, gives the interior a depth it would not otherwise have.
Dimmers
Dimmers have become a fixed part of our interiors. They let you match the intensity of the light to the moment: a dinner asks for something different from reading a book. Dimmers give the lighting its flexibility. When we draw up a lighting plan, it always includes a proposal for how the lighting is best switched and dimmed.
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Light and wellbeing
Natural light
Daylight improves your mood, lowers stress and raises productivity. When we design an interior we therefore make the most of the natural light. Large windows, glazed doors and pale colours on walls and ceilings help daylight reach deep into the room.
The body clock and artificial light
The body runs on a clock that is regulated by light. Artificial lighting, used well, helps keep that clock in balance. In the morning, light that follows daylight helps you wake and stay alert; in the evening, warm and dimmed light prepares the body for rest and sleep.
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Lighting and function
Task lighting
Some light exists to get things done. Task lighting makes specific activities possible: reading, cooking, working at a desk. Directed light above worktops, the kitchen, desks and reading chairs improves visibility and keeps the eyes from tiring.
General lighting
General lighting spreads light evenly through the room. Recessed spots, ceiling fittings and wall lights usually do this work. In our complete interior designs we tend to call it base lighting: it makes sure the whole room is properly lit and gives the other layers of light something to build on.
Lighting for safety
Lighting also has a plainer job: safety. Well-lit stairs, corridors and outdoor areas reduce the risk of tripping and other accidents.
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What to take from this
Lighting shapes how a room feels, how you feel in it and how well it works. The choices that matter are concrete ones: which light sources, which colour temperatures, which fittings, and how they are switched and dimmed. Good lighting is worth budgeting for from the start of a design, rather than paid for with whatever is left at the end.
In our interior designs the lighting plan is part of the work from the first sketch: which light where, at which temperature, switched and dimmed how. If you are working on your own home and want the lighting thought through properly, we are glad to help.
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