HOME & GARDEN LIGHTING
Picture Perfect Do you have dark areas in your living spaces where a really great artwork of photos simply doesn't get noticed? We spoke to Melissa Davidson from the Lighting Warehouse (www.lightingwarehouse.co.za) for some tips. Lighting Warehouse “Investing in beautiful artwork is the perfect way to complete the look of a room, however, it doesn’t end there. To really make it a standout feature, you will also need to install the correct lighting to ensure that the eye is immediately drawn to the piece. This is best achieved by picture
lights that are specially designed to offer the best illumination for framed photos or artworks,” says Davidson. Picture lights are wall-mounted to throw light onto a piece of artwork. They can be affordable and easy to install.
“Add a sense of drama to any artwork – making it museum-worthy and serving as an additional piece of décor for the room in question. Picture lights can also serve as a great source of ambient lighting in living or dining rooms, and hallways,” Davidson adds.
3. Position of the light 1. Select the correct size
The bigger the picture, the more light you will need to illuminate it. For portrait pictures, the rule of thumb is to choose a picture light that is approximately half the width of the picture. For landscape pictures, you will need to select a picture light that measures between one third, or half of the width of the picture.
When positioning a light over the artwork, ensure you achieve an even spread of light over the entire picture, avoiding any “hot spots” on the top half. This is achievable by installing the picture light about 13cm – 18cm above the top of your artwork. Most picture lights can be adjusted so that you can achieve the perfect angle for the light. The ideal angle of the light is 30 degrees, so that there is no glare or reflection of the glass of your frame.
4. Colour and finish
2. Choose your light source carefully
LEDs are an excellent source of light for picture lights – they don’t give off any heat, they are exceptionally affordable to run, and they last for ages. Some picture lights even come with integrated LED lights for maximum convenience. Fluorescent globes, like the T5 for example, are also a practical choice for picture lights.
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volume 12 | issue 2 www.tobuild.co.za
Typical metallic colours can be used with any frame. But if you have traditional designed frames, brass or satin silver is recommended. For modern frames, choose chrome or black.
