The Difference between Good Lighting and Bright Lighting

Add task specific lighting, such as pendants, or recessed lighting in areas that require brighter light. · Add lamps, under cabinet lights, sconces, and even ... Manyhomeownershaveatendencytothinkoflightingonlyintermsofhowmuchilluminationitprovides.Whilebrightlightingiscertainlyakeyinsurgerysuites,brightlightingisnotalwaysgoodlightingwhenitcomestoyourhomedécor.Factorssuchashowthelightshapestheroomandtheinterplaybetweenlightandcolorinyourdécorshouldalsobeconsidered.Lightingdoesmorethanjustprovideillumination,andbychoosingtherightfixtures,youcanhaveadequatelightingforeveryspaceinyourhome,withoutattractingattentionfromadistantgalaxy. WhatisGoodLighting? Bystartingwithadefinitionofgoodlighting,wecaneliminatesomeofthemisconceptionsaboutbrightlightingrightaway.Goodlightingshouldprovideenoughilluminationforthetaskathand,whilecreatingtheambianceandcomfortyouwantinagivenspace.Thiswillvaryfromroomtoroom,butingeneral,usingasmuchasyouneedandnomoreisagoodruleofthumb. Lightingshouldbemostheavilyfocusedonareaswheredetailedtaskstakeplace,suchasinyourkitchen,oratthebathroomvanity.Evenhere,toomuchcanbeabadthing,buttoolittlecanbedisastrous. Lightingshouldprovideenoughilluminationtomovethroughyourspacesafelywithoutfearoftrippingoverunseenhazards,orbumpingintothingssuchasfurnitureandwalls.Thisdoesnotrequireasmuchasyouwouldthink,andthinkingthroughthelightinginyourspacewillgoalongwaytounderstandingwhatyouactuallyneed. Goodlightingshouldbeflexibleenoughtolightagivenarea,whileotherareasremaininrelativedarkness.Thishasmoretodowithnumberandplacementoffixturesthanwattageornumberofbulbs. CommonIssuesWithOverlyBrightLighting Whileitmayseemthataspacebeingtoodarkistheonlyrealissue,thereareseveralproblemsthatcanbeassociatedwithtoomuchlight.Thegoalhereistomakeyourspaceasattractiveandlivableaspossible,withoutsacrificingenergyefficiencyanddesignaesthetic. Brightlightstendtoprovidealotoflightinareasdirectlyaffected,butmayleavecornersandotherareasunderlit.Thistypeofunevenlightingcanmakeithardforyoureyestoadjust,whichcancontributetofatigue. Brightlightscostmorethanotheroptionsthatspreadlowerilluminationmoreevenlythroughyourspace.Evenwithtoday’smoreefficientlightbulboptions,everybitoflightyousqueezeoutcostsalittlemore.Thinkofwhatyoucoulddoinyourdécorwiththesavings!Justbysteppingdowntothenextlowestlevelofbulb,manyfixtureswillcutenergyconsumptionbyhalf,ormore. Brightlightscauseglares.Thiscanbeproblematicforscreendevicessuchascomputers,televisionsandsmartphones.Italsopresentsasafetyhazardinextremecases,ifobstacleslikestairsanddoorwayscannotbeaccuratelyseen.Inadditiontotheinconvenienceanddanger,glaresalsodetractfromyourdécor,causingcolorstobeseenunevenlyandfinishestotakeonshinyspotsanddarkshadowswheretheyshouldn’tbe. HowtoFixtheProblem Whileyoumaythinkthesolutionisfewerlights,theanswerisjusttheopposite.Byincreasingthenumberoffixtures,andreducingbulbintensity,youcancreateamoreevenlightingschemethatprovidesadequateilluminationinamoreattractive,costefficientandcomfortableway.Herearesomepracticalstepsyoucantake. Addtaskspecificlighting,suchaspendants,orrecessedlightinginareasthatrequirebrighterlight.Sconcesbesidebathroomvanities,pendantsoverprepsurfacesinthekitchen,andstriplightingalongtheedgesofstairsareaallgoodexamplesoftasklighting. Addlamps,undercabinetlights,sconces,andevenadditionalrecessedlightingtocreatemorelightingzones,sothatareasthatarenotneededdonothavetobelitatalltimes.Switchoutceilingfixturesforfixtureswithmoresocketsanduselowerwattagebulbstocreatemoreevenilluminationwithlessactuallight. Installdimmerswitcheswherepractical,sothatbrightlightingisavailable,literally,attheflipofaswitch.Also,addingswitchestocircuitswithmultiplelightsonthemcanmakeitpossibletouseonlythelightrequiredforagiventask. Chooseyourlightplacementcarefullytoworkwithyourdécorandspaceusage.Experimentwithdifferentplacementsusingpluginlampstofindwhatworksandwhatdoesn’t.Remembertothinkofspaceshapingareas,suchashallways,andarchitecturalfeaturesaspossiblefocusingpointsforadditionallighting. TheBenefitsAddUp Amoreattractivespacewillgetmoreuseandprovidelessstress.Youmayfindyourselfmorerelaxedwhenproperlightingisintroduced.Theenergysavingsisanothergreatbenefitthatyouwillprobablynoticealmostimmediately.Switchtonewstylesofbulbswhereveryoucantoincreasethisbenefit.Sharethisnewswithotherstohelpimprovethelivesofthosearoundyou,theywillthankyouforit,andthatisabenefityoucannotputapricetagon.   LeaveaReplyCancelreplyYoumustbeloggedintopostacomment. TypeandPress“enter”toSearch