Layers of Light

Often I have seen many people use one source of lighting per room in their homes. They may only have a ceiling or table lamp with nothing else. The following photos are great examples:


Photo courtesy of homedesigninterior.com
(Besides daylight, this room only has ambient lighting that creates a harsh glare.)


Photo courtesy of designinsidechicago.com
(This is a sad case because it is a ceiling lamp used as a sconce for a hotel bathroom....a big no-no.)

Can you relate to these design dilemmas? If so, don't feel bad. It happens to the best of us. Before you throw in the towel, here are a few tips that may help. When selecting lighting for a space, there are a few things that you should keep in mind.

First, there are 4 types of lighting: daylight, ambient, task, and accent lighting. These are what I call Layers of Light. Each layer is used for a specific purpose. Instead using only one type of lighting to serve all purposes for a space, use some or all of the Layers of Light for any space. Here are some examples:

Day Lighting

Photo courtesy of Axis Mundi

Ambient Lighting

Photo courtesy of topdesign72.com
(The chandelier placed in the center of this living room is a great example of ambient lighting. Notice how it is used to brighten the entire space.)

Task Lighting

Photo courtesy of Atelier

Accent Lighting

Photo courtesy of invitinghome.com
(Accent lighting is used to highlight areas or objects in a space such as the paintings placed along the walls of this room. They are normally very small in size and may even be placed inside of the ceiling-recessed lighting.)

Secondly, before using the Layers of Light, there are three questions that you should ask yourself:

1.
How will the room be used?
(For instance, will a living area be used as a place for reading, watching television, and group conversation or only two of the three?)


Photo courtesy of Jeffrey Bilhuber
(Notice that this living room has two seating areas for conversation and a variety of lighting is placed in both seating areas.)


Photo courtesy of Clodagh
(The primary uses of this bedroom are sleeping and reading. The small sconces are placed on both sides of the bed as task lights for reading, followed by cove accent lighting along the top of the wall. In addition to day lighting, only 2 Layers of Light are used in this space to create a calming atmosphere for rest and relaxation.)


2.
What kind of mood or feeling do you plan to create for the space?
(Will the dining room be warm and intimate for dinner of two, an open atmosphere for a large family gathering, or both?)


Photo courtesy of Clodagh
(The seating of this dining room suggests that a large family could use it. However, pendant lights above the table and the recessed accent lights along the left wall create an intimate mood by causing lots of shade and shadow.)


Photo courtesy of egywater.com
(This living area has a white color pallet with blue and green accent pillows. However, unlike the previous photo, the white lighting is used to create a sense of openness.)


3.
What color scheme(s) or materials do you plan to use for the room, and what lighting should be used to accentuate them?


Photo courtesy of topdesign72.com
(One of the best things about using only white for an entire space is that you can use lighting to create reflective color and accentuate the blank palette.)

Knowing the answers to these questions will help you select lighting strategies that are appropriate for the activities that are to take place in the space, and that will celebrate your chosen color scheme and materials.

End Note:
To receive more help about selecting the appropriate lighting design for your space, email Co-Create Interiors at cocreateinteriors@gmail.com