Have you ever walked into a room only to discover that the lighting plan was not very well though out. As an interior designer, I have walked into my share of dark rooms that felt like doom and gloom all because the builder or previous designer had not created a good lighting plan for the space. When it comes to lighting, there are some key things to remember about designing the best lighting plan for a room – it’s all about layering.
A good lighting plan will utilize the three main lighting tiers:
Ambient Lighting
Task Lighting
Accent Lighting.
If the lighting plan does not include all three of these light sources, I would say that the lighting plan is not being utilized to its full potential.
Ambient Lighting is the lighting that most people refer to as overhead lighting and can be one of the main sources of lighting in a design plan. This ls lighting source should cover the entire room and can range from warm to cool based on your homes’ functional design needs. Another term that is used interchangeably with this light source is “direct lighting.”
Task Lighting is a light source that is used for a certain type of work such as reading a book, working at a desk, or cooking on the stove. In interior design, task lighting is a must have feature in a lighting plan. Task lighting should be through of secondary when it comes to creating a lighting plan. Ways to incorporate task lighting can be through adding pendant lighting above a kitchen island, table lamps to a nightstand or desk, and an overhead light above the stovetop.
Accent lighting is probably the one layer of lighting that people love but often choose impractical sources. Accent lighting “accentuates” a particular area of the home such as a beautiful piece of artwork or a dark corner of the room. Examples of good accent lighting to consider would be floor lamps, library lights, and wall sconces. These can all be used as accent lighting sets to elevate a beautifully layered lighting plan.
Besides lighting sources, one might want to consider the difference between watts and lumens. A watt is a measure of power while a lumen is a measure of how much light a source emits. This means that when looking for a light source, you need to remember that the more lumens means the stronger the light and vice versa.
A good lighting plan can make or break a design plan just like a wrong paint color can really ruin a home's aesthetic. Where we direct the lighting in a room is just as important as which lighting pieces we choose. As an interior designer, the lighting plan is just one of the details that we have to take into consideration during an interior design project, especially with new construction builds. It all works together to create the perfectly designed space.
I hope this information about a leyered lighting plan helps you on your next home refresh!