Why Lighting in Interior Spaces is So Important
Artificial lighting can manipulate our subconscious thoughts and feelings...
Why is lighting in an interior space so important? Have you ever walk into a place and the atmosphere just felt vibrant but relaxed? What about walking into a space that felt eerie although it was bright and lit? Artificial lighting can manipulate our subconscious thoughts and feelings. Artificial lighting plays a huge role in Interior Design as it magnifies the aesthetic appeal and creates a mood for a space. The most common forms of artificial lighting used today are LED, incandescent, and fluorescent lighting. In this post, you’ll learn about some of the components of lighting that a Designer has to consider when working in a space. More thought goes into it than one would think; it’s way more than just picking out a light fixture. Today we’ll talk about the lighting effects to consider when Designing your own space.
Artificial lighting effects to consider...
There are several different types of artificial lighting to consider when Designing your own space. I’m going to go over the 4 most important ones that I learned when studying Interior Design. In most cases, you’ll want to implement all 3 out of the 4 types to create an aesthetically pleasing environment.
1. General Lighting
General lighting is your main light source that is used to illuminate a space. This form of lighting produces a uniform and broad plane of light. This is the most important of all 4 because every space needs some sort of general light source. A general light source may depend on the type of fixture you’re using in a space such as a fluorescent or utilitarian incandescent ceiling fixture. I like to use a limited amount of recessed cans as a form of general lighting when working on a client’s project, but there are also other forms of general lighting you can work with.
2. Ambient Lighting
Ambient lighting comes from an indirect source that reflects a background light against a surface. An ambient light source could be an eyeball spot light against a fireplace used to illuminate the texture of stone on the fireplace, for example. There are so many aesthetically pleasing ideas for ambient lighting.
3. Task Lighting
Task lighting directs light in a certain direction that requires the performance of hand-eye coordination. An example of task lighting would be a light source used for reading, writing, word processing, dining, sewing, or personal grooming.
4. Accent Lighting
Accent lighting is typically used to emphasize an object, such as a painting. Accent lighting creates drama and interest in small areas. A high contrast of dark and light differences creates a dramatic effect.
Why it's important to consider these types of artificial lighting effects...
Lighting can emphasize feelings, thoughts, safety, and aesthetics. Artificial lighting can manipulate our subconscious thoughts and feelings. A space generally needs 3 out of 4 of these light effects to create an aesthetically pleasing environment. If you’re goal is to create comfort, I would consider using a general, task and accent light. Those may include recessed cans, chandelier, and a task lamp, for example. There are so many different combinations of lighting that may be used together to create different types of effects. If you’re wanting to know more, stick around and subscribe to the blog, and I’ll go more in depth on lighting in another post to come!
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