How to light your home
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Lighting is an often overlooked element of interior design but when considered carefully, can add tremendous impact … It will enhance the colour of your décor, provide a sense of warmth and atmosphere and, it can also be used to identify different zones within your home. There are essentially three types of lighting which, when combined correctly, will create your optimum lighting solution: General: this is the lighting that simply makes the room visible. Task: directed lighting to facilitate close range work like food preparation, reading or hobby crafts. Accent: lighting that adds drama, delivering light to focal points. It can be used to quickly change the mood and atmosphere in a room. This guide will illustrate how these elements of lighting can be combined to achieve optimum lighting solutions for your home, room by room.
Entrances, Halls & Staircases
pools of light to display your chosen ornaments. Enhance your display with a mirror behind your lamps to bounce warmth and light around the hall – this has the added benefit of making rooms appear larger. If space is limited, wall lights and recessed downlights are a good choice. It is always nice to have a feature ceiling light as opportunities to provide decorative embellishment elsewhere within the hall are limited. A flush or semi-flush pendant can add style without causing obstruction where ceiling heights are low. Staircases There is real opportunity to create drama here, particularly if you have a double height ceiling. Large statement pendants that cascade through the air provide the necessary wow factor in a modern setting. Traditional chandeliers on extended chains, or large scale pendants are also fantastic choices. STYLE TIP - In stairwells, light fittings will be seen from above as well as below - make sure you are happy with your light choice from all angles! In practical terms, staircases need to be well lit and light should be directed to define the edges of steps. A bright overhead pendant positioned over the stairs will create a shadow that adds definition to the stair risers aiding safe transit. Landings These areas are often small, heavy use areas that need to remain clear to facilitate smooth movement through the space, particularly if being traversed at night. Here, flush fittings or recessed down lights are excellent choices, as are wall washers. It is a good idea to add dimmable lights as these can remain on at a low level at night.
Entrances Entrances need to be warm and inviting as well as being sufficiently illuminated to facilitate easy transit from one room to another.
Living Room
To create a real wow factor, a statement pendant is a must. For a traditional look try a lantern light or, if opulence is your thing, go for fabulous crystal or select from the stunning bespoke silk range. If you have room for a console table, table lamps are another excellent way of adding layers of light – a table lamp placed either end of the console table adds a pleasing symmetry to a scheme and will create soft A subtle blend of all the key elements of lighting will enable you to derive the perfect lighting solution for this
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main living space within your home. Firstly, consideration should be given to the aspect of the room, if a room is north facing it will probably appear quite dark, particularly so during winter months and lighting should be chosen with this in mind. In addition, lighting should be easy to control, flexible and capable of producing a warm cosy feeling to aid relaxation. A combination of general overhead or wall lighting, as well as a balanced mix of table, floor and task lamps should give the desired effect. For rooms of up to 5 x 4m, a three arm pendant should give sufficient overhead illumination – flush or semi flush fittings can be used where ceiling heights are limited. For larger rooms with high ceilings, a larger scale fitting is a must; not only will it provide the required amount of light, but also visual drama and impact to your room. Floor standing uplighters are a great addition to your room scheme as they can give soft illumination to dark corners of a room. They are particularly useful when they incorporate a flexible task light, thus allowing an individual a focused light for reading or hobbies without disturbing other people within the room. STYLE TIP - An oversized statement lamp is the perfect punctuation to a well composed room.
A further consideration should be given to the hanging height of the pendant, we recommend that the light should be positioned approximately 60cm above the height of the table to ensure that all guests have a clear vision of each other and that they are not staring directly at a lamp. STYLE TIP - linear shaped pendants and cluster pendants are a great modern choice. As the meal ends and conversation comes to the fore, a different type of light may be beneficial. Uplighters, table lamps and accent lighting around the room’s perimeter can be utilised to create an relaxed, cosy feel. Dimmer switches are a great idea in dining rooms; not only do they facilitate the lowering of light to create atmosphere for entertaining, they can also be turned up to maximum to illuminate the room for preparation and after party cleaning! STYLE TIP - if you do not have the facility to hang a pendant over your dining table, a floor lamp with a long arching arm will create a stylish solution* * take care to ensure that all cables are safely managed.
Bedroom
Dining Room
The bedroom is another room requiring thought and a well considered blend of all lighting options should provide the best results. Dining and entertaining at home has become increasingly popular in recent years and a great deal of thought should be given to this room in terms of lighting… Firstly, as you and your guests walk into the dining area, a carefully selected ceiling fitment emitting a soft pool of light over an exquisitely set table, will create a high sense of design and style and set the scene beautifully for an enjoyable meal. In practical terms, care should be taken to ensure that the light is positioned centrally, so that none of the guests feel that they are in the ‘spotlight’ and also that the light is bright enough to illuminate the entire table.
To relax and unwind, wall lights and table lamps are a great choice as their soft pools of light create a relaxing atmosphere. A bedside table lamp that is switched and controlled by ‘touch’ is fantastic; illumination can be raised for reading and then dimmed or turned off without having to struggle to find the switch. A bright pendant is best when a good light source is required for example when getting dressed or cleaning the room.
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STYLE TIP - for a ‘boutique style bedroom’ choose large ‘statement piece’ lighting; pare down small ornaments and go big and bold for a designer look.
Kitchen
For children’s bedrooms, consideration should be given to the age of the child. For young children a bright central ceiling light will provide a good solution, particularly if fitted with a dimmer switch so that light levels can be turned down low at night. As children get older, a reading lamp is a great addition as are novelty lighting solutions – a remote controlled, colour-changing light is bound to win approval from teenagers. No matter what your lighting choice, safety is paramount in children’s bedrooms, make sure that cables are properly managed and that the lighting you choose is age appropriate.
Home Office
The modern kitchen is the heart of the home, a place where families and friends gather and socialise. It is also a highly functional space and lighting solutions should reflect its dual roles. First and foremost, good ceiling light is important. A central light will suffice but a better solution would be to consider multiple ceiling lights. A series of multi-head spot lights will allow light to be directed to key work stations such as the sink, oven, fridge and food preparation areas. Supplementary lighting can be added to the underneath of wall mounted cupboards, cooker hoods or at plinth level.
General lighting can be supplemented by wall lights, portable lamps and uplighters if space permits. Where space is at a premium, consider a mother and child style lamp which combines an uplighter with an adjustable reading lamp. A good task lamp positioned on the desk is essential, look for one which is adjustable for height and will reach over the area in which you are working. A key feature to be considered, but is often forgotten, is the on/off switch – make sure it is easily accessible to avoid irritation every time you use your lamp.
Many newly designed kitchens often have either a peninsular or freestanding island. Here, lighting can be exploited to create a fantastic focal point for the room – consider a series of pendants hung in a linear format - remember the placement of objects in odd numbers, rather than even, often gives a more pleasing result so consider three or even five lights, if space allows. In kitchens where there is room for a seating area, table and floor lights can be used to zone the space and create a cosy and relaxing feel. An overhead light on a dimmer switch can also be used here as well as over a table in the dining area.
Bathroom Bathroom lighting needs to be functional and safe. Page 338 in our catalogue gives clear guidelines about bathroom lighting and should be read fully before selecting any lights for this area – if in any doubt we recommend that you speak to a qualified electrician who will be able to assist you.
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The infomation here is intended as a guide and contains several generalisations for illustrative purposes. For more technical information refer to an electrician and specific product data.
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It is advisable to avoid lighting which is too bright as polished surfaces may cause glare - diffused wall or ceiling lights are better. The main light should be switched on a pull cord or a light switch situated outside the bathroom. Glass or ceramic lights are best. It is wise to avoid overly elaborate designs which will be difficult to clean and also best avoided are fittings containing wood, leather or fabric as they can degrade in the humid atmosphere.
HEIGHT
WIDTH
Being able to see well when shaving or applying makeup is essential. A simple wall light positioned above a mirror will do the job but an illuminated mirror is an excellent choice here particularly if it has a discreetly positioned shaving point and shelving to tidy away toiletries. HEIGHT
Outdoor Lighting Outside lighting is IP-rated: the higher the rating, the more resistant the fitting is to the elements. All external lights should be waterproof, durable and compliant with safety regulations related to the installations. As outdoor lights are often left on for many hours, energy saving bulbs should be used where possible.
WIDTH
For a more extensive guide to lighting your
BATHROOM see page 338 HEIGHT
Dimensions WIDTH
Diameter: Total diameter including shades/glass. Height: The total measurement from the top of the ceiling cup, including chain or rod, to the lowest point of fitting. Max Height: The total measurement from the top of the ceiling cup including MAXIMUM amount of chain or rod to the lowest point of fitting. Min Height: The total measurement from the top of the ceiling cup including MINIMUM amount of chain or rod to the lowest point of fitting. Width: Total width including shades. Depth: Total depth including shades. Fittings with a min/max height are supplied with max height of chain or rod and can be adjusted to desired height at point of installation. Base / fitting only height: Some products are supplied without shades. In this instance, the height given refers to the height from the gimble to the base
DEPTH
DIAMETER HEIGHT BASE ONLY
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