Behind the Design

Lighting is an Important Design Element

October 16, 2017

Lighting is an important aspect that can either make or break a design. No matter how glorious a space, what good is it if you must walk through a dark room bumping your shins to get to the light switch on the other side, or if you have dark gloomy areas while you are preparing vegetables for your famous stew. Lighting with its function and beauty, is often over looked and under analyzed.

Each room should contain at least two of these types to create a practical lighting design.

Ambient lighting is the general light in a room and creates an even light throughout a space. Ambient light means the light that is already present in a scene, before any additional lighting is added. It usually refers to natural light, either outdoors or coming through windows etc. It can also mean artificial lights such as normal room lights.

Accent lighting is used to highlight special features or areas in your home, such as art pieces, fireplaces, or sculptures. Accent lighting focuses light on a particular area or object. It is often used to highlight art or other artifacts. Common types of accent lights include wall sconces, floodlights, recessed lights, floor lamps, or track lighting. The brighter light from the accent lamp creates visual interest to a room. Accent lights may also be used to shine light on a stairway, or as in movie theaters, light a walkway. Some accent lights aren't made to shine on a particular object, but are themselves a piece of art with a self-contained light source.

Task lighting is designed to provide light while performing certain activities. As Billy Baldwin once said, “There is one fundamental fact about lighting: Where there is no light, there is no beauty.” So brighten up those dark corners, get rid of those shadows under your eye and look 10 years younger, by ensuring every room contains some combination of all three types of lighting.

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