5 Tips for Effective Lighting Design

A poorly light workspace can detract from even the most beautifully constructed offices. Lighting levels are an important part of any workspace as they can affect productivity, focus and views of guests and staff. By learning some principles and guidelines for lighting design, you can more easily equip your facilities with lights that support an efficient workplace.

If you’ve ever had a meeting in a dimly lit room or struggled to work in an office with harsh, flickering overhead lights, you know the difficulty of trying to focus in such an environment. Lights can make or break the productivity of an entire office, and if your building is still running on outdated, harsh or inadequate lighting, you could be giving your visitors the wrong impression. Your lighting affects the face of the company, and if you want people to see you as a modern, progressive business, you need lighting design concepts that reflect these values.

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5 Tips for Effective Lighting Design

1. Don’t Light Everything

While it might be tempting to flood a room with light, this approach can make your space look flat and uninspiring. Instead, focus on using special lights with beam control to create layers and depth. This approach not only increases the visual appeal of your space, but also saves energy and elevates your interior. Think of it as giving your project a unique personality without overpowering it.

2. Design with Layers

Forget one-dimensional lighting; it’s all about creating depth and visual hierarchy. By using 3 to 6 layers of lighting, you can highlight architectural elements, textures and artwork and guide the flow through the space. This technique will transform your environment into a luxurious and practical masterpiece, making every corner visually appealing and functional.

3. Design for Looks

A great lighting design should enhance the overall appearance of the space. While interiors, objects and people are essential, the lights themselves play a key role. Demonstrating the impact of good lighting through application images can help architects and clients appreciate its value. Seeing his vision beautifully lit is a game changer. Check out our website for inspiring application shots of each product.

4. Design for Activity

Different areas have different primary activities, from sleeping to dining to relaxing. A well-thought-out lighting design takes these activities into account and creates the perfect mood for any space. For multi-purpose rooms such as a lounge where children play and study, using different layers of lighting at different levels can create the right atmosphere for each activity. It’s about understanding the needs of each space and making it functional and enjoyable.

5. Design with Control

Flexibility is key in lighting design. By independently controlling each layer of lighting, you can create different scenes in one space that correspond to different activities. Whether you’re hosting a romantic dinner, yoga or a live party, versatile lighting options will ensure your space is always ready for any occasion. It’s all about being adaptable and making the most of your lighting design.

The Different Purposes of Lighting

Mood and Ambience 

Home lighting design can be used to create a warm and welcoming effect when relaxing or to provide functional light for tasks such as reading, sewing, watching TV, dining or security.

The type of fixture and the lamp used with it depends on the type of lighting required. Remember – lighting fixtures and lamps should be chosen not only according to their appearance, but also according to the effect they provide.

Light creates “atmosphere” and different lighting in the home can provide a variety of different “scenes” and moods. Different types of lighting may be needed to provide different moods and effects in the same room. This will allow some lighting to be used for low-level mood lighting and others for functional purposes such as reading or sewing.

 Functionality & Light Levels

The human eye can see through a wide range of different light levels – from full sun daylight to a partially moonlit night.

The basic rule is that the more light, the better you can see. This is why we need more light for reading than watching TV. If you have too much light while watching TV, the image on the screen becomes more difficult. If you have too little light when reading, the print is too hard to see.

Another important aspect of light level is that the older a person is, the more light they need to see. The average 10-year-old can easily read in four times less light than the average 30-year-old.

This is why older people need glasses for reading and such. The finer the task that needs to be seen, the more light is needed. This proven fact is applied to lighting level requirements for industry and commerce and there is an AS1680 standard that covers these required lighting levels.

Although the standard does not deal with domestic lighting, it specifies the different levels of lighting required for different rooms. For example, the lighting level in kitchens is much higher than in bedrooms or living rooms. This is because it is more important to see clearly in a kitchen where sharp knives are used than in a room that is used for less visual purposes.

Another thing the eye relies on to see details is contrast – the mixture of dark and light. This is why we use spotlights to highlight images and such – it makes them stand out “in contrast” with lower ambient (or average) lighting. The contrast may also be too strong. For example, watching TV or looking at a computer screen in a completely dark room can cause eye strain because the light only comes directly from the screen. This is why we often place a lamp close to the screen or dim the lights so that our entire field of vision is around the same brightness.

General Lighting 

General lighting (also called ambient lighting) provides a space with general lighting that, in the absence of natural light, should provide a comfortable level of brightness that allows people to see clearly and move safely. General lighting can be achieved by using most types of non-directional lights such as pendant lights, down lights or wall lights.

Task Lighting 

The task lighting design concentrates light on a relatively small area. It is usually more economical to provide a high level of light in the immediate area we want to look at than to light the entire room at the same level. There are a number of different luminaires suitable for task lighting. These include table lamps, desk lamps, standard lamps (floor lamps) and certain types of spotlights. Equipoise™ lamps are good examples of work lights. These are designed to be easily repositioned so that their light can be precisely directed onto any surface. Task lights are ideal for desks, reading areas, desks or anywhere else where small or complex objects need to be seen in detail.

Accent Lighting

Accent lighting is directional lighting that is used to highlight a specific object (also called highlight or spot lighting). Accent lighting can be used to create dramatic effects by highlighting a painting or other artwork, plants, furniture or architectural features of the home and so on.

There are many different types of reflectors that use all kinds of lamps. some of them are designed to be panned and refocused, so the effect or lit object can be easily changed.

To make your life easier and help you choose the right lights, we’ve created the perfect guide to help you choose the perfect light for the perfect place.

Choose The Right Light Fixtures

Ceiling Lights

Are you looking for ambient lighting that will brighten or light up a room on its own? End your search with ceiling lights. They are best used in areas where you need bright and unobstructed lighting, such as your living room, bedroom or even your kitchen.

Wall Scones

Wall scones can be used as task or even ambient lighting. They are attached to the wall and cast light upwards or downwards. They tend to give the designated space an elegant and polished look. They are most often used in bathrooms, hallways or living rooms.

Chandeliers

Perfect when you want to add a touch of royalty and elegance while lighting up your space. These ambient lights are extremely versatile and can be placed in different rooms according to the purpose. They also come in a variety of styles that you can choose from when decorating your room.

Pendant

Do you want to hit your favorite piece of decoration or light up the corner of the room? Hanging lights known as Task Lights are built for this purpose. They can be used to enhance objects or a corner of a room. For example, artwork, a pool table, or even plants.

Recessed

Recessed lights are a hidden light source. They are most often installed in a hollow opening in the wall or ceiling. It creates the illusion of light shining from a hole in the ceiling.

Lamps

Lamps can be fixed or freestanding units used for task or accent lighting. They come in different variants and are a mobile light source. It’s the easiest way to decorate an area by adding a lamp or two. There are floor lamps, table lamps, wall lamps and many more. It can be used in any part or corner of the room that you want to brighten up.

Track Lighting

Most often placed in a linear arrangement that resembles a track, they are ideal for task or accent lighting. It can be anchored or suspended from the wall. It can be used in small rooms to make the room look like a bigger space. They can be installed in kitchen islands to help you perform your tasks better.

Cove Lighting

Cove lighting, which is used as ambient light, can be used when you don’t want a visible light source and still need a dimly lit room, but not harsh brightness. It is located in the groves of the edges of the walls and casts light upwards. Best used in bedrooms.

Soffit Lighting

Give your space a dramatic look with this task and ambient light. It directs the light down and gives the wall a flood of light. It can be used on kitchen counters or on the walls of the hall to make the wall shine beautifully.

Lighting for Security 

Safety lighting design has two aspects. The first is to make people feel safe and secure, the second is to deter potential criminals. It is a proven fact that the right kind of lighting achieves both of these goals. After all, a well-lit home is less likely to be targeted by a burglar than a home in the dark, and a homeowner will feel safer outside if they can see well enough to spot a would-be intruder. There are a large number of different lighting options available for outdoor use these days. Not only does it ensure safety and security, but it can also provide great effect and outdoor recreational lighting.

A well-designed lighting design scheme includes multiple light sources that can be used to perform specific tasks and activities in the home. Different types of lighting include backlighting, up lighting, LED strip lights, decorative lights and sconces that combine to create a layered lighting scheme. This guide answers five design-related questions on how to incorporate layered lighting into your home decor.

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Layer Your Lighting

What are the different layers of lighting?

• Ambient lighting forms the first layer of lighting design, which is responsible for the overall illumination of the room. It acts as a base layer on top of which the other two layers of light are added.
• Task lighting or focused lighting forms a second layer of lighting that allows you to perform specific tasks such as reading, cooking, studying, shaving or applying make-up.
• The final layer of lighting is accent lighting, which covers a small area and is strategically placed to highlight certain architectural elements or specific objects.

What are the functions of different layers of light?

• Ambient lighting allows you to see your surroundings and perform some basic activities. It is a combination of natural light and ceiling lighting.
• Task lighting illuminates work surfaces such as worktops, a desk or a reading corner. Task lighting prevents glare or shadows from being cast on the work surface.
• Accent lighting highlights areas of interest such as artwork, design details, wall decorations and photographs. It’s a great way to add an element of drama to the focus area. Accent lights also act as a secondary light source that can be cleverly introduced into areas where there is not enough ambient light.

Which light fixtures are best suited for the different layers of light?

For ambient lighting

• Natural light (direct or indirect sunlight) contributes to the ambient lighting design of the home during the day. Sources of natural light are windows, skylights, atria, balconies and courtyards.
• Fixtures such as chandeliers, pendant lights, semi-recessed or recessed fixtures, or a ceiling fan with an attached fixture can all contribute to the ambient lighting of the home. Recessed niche lighting and upward-pointing sconces can also provide soft ambient light.

For task lighting

• Focused lighting can be achieved with table lamps, table lamps, adjustable floor and swivel arm lamps, directional track lights, console lights, under cabinet lights, recessed lights and wall lights.

For accent lighting

• Accent lighting includes lights and picture lights that draw attention to photos or art, while string lights, LED lights, niche lighting and directional track lighting create focal points on the walls. For maximum impact, make sure the lighting created by the accent lighting is three times brighter than the surrounding space.

How should we incorporate task lighting into different areas of the home?

• Install console lights or sconces on either side of the bathroom sink for activities such as shaving or applying makeup.
• Introduce under-cabinet lighting in your kitchen as it’s the perfect way to illuminate your worktop food preparation area and dark corners of the kitchen. This form of lighting eliminates the shadows cast by the ceiling cabinet and itself only by overhead lighting that would be above and behind them.
• Place lamps on either side of the bed to provide enough light for reading.

Do we require separate light fixtures for each layer of light?

Some fixtures can function as two layers of light. For example

• Ceiling lights, such as pendant lights, can be used for ambient and task lighting in the home.
• Track and recessed lighting can be incorporated into any of the home’s lighting layers.
• Chandeliers with dimmers are ideal for ambient and accent lighting in the home.