Lighting in interior design: how to illuminate your house

9/2022

Bring sunlight into your home

The sun's rays have a significant influence on human life. They can tone the whole body, and this has a positive effect on well-being and mental health. An individual's work efficiency directly depends on the amount of sunlight. Our eyes have adapted to work comfortably in the visible spectrum. The natural lighting of the premises is the most optimal and valuable. Its sources are the sun's rays and the scattered glow of the sky. Depending on how natural light enters the room, it can be of the following types:

– lateral – comes through the window;
– upper – comes through the roof;
– total – pass through the atrium;
– combined – combines all methods of entering the room

Thanks to natural daylight, is ensured a person's connection with the surrounding world. Psychologists say that for your nervous system to be healthy, you need to look at the horizon line in natural light every day.

Natural and artificial light differ in their nature and intensity and have different spectrums. Lighting designers must take care not only of a pleasant visual impression from the room's lighting but also to ensure that the lighting harmonizes with a person's biorhythms and improves his mood.

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Four types of artificial lighting in the interior

If there is a lack of natural lighting, and such a situation usually occurs after dark, artificial lighting is actively used in the house. A wide selection of lamps with built-in diodes or light bulbs is available to everyone.

Designers usually use four types of lighting:

• general or basic (it is implemented by installing lighting elements in the upper zone, i.e. on the ceiling). Primary lighting devices should be evenly spaced and provide diffused light. Usually, preference is given to chandeliers and ceiling lights, but in some cases, LED strips, linear devices, etc. may also be suitable

• local (provides additional illumination of a separate zone). Experts often use this type of lighting for zoning rooms, sometimes to create comfortable conditions for needlework, cooking or reading. Lighting devices (table lamps, floor lamps or sconces) are placed directly above the object

• accent (a unique tool in the hands of a designer that creates an atmosphere and allows you to stylize the interior). Vases, paintings, figurines or niches where they are installed are illuminated quite often

• decorative (allows you to decorate furniture, doorways, mirrors, TV, etc.)

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How the light flux is distributed in the room

Each of the lamps creates a light stream of a specific strength. Therefore, to install lighting equipment, you need to have a detailed plan for lighting the room, in which the number of lux must meet the established standards.

In particular, for the living room, where people usually spend their rest, is recommended a luminous flux of 150 lux. On the other hand, for a children's room, regulatory documents set indicators higher – 200 lux. In this room, children can do homework, read and play anywhere at the table and on the floor.

When creating a project, lighting designers must take into account all possible nuances – the height and area of ​​the room, the number and size of windows, balcony doors, and the colour of the walls and floor. The design style of your home is less important when choosing lighting devices for the interior.

A crystal chandelier will not fit in the loft or hi-tech bedrooms, and there will also be a completely inappropriate chandelier with a lampshade. The high-tech style involves the installation of many spotlights or spots with a chrome base; pendants with metal shades will suit the loft style, as well as industrial models without decor.

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The main rules of interior lighting design

Designers and performers must have practical and theoretical knowledge, have good taste, and combine various stylistic interiors with the latest lighting devices to successfully implement the light design of the room. Below we will consider several critical general rules that lighting designers should apply in their work.

When developing a lighting plan, each designer should intelligently combine natural and artificial light, which was discussed in the previous sections. Moreover, the priority should always be natural light, which should be used as efficiently as possible.

When choosing lighting devices, it is essential to know what kind of light they produce – reflected, direct or diffused. It is also necessary to consider the room's purpose and exact dimensions, and the luminous flux level must correspond to the indicators specified in regulatory documents.

Do not forget that bright light can invigorate a person and increase tone, making it very suitable for work. On the other hand, muted light has the opposite effect – it relaxes. Therefore, it is usually used for places of rest.

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And a few more nuances of lighting design...

Lighting designers introduce perimeter illumination into the interior and use LED strips, points and track systems. They should remember the energy efficiency of fixtures and lamps. The easiest way to save money is to use LED devices, which consume a minimum of electricity while providing maximum light output.

The changing trends in lighting design force specialists to constantly keep their finger on the pulse of new trends. Now multi-level light, which is created using ceiling and wall lighting devices, has gained wide popularity. Another common trend that works excellently is lighting built into the floor when zoning the premises.

Decorative art lighting is also used quite often today. Moreover, not only works of art are illuminated, but also niches in the walls, mirrors, etc. Using various portable lamps for summer cottages and garages became very popular. And now lights with USB charging are often installed in living rooms and kitchens. Such lighting elements make any feast cozy and pleasant.

Photo 1 by Sanibell BV on Unsplash
Photo 2 by Darshan Patel on Unsplash
Photo 3 by Bilal Mansuri on Unsplash