Lighting is one of the most important interior features that can affect the look and feel of a home. It can create warm and inviting atmospheres for guests to feel welcome in your home or a focused and calm environment for you to carry out your daily household activities. Home lighting design also has significant impacts on thermal comfort, mental and physical health and overall productivity of residents. Today, numerous lighting options are available in the market, enabling suitability to every need and desire.
Read on to learn about factors to be considered for house lighting design, types of interior lighting available and how to choose the right light design.
Factors to Consider for House Lighting Design
Several factors affect the quality and aesthetics of interior lighting, some of the important ones are:
- Light Intensity
Light intensity refers to the brightness of light over a specific area. Having extremely bright lights can be hurtful to the eye and cause discomfort. Heavy focus lights with high intensity can also cause the colours in paintings and artwork to fade over time. Light intensity must therefore be selected based on the usage of spaces and limited to ensure thermal comfort and functionality.
- Colour Temperature
Despite what the name suggests, colour temperature does not indicate the heat generated by a light, but rather its appearance as felt or seen. For example, yellow coloured lights generate a warm feeling, while pure white lights feel cooler on the eyes. Normally, lights are available in three different temperatures- white (5500-6500K), warm white (3500-4500K) and yellow (2000-3000K). However, lights can often be customised to produce other colours and temperatures as required for mood interior lighting.
- Purpose of Light
Certain activities, such as studying, working, creating high-precision drawings and reading, require brighter lights to avoid straining the eyes. However, dimmer lights may be more suitable for other activities such as relaxing, watching TV and eating. Lights must be selected to accommodate the specific activities in each space. Dimmable lights or lights whose intensity and brightness can be adjusted, are a good option for spaces that have numerous purposes and varying light requirements.
- Energy Consumption
Traditional lights consume a lot of energy and also generate heat, making a home thermally uncomfortable and increasing energy bills. Modern solutions, such as LED lights, are a better option to reduce energy consumption. They are also available in various colours, intensities and designs and have dimmable or adjustable features. LED lights can last up to 25 times longer than traditional lights, making them a durable and cost-effective lighting solution.
- Position/Location
Lighting design must consider the location of windows, doors and other openings, along with usable areas and electronic gadgets. For example, placing lights near TVs can cause unnecessary glare, while lights near windows can create bright spots in these areas and dark spots in further areas. Lights focused towards seating spaces must also be avoided to prevent hurting the eyes of users and to maintain comfort levels. It is important to ensure the uniform distribution of lights throughout every space.
- Room Size
The height, width and length of a room are significant factors affecting house lighting design. Rooms with large heights can utilise suspended or pendant lights, while ceiling-mounted or recessed ceiling lights can be used in smaller-height rooms to ensure uniform light distribution and ambience. Additional wall lights can be incorporated as required in lengthier rooms.
- Interior Decor
It is important to select lights that look good even during the day or when they are not switched on. The lights must also align with the general aesthetics and architectural/ interior style of the room in which they are installed. Incorporating mood lighting or flexible and adjustable lights is a good option to ensure that the lights match the room’s current use or style.
- Cost and Maintenance
Along with the cost of the light fixture itself, additional costs such as installation, design charges and maintenance must be considered. Often, fancy and decorative light fixtures such as chandeliers are difficult to install due to the large height of spaces. These also require heavy maintenance due to the accumulation of dust in their intricate features, which becomes a difficult and expensive procedure due to the difficulty in accessibility.
Types of Interior Lighting
Different types of lights for homes are available, allowing versatility in function and aesthetics.
- Accent Lighting
Accent lighting is utilised to create highlights or ‘accents’ for certain special features, such as paintings, photographs or other decorative elements. They create focal points and generate visual interest.
- Task Lighting
Task lighting refers to light fixtures that have been installed to support specific tasks that require focused lights, such as reading, high-precision drawing and studying. They are generally brighter in intensity.
- Ambient Lighting
Home ambient lighting or mood lighting generates a uniform distribution of light (that is generally not too bright) across an entire room or space. It ensures the elimination of dark spots and creates a tranquil atmosphere.
- Decorative Lighting
Such lights are added mainly for aesthetic rather than functional purposes, although they can combine both. They are generally designed to match harmoniously with other interior decor elements.
Types of Light Fixtures for Homes
The type of light sources and fixtures selected for a home must prioritise functionality and visual integrity with the rest of the interior decor in a space. Some of the types available are:
- Pendant Lights
Pendant lights are fixtures that are suspended from the ceiling to reach a lower height for performing specific tasks or to create visual interest and mood lighting. They can generally be observed in rooms with large heights or above dining tables and other special features.
- Ceiling Lights
Ceiling lights are available in two forms- surface mounted and recessed. These are generally the easiest to install, as electrical conduits and routing can be executed through the ceiling slab. They provide ambient light across rooms when evenly distributed in number and position.
- Wall Lights
Wall lights are the most commonly used type of lighting due to their easy accessibility and low maintenance. Serving dual functions of providing focus options for specific functions, as well as producing ambient light, they are often an indispensable part of home lighting design.
- Track Lights
Track lights consist of tracks installed on wall, floor or ceiling surfaces, with light fixtures that can slide along them. These are generally used for providing focus on surfaces with moving special features, such as art walls where the artwork is frequently changed or requires different amounts of lighting during different periods of time.
- Surface Washers
As the name suggests, surface washers create an even spread of light along different surfaces, such as floors, ceilings or walls. They are usually utilised to create accent walls, features or surfaces and produce a unique backlit-like effect.
- Table/ Floor Lights
These are generally not used as primarily light sources, but as supplementary lights for supporting specific tasks or for mood lighting. They are also added on to create visual interest or to enhance the interior and lighting design of a space.
Choosing the Right Light Design
With numerous light options available currently and new types emerging everyday, home lighting design can be an intimidating task. It requires careful evaluation of individual requirements and preferences, interior decor, functionality and aesthetic factors. It is advisable to consult with industry experts to produce the best results to accommodate your desires and needs. Brick & Bolt is a tech-enabled construction company with 4500+ completed projects. It is one of the pioneers of the industry, providing end-to-end construction services with the highest quality standards. Contact Brick & Bolt today to ensure the best home lighting design for your dream project!