Lighting is my number one design tool. We can create and manipulate space with such resources, achieving visual, sensory, and even artistic results.
With good lighting design, you can manipulate not only interior spaces but create focal points, guiding the eye to draw attention. This resource can provide depth, height, and warmth, and with the correct management of locations and types of light sources, we can balance, obtain needed shades, and bring new energy to an interior.
FIRST QUESTION - when working with light? What kind of mood or effect are we wanting? What is the purpose of such space?
There are three basic types of lighting design: ambiance, task, and accent, and here is the purpose of each one.
AMBIANCE LIGHTING – This is the typical general light, which provides overall illumination of an entire area – obtained from overhead lighting, a central light fixture, even recess lights
TASK LIGHTING- this lighting is required for a specific need such as reading, cooking, or working- sources include a desk, table, and floor lamps. It is also provided by pendant lights over a particular area.
ACCENT LIGHTING highlights focal points of interest, attracting attention, creating guidance, and focusing on architectural detail, a work of art, an object, or a texture. For it to have full effect, it needs to be at least three times brighter than the ambient lighting in the space. Spots, track lights, uplifting light sources, or linear LED produce such effect.
SECOND QUESTION - What intensity and Color warmth is needed? Warm or cold light, dense lighting, bright or dimmed light sources?
Let us review here two important Light concepts:
LUMEN OUTPUT – which measures the light brightness of a specific light source. The higher the number, the brighter the light source – understand that one lumen is equal to the brightness of one candle.
COLOR TEMPERATURE – light appearance ranges from bright white light to yellow warm light sources measured in degrees of Kelvin, ranging from 1,000 to 10,000 values (from warm to bright white tones). Residential lighting usually fluctuates from 2,500 to 5,500 Kalvin’s.
Depending on the activities developed in space, we select the best option. Whiter light is ideal for work, study, and maintaining attention; instead, warmer tones will provide coziness and relaxation.
Special note: Keep in mind the natural light a room has and the colors and textures of walls and furniture. It would be best to increase intensity when working with darker tones and vice-versa.