Housing...Inside and Out

October 1, 1999
Lighting Must Be Well Planned

Lighting does not have to be elaborate or expensive. However, it must be well planned in order to be effective and efficient. There are three main types of home lighting -- general, task and accent.

The function of general lighting is to light the entire area to the degree necessary for daily activities such as conversation, eating breakfast or hanging clothes in a closet. Usually general lighting is provided by fixtures mounted on the ceiling. This enables the light to spread evenly to all parts of the room. If the ceiling is painted white or a light color, it reflects the light and distributes it around the room.

In rooms where ceiling fixtures are not appropriate, the reflective ability of a ceiling can be very important. This permits a floor or table lamp to bounce the light off the ceiling as general light.

Since bedrooms, living rooms and dining rooms do not need bright general light and since a feeling of warmth is desired, incandescent lights are often the choice. The light source should be either diffused through frosted glass hidden from direct view or reflected off the ceiling.

Another type of general light that might be used in bedrooms, living rooms and dining rooms is wall lighting. Lighted walls expand space visually, making rooms appear larger. Fluorescent lights concealed behind a shielding board produce a soft diffused light.

Incandescent fixtures may be recessed, ceiling mounted or attached to a track for general lighting. When lighting a wall behind a seating group, locate the light so that people seated there do not see the brightness of a bulb or the interior of the fixture.

The purpose of task lighting is to concentrate light on areas that require a higher intensity of light for seeing tasks such as reading or preparing food. Although task lighting can be used to supplement general lighting, it is designed to function as a visual task light and is often shielded to minimize the spreading of light. Task lights are kept from shining directly into the eyes by the use of shaded and recessed fixtures that throw a narrow beam.

Fluorescent provides good task lighting over counters in the kitchen or behind valances in a bathroom. For other visual tasks, incandescents are often used. Incandescents have neither the shape nor bulb limitations of fluorescent and are easier to adapt to lamps, spotlights and fixtures.

The purpose of accent lighting is to draw attention to a particular feature or object in a room, such as valance lighting that spills down on draperies and brings out texture, or a small spotlight that illuminates a painting.

Accent lighting is accomplished in much the same way as task lighting, but the quality of light needed is usually much less and a light source often needs to be out of view. Incandescent fixtures are usually used for accent lighting.

Good lighting can do exciting things to a home. It can make it more livable, enjoyable and attractive. It can make a small room seem larger, give a feeling of sunlight in a basement, or create a center of interest in a room that lacks one.

The light plan for a home should take all its activities into account. It should combine general overall lighting, task lighting for special seeing tasks, and accent lighting for decorative interests. The combination of these lighting types can provide a variety of lighting for family needs and moods.


Written by Dr. Francis Graham (Retired)

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