A Well-Lit Home

In addition to adding beauty to our spaces, a well-lit home allows us to function in our spaces and keeps us safe. Interior designers want to accomplish these goals while also making it aesthetically pleasing. Successful lighting plans are developed in the early stages of the design process and consider sources of light beyond artificial light sources, like the home’s orientation to the sun, paint colors, reflections on hard surfaces and lifestyle. To accomplish beautifully lit spaces, we can start by thinking about lighting in terms of layers.

To understand what layered light means, we need to understand the types of lighting that we are layering. It would be unfair not to give credit to the pioneer of lighting, Richard Kelly. He approached lighting design using three forms of “lightplay” that he interpreted as focal glow, ambient luminescence and play of brilliants. We approach lighting design in the same way today, but use slightly different terms: ambient, task and accent. When ambient, task and accent lighting are brought together in a lighting plan, we create layers of light which enhances visual interest and makes spaces both more functional and safer. Let’s break these down.

Ambient Lighting - Think of this as the general lighting in a room. Ambient lighting can be a combination of artificial and natural light, but the goal is to create general light in your space. The fixtures you choose are going to drive the aesthetic you are trying to achieve. The picture below shows ambient light provided by natural light flooding through the windows.  By night or when the drapes are closed, the ambient light transitions to the semi-flushmounts. Whether the light fixtures are on or off, you can see how they are an integral part of the design created for this space.

Photo courtesy of Urban Electric Co. (Interior by Bailey Austin Design, photography by Laurey Glen).

Task Lighting- Think of task lighting as focused light on a specific area. Task lighting may include under-cabinet lighting in a kitchen, a desk light and a bedside reading light. Its goal is exactly as it sounds, a  focused light for a task. The photo below is an example of task lighting at the bedside. While there are larger wall sconces on either side of the bed, these are going to produce ambient light for the room, which is not what you want when you are trying to read in bed at night. The addition of task lighting integrated into the headboard provides a useful light for reading without disrupting your partner.

Photo and design courtesy of Brian Paquette Interiors

Accent Lighting- Lighting that highlights special features like architecture, artwork and exterior landscaping. Accent lighting is the soft glow of uplighting on the far wall in the photo below and is washing the dark wall on the second level. It highlights the vignette of the art, tree and bench, it draws our eyes down creating a sense of warmth and coziness in this expansive room.

 Photo courtesy of Bienvenue Chez Ginette

Each of these interiors shows how layers of light (both natural and artificial) enhance our interiors. If you are interested in creating better lighting for your home, start thinking about lighting in the way of layering. Observe lighting when you go to other people’s houses, to a medical clinic, restaurants and bars. Think about how it impacts your mood and the feeling of space. Below are some further considerations when elevating the lighting in your home:

Lumens

Lumens are the measurement of light emitted from a fixture of bulb. There are recommended lumen levels for every room in our house so that we can function safely in these spaces. Not all rooms require the same number of lumens because we use these rooms differently (think about kitchen tasks versus living room tasks).

Anytime you buy a light fixture or bulb, the lumens should be listed. To determine if you have enough lumens for your room, add up the number of lumens per fixture in each room and compare that with the recommended lumens for that room. With that said, rarely (or ever) do we need every light maxed out to its full potential, so dimmers are a must.

Go for warm light over cool

I am constantly trying to bring natural daylight into my home, artificial light is not the same and may feel sterile or uncomfortable to our eyes. It’s hard to relax with that kind of lighting. Stick with warm color temperatures. If you prefer bright white lighting for certain activities, consider having a freestanding task light.

Kelvin is the measure of color temperature. To determine if a fixture or bulb is emitting warm color, pay attention to Kelvin (measure of color temperature) when purchasing a fixture or bulb. 2,700 Kelvin is typical for a bulb that will produce warm light, whereas 5,000 Kelvin is going to produce cool white light.

Dimmers

Rarely do we need maxed out lighting, but when we do, we are glad to have it. The solution is to put everything on a dimmer. We can all think of experiences where we have been in homes with an uncomfortable amount of bright, cool white light blasting from overhead; it’s unenjoyable and hard to relax. It’s important to use a dimmer appropriate for the lamp, but they are easy to fix by an electrician. You and your guests will be grateful.

Dark spots

Dark spots are just that, areas in your room that are void of light. It doesn’t mean that we need to crank up the dimmer or add more overhead lighting. Instead think about the addition of decorative wall sconces, task or accent lighting in these areas. This is another opportunity to layer the lighting in your space, making these dark areas into points of interest that can help meet your aesthetic goals.

Bathroom vanity light

When vanity lights are overhead, they create shadowing which can make things like shaving or applying makeup more challenging and may create unflattering shadows on one’s face. To create even lighting on your face, the best approach is to have wall sconces that flank the mirror. These lights should be about eye level or 60” to 65” above the floor.

Think outside of the recessed can

We bought a house with recessed cans everywhere, so I am burnt out on them to say the least. Well placed recessed lighting has its place, but I see missed opportunities in homes when recessed cans are chosen in place of something decorative. There are so many incredible light fixtures out there, don’t be shy! Yes, they can be expensive, but look for sales or try shopping secondhand.