LIGHTING for use in the course INTERIOR DESIGN
This presentation helps to create a beautiful lighting design in Interior Residential project. Hope it helps you to understand about the different types of lighting and its proper placements.
2. What is Residential Lighting?
Residential lighting solutions are carefully designed
illumination solutions created to provide customized lighting
to houses, Villas, Apartments and any residential set-up.
A house can have the most beautiful interior design and
stunning architecture, but if the lighting is wrong it simply
wont feel like a home.
4. Just like a healthy
balanced breakfast, your
kitchen requires the right
balance of lighting to get
you on the right track to
accomplish the day’s
tasks.
From homework, to list-
making to actual meal-prep
and cooking, the kitchen is a
veritable workhorse in the
home. And the proper
lighting mix—recessed
downlighting, island-
highlighting pendants, under-
cabinet LEDs—will make sure
it’s fit for all of those uses.
With this guide, we’ll walk
you through the ins and outs
of modern kitchen lighting.
5. Let There Be Lights
The Three Types of Lighting You Need to Know About: Ambient, Task and Accent
6. 1. Ambient: This will be your main source of light—whether in addition to
natural light, or to fill in for lack of it. You want to cast as much of it as evenly
as possibly from your ceiling. You can do so with a combination of (but not
limited to) chandeliers, pendant lights, recessed lighting, and flushmounts.
2. Task: While ambient lighting is used to enable you to navigate throughout
the kitchen, it often leaves shadows in areas that require more focus. With
the help of task lighting, work surfaces and cabinetry are properly
illuminated so you can safely prepare meals, read recipes, and easily spot
ingredients on a shelf. Common kitchen task lighting options include strip
lights and puck lights.
3. Accent: Consider these flourishes the cherry on top of your well-designed
kitchen: toe kick lights, cabinet lights and any other light that might
accentuate your favorite elements. They also might cross over into ambient
and task lighting as well.
7. Illuminate Key Lighting Areas
Over your island, under your cabinets, and more ways
to layer light in your kitchen
• Over Your Island: Task or Ambient
Lighting
• Depending on whether your island
has an integrated
cooktop/workspace or is more for
hanging out, you’ll want to light
accordingly.
• For task-oriented islands (food
prep, recipe reading), try for a mix
of recessed downlighting and
hanging lights. But for ambient
hang-out islands (like counter
seating), something as simple as
mini-pendants will do: Pendants
should be placed at least 30-32
inches apart and 30-36 inches
above the island, with at least six
inches from edge of island.
8. â—Ź Option One: Pendants. When it
comes to installing your pendants, as
a general rule of thumb, a set of two
pendant lights installed over a
kitchen island should be at least 30
inches from the center of the island
and have 30-32 inches between the
countertop and the bottom of the
pendant. A set of three pendant
lights should be just as high up,
spaced apart evenly, and be at least
six inches from the edge of the island.
â—Ź Another Option: Linear Suspension
Lighting
â—Ź Linear suspension lights work well in
the kitchen especially if you have
higher ceilings and can hang one at
least 40” above your countertop.
9. Under-Cabinet Lighting: For Tasks and Accents
A little bit task lighting, a little bit accent and a whole
lot more than just a design frill
• While ambient lighting is used to
navigate throughout the kitchen, it
often leaves shadows under cabinets, in
areas that require more focus. With the
help of undercabinet task lighting, work
surfaces and cabinetry are properly
illuminated so you can safely prepare
meals, read recipes, and easily spot
ingredients on a shelf.
• Common kitchen under-cabinet lighting
options include:
• Strip Lights: Versatile and great for
illuminating a cabinets interior,
especially low cabinets that hardly
receive any ambient lighting. LED strip
lights are also used under the cabinet to
fully illuminate counter spaces.
• Puck Lights: Round and oval, puck lights
are great mood lights and can be used
to illuminate countertops in the form of
a scallop, spot or pool of light.
10. Focus on the Ceiling: Ambient Lighting Where You Need It Most
The higher and brighter, the better to fill your kitchen with light
• Option One: Recessed
downlighting. Recessed
downlighting is the sine qua non
of ambient kitchen lighting. In a
smaller kitchen, you might get
away with one larger flush
mount ceiling light smack dab in
the centre of your kitchen, but
recessed lights will give you a
more customized lighting
scheme. You want to splash the
light evenly throughout your
kitchen, with an emphasis on
lighting high-use areas, so grid
out the lights in straight lines
along the axis of your counters.
And if you’re worried about
going too bright, add dimmers
to give you control in a range of
lighting scenarios.
11. Row 1 Row 2 Row 3 Row 4
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
Column 1
Column 2
Column 3
• Another Option: Flush
mount or semi-flush mount
lighting, as we mentioned,
works better when you
don’t have as large a space
to light. And, unlike
recessed lights which are
hidden in the ceiling, these
lights give you the option to
add more stylistic touches
to your kitchen.
12. Make Your Design Shine:
Add Kitchen Accent
Lighting
The grace notes of a
well-designed kitchen
The right placement of
accent lights can really
help emphasize your
favorite elements.
Common kitchen accent
lights include:
• Recessed: This type of refined, out-of-
the-way lighting can go anywhere. But
it is particularly important when you
want to illuminate areas of visual
interest like open shelves and glass
cabinets.
• Over cabinet: Placed between the
cabinet and ceiling, over cabinet lights
add a dramatic touch to your kitchen.
Created in a similar fashion to
undercabinet lighting, over cabinet
lighting can provide even illumination
to accent decor and architecture.
• Toe kick Lights: A great way to
distinguish kitchens and to illuminate a
pathway. Toe lighting is produced via
rope lights or LED tape.
13. Living
Room
Lighting
• The living room is one of the most dynamic
spaces in a home. As its name suggests, it is
where most of the “living” happens. The
room is used for a variety of things,
including lounging and hanging out,
entertaining family and friends, and relaxing
by watching TV or reading a book. However,
to keep up with how functional the space is,
the living room lighting needs to match.
• The best living room lighting arrangement is
created through a combination of three
different types of light: ambient lighting,
task lighting and accent lighting. Each type
of light allows for a different activity. By
layering these three lighting styles together,
a living room will be properly illuminated to
meet any need.
14. Ambient Lighting
• Also known as general lighting, ambient light is an
even layer of illumination that fills the whole room.
This type of light is used to safely avoid furniture
when walking around the room, searching for a lost
remote, or for social activities like entertaining
guests or playing board games. Ambient lighting
also helps to offset the brightness from task lights,
computer screens, and TVs in order to avoid glare
and ease strain on the eyes.
• The obvious choice for this kind of lighting is
strategically placed ambient table lamps or floor
lamps. But the most efficient way to add ambient
light to a living room is with ceiling lighting. A flush
mount or semi-flush mount ceiling light centered in
the room will cast diffused light evenly throughout
the space. A chandelier or large, decorative
pendant light functions the same as a close-to-
ceiling fixture; and it will add a compelling, design
statement as long as the room has the ceiling
height to accommodate it.
15. • Ambient light also sets the mood in the living room.
Control it by using a dimmer switch instead of a
standard on/off switch. This will allow for the
intensity of the light to be easily changed from
bright, generous light for social gatherings to low,
subtle light for lounging and watching TV.
• Design Tip: Living rooms tend to not have a focal
point due to the variety of activities that take place
there. In order to create one, center a chandelier or
pendant light over the coffee table or ottoman for a
visually pleasing and balanced look.
16. Task Lighting
• Table lamps or floor lamps with an adjustable head
are the ideal fixtures for providing task lighting in
living rooms. For optimum performance, a reading
table lamp should be positioned next to a sofa or
lounge chair to cast light directly on whatever is
being read or worked on. The same placement is
ideal for a reading floor lamp or an arc floor lamp;
however, they can also be positioned behind
seating due to their larger size. Need to save floor
or table space? You can consider installing an
adjustable wall sconce to provide the same
function.
• Design Tip: For a unique, ultra-modern alternative
to a traditional reading table lamp, add a desk lamp
for task lighting in a living room. The lamp is
adjustable and provides focused, directional light
that is great for reading and working. However,
when not being used for task lighting, the lamp can
be adjusted to shine bright light to highlight a vase
or draw attention to a piece of decor.
• As its name implies, task lighting is bright,
directional light used for activities such as reading.
Sometimes overlooked–as ambient light can seem
like it is bright enough–task lighting is needed for
focus and reducing eye strain. This style of light is
localized and only used occasionally.
17. Accent Lighting
• Accent lighting is the final layer of light needed
in a living room. It serves two purposes; it adds
drama and visual interest to a room and
combats any harsh brightness from task lighting.
Accent lights highlight any artwork or pictures
on walls, bring attention to any architectural
details or a fireplace, and make the room feel
larger by illuminating any dark corners and
areas. They also balance any bright light cast
from task lighting, to keep the ambience of the
living room relaxing and comfortable.
• By strategically placing a table lamp or a floor
lamp in a corner, the living room feels larger
because it adds accent light to a space that is
often not reached by ambient light. For small
living rooms where floor space is limited, add
accent light to these dark spots with track
lighting or recessed lighting. These ceiling lights
can be placed along the perimeter of the room
and have their direct light specifically focused
on hard to light areas.
18. • Track lighting is also the most practical way
to highlight fireplaces and other details of
the room due to each track head being
able to be positioned individually. Wall
sconces are another way to add accent
lighting in a living room. Plus, they reflect
light off the walls to enhance the ambient
light in the centre of the room.
• Design Tip: While wall sconces are an ideal
way to layer accent light in living rooms,
they can also double as wall art. Add a
single decorative wall light or multiple
fixtures to your living room to create a
dynamic display that makes a bold yet
functional design statement.
19. How to Light a Modern Bedroom
Of all the rooms in your home,
your bedroom is probably the only one
you spend time in when it’s completely dark,
completely bright and completely
somewhere in between.
So, getting your bedroom lighting design
just right is essential to making it a
comfortable place to rest your head at night,
to rise and shine each morning and
to go about your day.
We’ve compiled this bedroom lighting
guide to teach you how to light
a bedroom the right way.
The first half will go over basic bedroom
lighting tips and how to layer your lights
using ambient, accent, and task lighting.
We will also go over picking the
right bulbs for your bedroom so that their
brightness and color match your
bedroom perfectly.
20. • Bedroom Lighting Guide: The Basics
• Layering The Lights In Your Bedroom
• Knowing how to layer your lighting is the key to
creating the best lighting your bedroom. This means
finding the right balance between ambient, task,
and accent lighting. By creating this balance, you
will be able to create the lighting for any mood and
any activity with the flick of a switch.
21. Ambient Lighting
• From general to specific, you’ll want to layer
the kinds of lighting depending on what you
anticipate doing in your bedroom on a
regular basis. For starters, begin building your
lighting foundation with ambient lighting, or
general lighting. Proper ambient light
includes natural lighting via large windows or
skylights, or artificial lighting; whatever
provides a decent amount of lighting that’ll
enable you to perform general tasks like
cleaning, folding clothes, or making the bed.
• In terms of artificial lighting, ambient light is
best achieved with ceiling fixtures (like flush
mount ceiling lights, chandeliers, pendant
lights, etc.) or through portable, like floor
lamps. Both lighting types will offer a
sufficient amount of lighting for activities
that don’t require bright, focused light.
22. Task Lighting
• If you expect to do activities that require a bit
more focus, like reading, working or applying
makeup, then consider layering on top of
your general lighting with task lights. Focused
task lighting need not be confined to the
traditional desk task light. Consider bedside
table lamps, low hanging pendants on either
side of the bed, sconces, wall mounted task
lights on either side of a headboard or other
directional lighting placed above it.
• In this sense, the bedroom task light can
essentially take on any form, as long as it
offers ample lighting needed for sustained
concentration. Apart from its design and
location, a task light’s functionality also
resides within its bulb (more on that later).
23. Accent Lighting
• Accent lighting is typically meant to
draw attention and highlight
features–like artwork–within a
given space. For the bedroom,
accent lighting on its own can act
as a subdued version of ambient
lighting, giving off a pleasant glow
and creating a cozy atmosphere.
Utilizing recessed lighting in the
bedroom, wall sconces, tape lights
or creative repurposing of other
fixtures are a few ways to
incorporate this feature in your
bedroom’s light design.
24. Dimmers
• Dimmers are important, because if there’s only one bright light source, it’s
hard to transition into a relaxed sleep-mode. [With a] bedside lamp or
sconce, you can ease into sleep or wake more gradually.”
• When layering your bedroom lighting, dimmers play an important role in
the grander scheme of the design. Not only do dimmers let you add an
extra dimension to the room’s environment, but they’re inherently
multifunctional. Between low lighting to full brightness, a dimmer can
accommodate multiple lighting needs. At max brightness, the dimmer lends
itself to general lighting, while at lower settings, the feature allows for
mood setting. Because dimmers are easy to install (and as long as the bulb
type allows for it), any lighting fixture can take on a multipurpose role.
25. Choosing the
Right Bulb
• As you layer your bedroom lighting, it’s also important to consider the type of
bulb you’ll use for each fixture. Depending on the bulb’s lighting intensity and
the colour it emits, it has the potential to positively or negatively affect the way
you function during and after a given activity. But before you set out to hunt for
any old bulb, you’ll want to figure out your preferred brightness level, or
lumens. While the suggested lumens for the bedroom ranges between 2,000
and 4,000, this is a subjective decision that changes based on the type of
ambience you desire for your bedroom.
• After settling on the maximum lumen output of a bulb, you need to consider if
the bulb type you want is dimmable. CFLs (or Compact Fluorescent Lamps) are
difficult to control with a standard dimmer, as are some low-voltage LEDs. In
these cases, special dimmers will be needed for smooth, flicker- and buzz-free
control.
Brightness
26. Color
• Light color plays an important role with supporting certain activities.
For starters, think about the type of bulb: incandescent/halogen
bulbs typically give off a soft white glow, CFLs tend to diffuse a lot of
blue (although they have evolved to include a broader spectrum of
colors), while LEDs can run the color temperature gamut.
• As white and blue light colors have been shown to promote
alertness, lighting with such hues are best used with task or
directional lighting to support focused activities. Because blue and
white lights increase alertness and subsequently suppress the
production of melatonin (or hormones that induce sleep), they are
not ideal if you’re trying to wind down and relax in the bedroom
after a long day. On the other hand, lighting that diffuses warmer
colors (like yellow) don’t interfere with melatonin production. So,
warmer lights are best for bedroom activities like reading, watching
TV or simply relaxing.
• With the evolving functions of the bedroom comes the need for
proper lighting to support these functions. Between appropriate
lighting layers, dimmers and suitable bulbs, getting these aspects
right is a sure-fire way to ensuring a comfortable lighting situation in
your bedroom.