Designing with light

HOME LIGHTING is the art of painting light and shadow onto a dark canvas. The best lighting designer is a problem solver, determining where light is needed and then directing it there with economy and flair. Professionals approach lighting with the following arsenal of terms and tools; you can, too.

Four types of light
Lighting designers have traditionally split lighting into three basic categories: task, accent, and ambient. But as a counterpoint to the current trend of making basic textures unobtrusive, a fourth type is emerging: decorative light, using fixtures that are deliberately featured. Here are definitions of all four categories.

ACCENT LIGHTING

The key to balancing light is layering. That’s where the four different lighting types come in.Lighting designers first identify the main activity areas, or the room’s focal point or points (having two of three is often best.) This is where they direct the brightest layer of light. Next, a middle layer provides interest in specific areas without detracting from the focal points. The last layer fills in the background.

The first two layers are supplied by task or accent lighting, depending on what is being lit.

The lower- level “fill” or ambient light is usually indirect (like that provided by wall sconces, for example). The ratio of the brightest light in the room to the fill light usually should be about 3 to 1- at most 5 to 1. Ratios of 10 or even 100 to 1 are great for high drama but uncomfortable for everyday living. To learn how to check light ratios, read “Testing Your Ideas”
Once the essential layers are in place, you can add decorative fixtures, if you like. General light will appear to emanate from these sources, but since you’ve already set up levels of task, accent, and ambient layers, this light isn’t necessary in the overall scheme. When chandeliers are used as primary light givers, they can produce harsh glare; dimmed to a comfortable glow, they become inviting decorative additions.

To minimize reflected
glare, light artwork from
a 30- to 45-degree angle.

Getting control
Dimmers and control panels can help you custom-tailor light for multiple uses and decorative effects. Dimmers-also called rheostats - enable you to set a fixture or group of fixtures at any brightness level, from soft glow to full throttle. They’re also energy savers. Be aware, though, that some light sources - notably fluorescents - can be difficult or unduly expensive to dim; bone up on your options when you go shopping.
Control panels allow you to monitor a number of functions or “scenes” from one spot. Originally designed for commercial use, they’re now showing up in residential lighting, too. And as the world of computers meets that of residential design, software-programmed lighting and/or “smart house” systems have become a reality. These allow an almost infinite degree of lighting control and flexibility - for a price.

Beware of glare
One of the most important considerations in the placement of light fixtures is the glare they produce. Direct glare - as from a bare light bulb - is the worst kind. Deeply recessed fixtures or fixtures with black baffles or small apertures can remedy the problem. Clip-on louvers and shutters also cut glare. Silvered-bowl bulbs help tame the glare from traditional lamps and fixtures, as do diffusing shades or covers.
Also watch out for reflected glare – light bouncing off an object into your eyes. Light reflects off an object at the same angle as it strikes it; if the angle is too steep, the light produces a hot spot. The safety range is about 30 to 45 degrees from vertical.
A fixture located directly over a flat, shiny surface- a dinning room table, for instance – can create “veiling” glare. Objects placed on the table can help deflect this glare; a dimmer can also reduce the reflected light to a comfortable level.

* CEILINGS can pose problems, or they can become special features. If your ceilings seem too low, bounced light from uplights can visually “raise” them. Cathedral or beamed ceilings can take on new importance with uplighting. Many designers also use beams to hold track lighting, taking advantage of architectural lines to disguise the track.
A common problem in older homes is rough or patchy plaster. For dealing with this and also with ceilings that seem too high, the solution is the same: keep light off the ceiling by using downlighting. The darker surface will seem lower, and imperfections will go unnoticed.

* ROOM DIMENSIONS can be altered visually with lighting tricks. Small rooms can look open and airy with the right lighting, and large rooms can be made to appear cozy and inviting.
Washing the walls of a small
room with an even layer of light seems to push them outward, expanding the perceived sense of space. When the wall is a light color, the effect is even more pronounced.
Illuminating a large room with a few soft pools of light concentrated on important objects or areas makes it seem smaller and more intimate; the lighted areas absorb more attention than the room as a whole.
Narrow rooms benefit from lighting trickery, too. Placing lights along shorter walls draws the eye away from the long ones, resulting in a “wider” space.

* WINDOWS, sources of daylight, can seem like dark mirrors or black holes if left uncovered at night. One way to avoid reflections is to light the area outside a window or patio door to a high enough level that lights inside balance those outside. Another solution is to use opaque pendant fixtures or recessed downlights, so that only the lighted areas reflect, not the light sources themselves.

* MASONRY SURFACES such as brick walls or a stone fireplace take on new beauty when lighted at an acute angle, a technique called “grazing.” You can play up the textures of fabric walls and window
coverings in a similar way.

* ARTWORK can be lit in a variety of ways. For the most dramatic effect, spotlight works of art from above or below: a 30-degree angle off the vertical is best – even less if you wish to play up the surface texture of a particular piece.
Frame-mounted picture lights are
also available, though these may not illuminate a large painting evenly.
Sculpture and other three-dimensional objects usually call for lighting from two sides to minimize shadows. Or you can emphasize shadows or a silhouette by aiming a single spot from behind or below. Don’t hesitate to experiment with uplighting, downlighting, grazing, or backlighting.

* INDOOR PLANTS need light to help them look their best – and to help them grow. Try silhouetting plants with concealed uplights or backlighting them against a luminous screen or lighted wall. Or bounce light down through the foliage with a fixture recessed in the ceiling or suspended from it.

* COLLECTIONS can be lit evenly overall, or spotlights can be focused on individual pieces. Downlighting shelves or display cabinets may make upper shelves cast shadows on shelves below. Backlighting, lighting vertically from the sides, or attaching lights under the front edges of shelves will eliminate this problem. Concealing fixtures will help keep down glare and lend a clean look to your display.