Proper lighting is important for both aesthetics and safety. It can emphasize features, set moods, and affect comfort levels. Both natural and artificial lighting should be considered. Natural light varies throughout the day and year, and too much can damage materials. Artificial light comes in different types, like incandescent, fluorescent, and LED bulbs. Different lighting placements serve general, task, and accent purposes. Light levels are measured in footcandles and different activities benefit from varying levels. A variety of fixtures and accessories can help establish the right lighting scheme for any room.

2. Properly used, lighting can emphasize the
best features of the room and furnishings.
It can set a mood and affect the way a
room is used.
If a room is too dark
or overlit, it will
appear unattractive.
It can create subtle
drama and
ambiance.
Proper lighting
contributes to
comfort and safety.
Inadequate lighting
can create
eyestrain, affect
your level of
comfort, and result
in accidents.

3. NATURAL LIGHT
Lighting from the sun depends on the
time of day, the season, the weather, the
number, size, and location of windows,
the kind of window treatments, and
orientation of the room to sunlight.
Sunlight consists of a mixture of
colors, which vary with the time of
day and orientation of the room.
Afternoon light from
the south and west
has a warmer cast,
toward the red end of
the light spectrum.
Light from the north is
cooler, with bluish
tones. Light from the
east is somewhere in
between.
Too much natural light
can fade fabrics and
cause sun damage to
furniture. Window
coverings or exterior
foliage can be used to
filter the light.

4. ARTIFICIAL LIGHT
At night, on cloudy days, or in rooms
without windows, we depend on
“direct” or “indirect” artificial
lighting from fixtures.
Direct lighting is light
that shines from a
fixture on a specific
area. In this picture, the
light from the lamp
shines directly over the
shoulder of anyone
seated in the chair…
perfect for reading.
Indirect lighting is light
reflected off ceilings and
walls. The small alcove
behind the chair is well-
lit, but not from any
visible light source. It is
reflected light. Indirect
lighting is usually more
“diffused” or softer.

5. One footcandle of light
The amount of illumination produced by a
room’s light sources, whether by natural or
artificial means, is measured in footcandles.
A footcandle is the
amount of light produced
by a standard plumbers
candle at a distance of
one foot.
Light meters can be used
to measure the number of
footcandles produced by
light.
Various activites can best
be accomplished in
adequate footcandles of
light: 10-20 for
conversation or dining;
20-50 for grooming; 50-
100 for food preparation
or reading; 100-200 for
finely detailed crafts.
A small, handheld
light meter

6. General lighting, both direct and
indirect, provides enough lighting to
see everything in the room. It
softens shadows and harsh
contrasts. It is background lighting.
Task
lighting,
more intense
light, focuses
light on the
area where it
is most
needed.
Accent lighting
is aimed directly
on a specific
object to create a
dramatic effect.
Accent lighting should be 3 times
brighter than the general lighting,
and can be accomplished with
increased bulb wattage or a light-
focusing fixture.

7. Table lamps are ideal
for task lighting.

8. Chandeliers
provide dramatic
general lighting.

9. Track lighting is
a series of light
“cans” that are
moved along a
track, rotated,
and angled
toward specific
area. It works
well for accent
lighting.

10. The light you get from any fixture depends
on the type and wattage of the bulb. The
higher the wattage, the greater the intensity
of light. Some fixtures can only be used
safely with certain wattage levels.
Incandescent bulbs produce light
when electricity passes through a
tungsten filament in a glass
bulb… and it glows. This light
tends to be warm and flattering. A
frosted bulb reduces glare and
softens the light. Small clear
bulbs may appear to “sparkle”,
such as those used in
chandeliers. Some have a silver
or aluminum reflector coating
which directs the light forward.
Fluorescent bulbs produce light when
chemicals inside a sealed glass tube
transform ultraviolet light. They are
usually long, straight tubes, but come
in other shapes. They produce more
light with the same wattage as
incandescent bulbs. They cost more,
but last longer. Avoid dimmer switches
and electronic timers. They produce
various color casts, but some create
light near natural sunlight.

11. Halogen bulbs are a special type
of incandescent bulb. It contains
pressurized halogen gas,
producing a whiter, more intense
light. They are usually smaller
than a regular bulb, but last
longer and therefore are more
expensive. They can become
very hot during use.
LED lights (light
emitting diodes) are
silicon chips with an
electric current
running through it.
They last much
longer than compact
fluorescent bulbs,
but have limited
residential use.
Fiber Optic lights consist
of fine, hair-like strands
of glass with light
flowing through them.
This light emits no heat
and no ultraviolet rays,
so is good for use in
accenting expensive or
collectible artwork.

12. Cornice lighting, often
next to the ceiling, is
concealed behind a
cornice feature and
directs light
downward
Valance lighting is found over a
window, and hidden by the
window valance
Luminous ceiling
panels consist of
fluorescent tubes
behind plastic panels
in the ceiling
Cove lighting is
similar to cornice
lighting, but directs
light upward. It gives
the room an illusion
of added height.
(Permanent; built in)

13. Strip lights are
rows of
incandescent
bulbs or
fluorescent
tubes around
the top or sides
of a mirror. Downlights direct lights from the
ceiling downward, and can be used
for general or accent lighting. They
may be “recessed” or flush with
the ceiling.
Soffit lights shown below are
enclosed in a soffit and direct
light downward.
Wall washers are
lights that spread
light over a wall,
and may be on the
wall or in the
ceiling near a wall.
They emphasize
wall texture.

14. Accessories are items added to a
room design after the structural
lighting and furniture styles have
been determined. Accessories
should reflect the personalities of the
individual.
Accessories can be:
Functional (useful)
Decorative
Or a combination of
both

15. Plants, artificial or
living, are decorative
accessories.

16. Some accessories are functional,
but not decorative:
A free magnetic notepad on the
refrigerator may be useful, even if
not attractive.
A worn out
footstool
doesn’t look
pretty, but still
provides relief
for tired feet
and legs.
A dirty throw rug does not
go well in the décor, but
saves the rest of the floor!

17. Throw pillow,
in all shapes
and sizes, can
be both
decorative
and
functional.

18. Figurines or
knickknacks are purely
decorative.

19. Collections are often used to
accessorize a room.

20. Favorite vacation spots,
sports teams, hobbies,
interests, antiques, etc.
can become the focal
point of accessories.

21. Throw rugs… decorative
and functional

22. Clocks are
another
example of
accessories
that are both
functional and
decorative.

23. Mirrors
can be
functional,
decorative,
or both.

24. Mats and frames of
pictures should
complement the room.
Avoid busy prints on
busy patterned walls.

25. Large pictures look best in the center of your
primary wall - a wall that catches the eye of
someone entering the room.
Your painting looks best when it hangs at eye
level (this is called museum hanging), which
means that the center of the canvas should be
about 60" above the floor.
When you hang your painting over a couch or
other large furniture piece, the general rule is
to allow 6" to 8" above the furniture, even if
this is higher than described above.
There should be 6 – 12” clearance around
each picture or picture grouping
Use toothpaste to fill nail holes
Break the eye off a sewing needle, and then
use the needle as a nail to hold pictures; the
average needle, driven into the wall in a
downward angle, will support 40 pounds but
doesn’t leave a large hole