Types of lights used in space play a key role in transforming its appearance and usability. Let us look at the various options for lighting in interior design.
Lighting Guide – Interior Lighting tips and types of lights used:
We all know that light dispels darkness just as knowledge dispels ignorance. And that is precisely the objective of this platform – to share my knowledge and help you craft beautiful havens for yourself.
But when it comes to the light in interior designing, it does much more than just dispelling darkness. Light in interior design is that wonderful tool that adds magic to your design story. No matter how well designed and worked out space is, unless it is lit properly it fails to be admired and enjoyed.
Importance of lighting in interior design:
A good interior design lighting does much more than just illuminating a space. Lighting in interior designing helps to:
- Add depth to an interior space.
- Emphasize an architectural detail or element.
- Perform the tasks properly.
- Add a mood to an interior space.
- Add a sense of flow or direction.
- Define the style of any interiors.
- Add color to space.
And mind you, space has to be appropriately lit and not brightly lit. Good interior lighting design is by no means equal to overly done lighting design. It is the right balance of lights and shadows that gives depth to any space, adding that visual interest. Too many lighting types can ruin a space of its soft, natural charm and make it very jarring and harsh. Have you ever noticed how a strong glare causes eye strain and headaches in an overwhelmingly brightly lit up area?
Natural light
Natural light is undeniably the best type of lighting freely available to mankind. Like anything natural, it is just perfect and so standard in its constitution, isn’t it? As designers, we must tap into this natural resource to the maximum. Try to fill up your spaces with this nature’s gift as much as possible.
Natural light has a fresh and positive vibe to it. Lighting in the interior design enhances the air and water element of a space. In case you want to know more about the role of elements of nature in interior design, click here. We can control the amount of natural light filtering into any space by using curtains and blinds. Don’t you think that the sight of shadows cast by sunlight just makes us ecstatic?
There are many ways to enhance the natural light in interior design:
- Use strategically placed mirrors and mirror-finished materials like metallic accessories. They bounce off the available light.
- Use light and bright colored paints and colors for an area like light grey, light yellow, off white, light blue.
- Provide light and airy curtains. You can go for light and translucent sheer curtains. Heavy drapery absorbs a lot of light.
- Provide skylights if possible.
- Go for minimal furniture and accessories to get a more airy feel. Fewer objects would mean less absorption of ambient light.
But unfortunately, we cannot rely on just the natural light. It has this ever-changing property throughout the day, through the various orientations, and through the seasons. And of course, it is unavailable during night time. North light is more diffused, cool, and uniform. Whereas the south and southwest orientation provides for a more intense light that keeps changing through the day.
Artificial light
Types of lights:
Lighting in interior design is all about layering. How well do we use different types of lights to create a space that subtly reveals its details, is easy on the eyes and is adequately lit up for us to perform and enjoy our routine tasks.
Firstly, let us understand the various type of lighting required in any interior space. Broadly speaking there are five types:
Ambient lighting type
This is the general type of lighting required in any space for us to be able to see and move around comfortably. Much like the natural light, this is the uniformly distributed overall light in the interior design required for general illumination of an area. Any space should be adequately lit without leaving any dark and dingy corners.
Especially spaces which have to be used by elderly people. Appropriately done lighting home design always adds a sense of well being and safety.
Task lighting type
These are the focussed type of lights that we need to perform any specific task like reading, stitching, cutting, cooking, etc. This lighting type is more directed and has to adequately provide the light required for the proper performance of an activity.
A table lamp on your reading desk, an LED strip under the kitchen cabinets, a hanging pendant light over your island workstation, all come under this category of light in interior design.
This type of light should be so placed that it does not cast shadows. It can be placed next to a person or hung above the worktop. Ideally, it should cast a pool of light without glare. It should be as close to natural light in its color rendering. Also, the light should not strain our eyes.
Accent lighting type
These types of lights emphasize or accentuate a design element in a space. It could be a textural wallpaper, a gorgeous painting, a botanical plant, an elegant sculpture, an architectural element, or any other special feature that you wish to highlight.
Have you ever noticed that sometimes when we enter a space the first thing we notice is that sculptural plant kept in a corner or we are immediately drawn up to that impressive ceiling? Well, that’s exactly what an accent type of light does to interiors. It draws our attention to the feature element or the focal point.
Accenting an element with a more subtle, diffused, and indirect type of lighting from back or below would produce a much more pleasing effect than in a harsh and obvious spotlight type of manner. Interior design lights create a delicate texture and shadow effect which enhances the form and style of an object. It pulls our focus and layers the whole scene.
Decorative lighting type
These are the decorative types of light fixtures that help enhance a space and its style by their mere presence, even if they are in an off position. These are not necessarily always light sources. Don’t you adore wearing accessories and jewelry with your favorite dress, to enhance the look? Similarly, These interior designer lights help to emphasize the style we are trying to achieve in a space.
A woven basket type of light fixture for cottage style, a sleek, transparent glass chandelier for a modern style, something very rugged like a light in a cage with a chain for industrial style, and a crystal chandelier or lights with simulated candles for a more traditional style…
These days types of lights with a mid-century appeal are also very popular. Basically, the types of light fixtures in this category would include chandeliers, wall sconces, pendant lights, table lamps, etc. Anything that is visible and has a physical presence in the space.
Mood lighting type
These types of lights add mood and create an ambiance in a space. for example in spaces like bedrooms, restaurants, lounges, where we want to relax and enjoy, mood lighting type helps to create such an atmosphere.
These types of light fixtures include table lamps, floor lamps, up lighters, cove lighting, candles, and colored lights. Warm lights work best for this type of lighting. Inherently warm light is more inviting and relaxing to the eyes. These types of lights add a fine soft and rich layer to space.
For any interior space, we work with a combination of all these types of lighting. A particular light fixture might function as a combination of one or more of these interior lighting types.
Types of lights and fixtures
There are various types of light fixtures and fittings that you can consider to meet the needs of lighting in interior designing:
- Recessed lights – Downlighters or can lights.
- Wall sconces.
- Chandeliers and pendants.
- Table lamps and floor lamps.
- Wall washers.
- Cove lights- indirect, hidden, and diffused lights.
- Track lights.
General tips for a successful lighting design interior with different types of lights:
- Layer in various types of lights in a space to impart character to it. Just one type of light will make a space look very flat, monotonous, and sterile.
- Use dimmers. A task type of light can double up as an ambient light by the use of dimmers. Dimmers make interior design lights multifunctional and versatile. Keep different types of lights on separate circuits for more flexibility.
- Think of each area of the house as a separate zone with its own custom lighting requirements. Don’t have a one-size-fits-all kind of approach. A wide range of lighting types is available that can be thoughtfully combined into the lighting home design strategy.
- Personally, I like relying less on downlighters. They do create a clean and streamlined look but I recommend not to place them blindly to fix the lighting needs of an area. By nature, they are harsh on the eyes and create a very showroom feel. They should be deeper and recessed. They also create a cave effect which needs to be addressed by providing wall sconces. Basically, their light beam is directed downwards which leaves the walls dark which is referred to as the cave effect. Use these types of light fixtures thoughtfully with adequate spacing between them.
- Consider the scale of a type of light fitting as per your space. Sometimes the fixtures are too big or too small for space and just don’t fit in the proportions.
- While selecting any type of light fixture don’t just go for the aesthetics. Look at its light output and performance as well. That is what it is primarily supposed to do.
- Consider brightness, color temperature, and color rendering of a lighting type as per the requirements of a space.
Apart from this interior lighting design requires calculations in terms of wattage required for a particular area etc. And one needs to work out a lighting plan for an area with proper light distribution and spacing. Then comes the selection of the types of light fixtures as per the style, taste, and requirements.
Here are a few pictures of interior lighting design effects executed by us at various sites:
I hope my blog helps you lighten and brighten up your spaces in a more professional and thoughtful manner. Let there be light in your homes and your life. The light of knowledge, the light of hope, and the light of well being.
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