Designing good residential lighting depends on juggling several elements that can sometimes compete with each other. If you consider each element systematically, they combine to produce the lighting you want in a way that feels unified and effortless.
Budget
It may seem like the least enjoyable part of the process, but you should start by considering money. Most people leave lighting – and their lighting budget – as an afterthought.
This results in dedicating too small a budget to get the best lighting options they could. You do have to be reasonable about what you can afford, but what you can afford is bound to be less if you put off planning for it until your decorating budget is already drained.
Function
The most basic question to consider in lighting a room is what that room is going to be used for. Lights for the dining room will naturally be quite different from bedroom lighting. A single-function room, like a laundry room, may be simple to light effectively, while a multi-function space will need a more complex plan.
Don’t fall into the trap of thinking that simply “naming” the room defines all of its functions. Say the word “kitchen,” and you may think of cooking and eating, but a little more thought reveals how many additional functions a kitchen serves in the modern home.
Space
Once you have a good idea of what the room will be used for, take a step back and think of the room as a whole. Space considerations, such as ceiling height and total floor space, will place both demands and limitations on your lighting options.
A small room will probably require more ceiling and wall-mounted lighting, in order to save valuable floor space for furnishings. Common sense dictates that a large room calls for more lighting elements in order to be lit appropriately. Additionally, there may be some architectural elements that may deserve to be highlighted with specialised lighting, or some less-than-ideal features that can be diminished by thoughtful light design.
Mood and Atmosphere
You may have noticed that every room seems to give off a particular feeling, whether cheerful, tranquil or stiff and formal. Lighting plays a big role in creating that sense of atmosphere.
This effect isn’t caused by any one element of lighting alone. Instead, it’s created by the combination of the amount, types, colour and locations of light around a room. The style of individual fixtures may add “personality” in a given part of the room, but the overall emotional impact the room has on occupants depends on all lighting elements contributing to a specific visual effect.
Style
Lighting style is often aligned with furniture style, although sometimes people choose distinctive lighting features to contrast with the rest of the room.
While taste is highly personal, most people will look to outside sources for inspiration and current trends. Magazines, websites and television may spark your ideas, but a visit to a lighting showroom can expand your sense of style while educating you about how lighting influences your overall décor.
Lighting Technology
Many homeowners put far more thought into how their fixtures look than how they work. In reality, the “guts” of how a light is powered and controlled can influence everything from appearance to application to cost.
For instance, traditional sconces wired into a wall add warmth and elegance, while rechargeable table lamps offer flexibility in a room that may have wiring constraints or multiple functions. LEDs promise efficiency and a wide variety of uses, but their higher initial cost pushes some consumers toward cheaper options.
Energy and Environment
The importance of energy efficiency to consumers continues to increase. Both ecological and economic factors make incorporating efficiency into your lighting plan more attractive. The amount of lighting matters, but so do the type and placement of fixtures.
Many people only think of the energy consumption of bulbs and lamps when considering the environmental impact of lighting; however, the most eco-friendly first step is to carefully plan the placement of your fixtures to maximise the benefits of the light produced by each one.
Lighting a room may seem as simple as flipping a switch, but lighting a room well takes a bit more effort. Harmonising all the factors that go into making a good lighting plan can be complex, but the payoff is a final design that makes your room work, feel and look exactly as you wish.