Lighting

As in most areas of interior design, lighting is a fine balance between the pretty and the practical – no sense in having something that looks good if it doesn’t do the job, and equally unsatisfactory to end up with something very efficient but ugly to look at.  Where functionality is of greater importance – for instance in kitchens and bathrooms, you can get round the problem of aesthetics by using unobtrusive fittings – these are areas where you want to have good working light without being particularly aware of its source.  

Recessed downlighters – those that are sunk flush into the ceiling – are very discreet and can be placed anywhere they are required (as long as you have sufficient void above).  Remember to concentrate on the washing up and cooking areas in the kitchen and the mirror area (for the under 30’s and those who shave!) in the bathroom.  This means making sure that fittings are placed over the cooker or sink if possible – so that you are not blocking the light  – or using directional downlighters which can be angled over your shoulder. Work surfaces are best lit from beneath wall units, the fittings hidden behind a lighting pelmet. 

Low voltage downlighters give the most natural light and come in a range of intensities (from a good general wash to a more direct beam) – your electrician will be able to advise on how many you need in order to get a good coverage, which will depend largely on your ceiling height (the cone of light will increase in area, but decrease in strength as it gets further away from its source).  

For safety reasons, bathrooms are “zoned” – and you need to be sure that your fittings come up to the minimum rating to avoid water ingress – “splash proof” around a basin or bath and “jet proof” above a bath or within a shower.

Sitting rooms demand more thought in their lighting requirements – and if possible, the furniture layout should be planned before switches and lighting are positioned. There’s nothing more uncomfortable than straining to read a good book in miserable light, or having to stumble across a dark room to  switch on the lights at the other door – except, maybe, getting off the sofa and hitting your head on the beautiful, but badly positioned chandelier…

If you know where your seating is going to be, you can then think about which areas might want dedicated lighting, with either standard or table lamps – it’s good to get a range of  heights for added interest.  Standard lamps should generally be used around the perimeter of a room, so that they don’t “block” your view, but it’s perfectly possible – with forward planning – to place lamps in the middle of the room, using floor sockets beneath tables.  

Try to use a variety of different styles, being aware of the scale of  the lamp and shade with the piece of furniture it’s sitting on or next to – for instance, a large Chinese urn would be entirely inappropriate next to a small button-back chair.  Pairs of candlestick lamps can look very good on a sideboard or console table, but be aware that you need to follow the “design” through with a picture or mirror on the wall behind and by careful placement of any other objects on the table (Don’t get too carried away with this, though – you don’t want to end up with a staged set straight out of a glossy mag – this is your home!) 

Wall lights give good general light and structure to the room, as well as being attractive – watch out if you’re putting them near window openings, though: remember to leave enough room for curtains, lampshades and a comfortable gap in between.  Similarly, take care that they are not going to get walloped when you open a door or cupboard – the dimensions given in lighting catalogues do not generally include the shade.

On the practical side, switching is all important – think about how you want your lighting to work – for instance, you might want your wall lights and/or pendant light on one circuit to give general light when you walk into the room, with your lamps being switched separately.  In larger rooms, you may choose to put some of your lamps on a 5A circuit, switched at the door, so that you don’t have to do a small Olympic circuit every night you go to bed.  (And make sure that every door into the room is treated as a potential entrance or exit – for instance, if you have two doors you should use 2-way switches.)

Talking of going to bed – this is another room where lighting fulfils different functions. Again, it is useful to have a good general light when you walk into the room (either wall or pendant); if you can, locate a 2-way switch above your bedside table, so that you don’t need to perform those acrobatics to get them on and off (not very conducive to a good night’s slumber). Consider the height of your bedside lamps in conjunction with the height of the table and your bed– they should be good to read by, but not dazzling to sleepy eyes.  

If you have large wardrobe storage, you may want to use directional downlighters, that switch on when you open the doors (like your fridge).

In passage areas – halls, stairs and landings where you are passing through, but not hanging around, you could opt for PIR (passive infra red) lighting which comes on when it detects movement and goes off again after you’ve disappeared.

It is challenging to get the level and mood of lighting right – you don’t want Blackpool at night, nor do you want the gloom of Robert the Bruce’s cave… and just when you thought it was all becoming clear, let me just throw the “low energy lighting” option into the melting pot.  Yes, we should use as much of this as we can – to save our conscience if not our planet, but be aware that the bulbs do take a few minutes to “warm up” to full glow and are therefore not recommended for areas where you need immediate good light, (e.g. bathrooms or passageways), or for the general lights in bedrooms.  

Not many years ago, low energy lighting was as about as attractive as a pair of lumpy brown leather sandals – lamp bulbs are still a bit over-sized – but low energy downlights are now available every bit as good-looking as their high energy counterparts.

Plaster uplights – no comment, apart from the observation that they are useful fly traps and should be reserved for hotel lobbies as undercover agents to check out the efficiency of the cleaning staff.