Everything you need to know about lighting

Lighting design encompasses everything from the right style of lighting, light placement and the type of globes used. Do the job right and you can highlight design features, brighten gloomy spaces, and create an appealing and inviting home that you and your family will enjoy.

Choosing the right fitting and globe for each room in your home is easy to achieve by taking a few basics into consideration.

Central lights on the ceiling normally provide the majority of the lighting in a room, as it’s the most effective way to light up the space.

Pendant lights are ideal for illuminating kitchen islands and dining tables and can be selected to complement the style of the room.

Install downlights with dimmers in a living area so you can soften the light to create a cosy atmosphere.

Follow this guide to green lighting.

Areas of high activity like the kitchen and bathroom or a work area like a study require lighting to illuminate the task at hand.

Spotlights or downlights are ideal for a kitchen, as they prevent shadows over the work area when they are installed en masse.

Use LED strip lights under cabinets in kitchens, surround a bathroom mirror with lights and add desk lamps in a study.

Here are more specific tips on how to light a bathroom.

Smaller lights can add depth to a room by highlighting architectural features or creating contrasting areas of shadow and light.

Wall lights are a good choice and are ideally positioned on either side of TVs, paintings or fireplaces.

Table and floor lamps are useful for creating pools of light. Ensure each light is separately controlled to change their effects on the room.

New innovations in lighting systems and smart technology mean we can control lighting to better suit our bodies’ natural rhythms.

A system such as Philips Hue allows you to automatically schedule your lighting, from a faux sunrise instead of an alarm clock to get you going in the morning, to setting up optimal conditions for a good night’s rest.

Another simply mood enhancer is to change your globes to ones that can be switched between whiter cool lighting during the day and yellowish warm lighting for night-time.

Wall or ceiling mounted or freestanding fittings can be combined for different effects.

Lamps

A great way to add atmosphere, lamps are also ideal for zoning open-plan living spaces.

Position next to an armchair or couch to create a reading nook, or next to a bed for ease of use and warm ambient lighting.

Pendant lights

Popular over kitchen benchtops and islands, and dining tables, pendant lights are a bold stylistic choice that add texture, colour and a focal point.

In living areas, a low pendant light can function the same way as a lamp, or in a kitchen can provide task lighting.

Downlights

Downlights can be used in any room or space, from the kitchen and bathroom to the hallway. They can also be used as task lighting above workspaces such as kitchen benchtops or in a study.

Wall lights

Often fitted either side of a bedhead for a high-end hotel effect, wall lights are used as an accent or for a softer lighting option instead of downlights in living spaces.

A move towards energy-efficient products has seen LED bulbs eclipsing halogen, which took over from incandescent bulbs. Although more expensive, LEDs can last up to 20 years and are up to 85% more efficient than traditional globes.

LEDs come in cool and warm colour temperatures. Measured in Kelvins (K), look for bulbs close to 2700K for a warm light similar to incandescent lights. Cool lights are 4000K and above and are similar to natural daylight.

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