The result of the most expensive repairs can disappoint if the inhabitants of the house did not take care of lighting design in time. Correctly selected lighting focuses on the semantic center of the room, divides it into functional zones, eliminates the design flaws.
The main components of the home are space and those elements that are there. The arrangement, the number of lighting fixtures is planned at the stage when there is already a well-thought-out plan for arranging furniture, the position of the sofa, accessories is selected, the length of the dining table is determined.
Most recently, most were quite satisfied with the presence of 2-3 light sources in the room. Now the light in the interior serves not only to ensure visibility, the lighting system implies primary and secondary sources. Given the direction and places of distribution of the light flux, the following types of lighting are distinguished:
Direct
Comes from a common source. Helps to highlight the necessary interior details, to provide illumination of the working area.
Scattered
A stream of light directed at the ceiling is reflected from it and gives soft lighting.
Indirect
The main part of the luminous flux is directed to the floor, a little on the walls and ceiling. Such a convenient method achieves intense lighting.
Modern trends in home design have destroyed the old established norms. A variety of lighting fixtures, new rules for their placement give designers the opportunity to apply:
multi-level lighting;
products embedded in the floor;
moving systems.
Daylight
All physiological, mental processes are closely related to the amount of daylight. The working productivity of adults, children's performance and even the level of sales of outlets depend on it directly.
The use of the “second light” strategy with the absence of floor coverings, combined lighting, when the light penetrates not only through vertical frames, but also through those installed on the roof or the second tier, helps to provide good natural light.
To "catch" more light from the sun, they think through everything even before the moment of construction. With an existing apartment you need to work. Use the following techniques:
enlarge windows;
Improve lighting with surfaces that reflect light, scatter it throughout the room;
in a small space they try to apply light tones of decoration and furniture;
use mirrors, polishing;
remove high vegetation in front of the house.
Building energy efficiency is greatly enhanced if natural and artificial lighting systems are properly integrated.
Artificial lighting
A room lit by 2-3 bulbs of 60 watts does not meet sanitary standards, is uncomfortable. Properly selected lighting is one of the conditions for the convenience of a modern living space.
In the light coming from above, the interior seems sharper. This effect is mitigated by light sources mounted at eye level. A room becomes more dynamic if light emanates from the floor.
With proper lighting, the interior will take on a completely different look. With its help, they hide flaws, expand the space, push the ceiling, walls. The directed light stream focuses attention on a collection of photos or pictures, a fireplace.
The choice of the type of lamp is subject to design requirements. If the source needs to be hidden, it is built into the floor or ceiling, hidden behind bars, blinds. If you need a small angle of diffusion of rays, uniform illumination of the entire space, creating a more relaxing atmosphere, instead of one chandelier, many point devices are installed.
To improve the color perception of the interior, light sources with different "color temperatures" are combined. A warm orange hue is appropriate at the dining table to create the comfort in the bedroom. The yellowish light relaxes. Neutral white is good when working in the kitchen, reading, bluish is useful only in a museum or jewelry store.
Variety of fixtures
Lighting devices need to be selected based on the characteristics of the room. A massive chandelier with many plafonds on a long suspension looks good in the living room or lobby of the hotel. If the ceiling is low, the suspension is shortened, and the plafonds are directed upwards to “raise” it.
In small and low rooms, fixtures rigidly fixed to the ceiling are welcome, with different light intensities, chandeliers only with a short suspension and preferably with matte shades. This will provide soft lighting for a small space. In a spacious room, several of these sources highlight functional areas.
Wall, floor, built-in, desktop appliances, spots, point sources often complement central lighting. Local more functional, changes the atmosphere.
Track lighting is popular not only in shops and offices, but also in interior solutions of an apartment. The track itself often has a minimalistic look, it is used by designers in fashionable loft, high-tech, rustic interiors. Track led lamps are economical, safe, durable.
An innovative type of backlight created using special profiles on a stretch ceiling, light lines are used not only for backlighting, zoning. It helps to adjust the premises of an unsuccessful shape.
Which lamps and fixtures are better to use
When decorating a modern interior, the following can be used:
Incandescent lamps. They are favorable for the eyes, but only a tenth of their energy is converted into light, and the rest is thermal energy that heats the room.
Fluorescent lamps. The atmosphere is not heated, but humming, and not everyone likes their bluish-white rays. More modern models lack the mentioned drawbacks.
Halogen, metal halide devices emit directional rays, why they are more suitable where it is necessary to highlight a niche, column or picture.
LEDs In their spectrum there are no harmful radiation, they do not heat the surrounding space, they are durable. But the luminous efficiency is such that they are not used independently. Applicable as a night light or decorative lighting.
Light cords, akin to LEDs, “duralight”. Suitable for decoration of individual interior elements, streets.
lighting effects away from the main source.
The effect of light on shades of color
The color perception of various objects in one room varies, which depends on a combination of different sources with different temperatures.
It is important to maintain harmony, otherwise the “color disco” will begin to irritate your eyesight, and the taste of the owner will be called into question.
Bright red soften with orange light.
Intense orange becomes pastel when lit with a yellowish light.
Yellow will turn to faded gray if the room is spilled with bluish tones.
A pleasant lime is obtained from green, directing orange light at it, and with the help of bright blue they give a shade of the summer sea.
Blue will remain unchanged if neutral white shines on it.
A yellowish light helps to perceive the purple interior as red.
Warm shades of light contribute to morning awakening, soothe in the evening. Neutral white lighting mobilizes, activates.
We fix the main mistakes with the help of light
When planning lighting, it is important to choose the right fixtures and the place where to place them. It’s bad when the room is dim and even though there isn’t much light, it’s also not very pleasant to feel like on stage under technical lighting.
In living rooms, in order to get rid of dark corners and create zones, multilevel sources are combined, lighting is combined. In a cramped bathtub, only one source will add unnecessary shadows.
Too bright lighting, from which they quickly get tired, smooth out using dimmers and lampshades.
Having dinner in a blinding light is uncomfortable. And to read in the living room or shave in the bathroom, the overhead lighting can be made more powerful.
Built-in lighting is unproductive, it is more appropriate in narrow rooms, a dressing room. Using many of these sources will make the ceiling look like Swiss cheese.
When organizing the interior, it is important to choose the light sources corresponding to the style decision. For banal illumination, the “Illich lamp” is enough, but in order to become a full-fledged piece of furniture, a lighting fixture must express an original design idea.
During operation, the light source is installed on the left, while reading - on the back, the light from the lamp should not be directed into the eyes. It is bad if the light from several lamps creates multiple shadows on a sheet of paper.
How to adjust the space using light:
expands its maximum illumination and good reflective properties of the finish;
direct light fixtures are designed for large rooms;
volume is adjusted by the brightness of the light;
diffused and reflected light expands the space;
light rays from the ceiling to the walls visually make the ceiling lower;
the ceiling brightly lit from the walls will appear higher;
light sources along one of the walls of the corridor expand it; if they go in the middle of the ceiling, they narrow it;
longitudinal lighting lengthens the space;
to visually push the corridor, you need to lighten the wall at its end as much as possible.
Rules for the location of sockets and switches
The optimal location of the switches is at a distance of 80-90 cm from the floor and 10 cm from the door, on the side where the handle is located. If the lighting is planned flexibly, the switch and dimmer will not be “responsible for all”. Additional lighting is regulated by switches, in accordance with the design.
The number of outlets is consistent with the number of electrical appliances. The height of their location does not matter, the main thing is that the number corresponds to the number of lighting devices. It is better if in each room one or two "extra" are provided.
There are not many of them in the corridor, the height of the location is according to the “European standard”, 15 cm from the floor, it’s more convenient to connect a shoe dryer. In the bathroom use special sockets that have moisture protection.The socket near the TV in the living room is "hidden" behind the screen. The kitchen can withstand 60 cm to the stove and sink. A large number of outlets is desirable here, the list of household appliances consuming electricity is growing. In children's openings for plugs protect with special valves.
Placement of lamps by room type
Natural lighting is often not complete due to poor layout, small window openings, unfavorable floor layout. Assistant comes in central, local or decorative artificial lighting.
There is a central one in any room, but this is by no means the only bulb hanging in the center of the room. Above their heads should be correctly placed a chandelier, turned lamps. A separate group will be made up of floor lamps in harmony with the ensemble of sconces, suitable table lamps. Any type of room will become complete if decorative lighting highlights the most advantageous details: an aquarium, a niche with a sculpture, a textured floor vase.
The use of back, bottom, middle illumination, directional light devices will allow to introduce a lot of light patterns into the interior. Lamps on the tires can be moved, change with their help the direction of the light flux.
Bedroom
This will require a more subdued light source. They put a floor lamp next to the ottoman, a sconce by the dressing table, a reading lamp for sleep, and a lamp at the head of the bed. The style and configuration of all objects of lighting resonate with the central.
It is better that the light at the dressing table does not give shadows, glare, optimally approaches the natural. It is useful to provide for the regulation of the brightness of the room.
Living room
A large room will be decorated with a pendant chandelier with a large number of shades. Here you can experiment with light: highlight curtains, a deep window sill, fountains, elegant furniture.
The middle tier in the room can be grouped on one switch.If there is a dining table in the living room, it is required to light it completely. The recreation area is equipped with a wall lamp or a cozy floor lamp.
Hallway
Twilight is not recommended for this room; it is illuminated with a central lamp. The compact corridor becomes wider when using mirrors with lamps around the perimeter.
The evening script implies a low light, and in the far dead end - a highlighted wall niche.
Cabinet
Local light prevails here. It is also not worth giving up the general light, it will come in handy while working at the computer, so your eyes get tired less.
The home office is often the place of informal meetings. Near a table, sofas and armchairs, a sconce or floor lamp with diffused yellowish light looks good, which makes conversation easy. To stimulate active activity, halogen, fluorescent lamps are optimal.
The less formal than the office environment allows the use of not strict lamps made of glass and metal, but more comfortable wooden ones with lampshades made of textiles.
Kitchen
Lighting in the kitchen is predominantly functional. The working surfaces are solidly illuminated with halogen or fluorescent lamps. If there is no built-in backlight, they use convenient lamp-pegs. They think over the technology of placing LED strip lights or integrate special rods into the eaves of the upper wall-mounted lockers on which the directional lamps are mounted.
The stove is illuminated by light sources located on the hood. On the stove, on other work surfaces, light sources are protected by shades with a smooth surface, which are easier to clean. Local light is not always required, so separate switches are made for it.
Bathroom and toilet
A well-lit bright room, with direct overhead lighting and a second by the mirror, sets up a festive mood, becomes spacious.It’s better to choose semi-hermetic shades and sconces, and not to install them directly above the bathroom;
For particularly demanding, there is a backlight mounted in the design of the bath. The dimensions of lighting devices located in a bathroom or toilet room are determined by its area.
In the toilet, where the ceilings are quite low, the best option is wall lighting. The main thing is that it can not be touched at the entrance and exit.
An infrequently encountered type of illumination and low lighting are convenient for a combined bathroom. It looks decorative, comfortable at night, when you don’t feel like waking yourself in the toilet with a bright light.
Children
The main rule when installing lighting devices in a children's room is that they should be safe, located at a sufficient distance from curious children's hands, breaking glass parts should be avoided.
Here you need more natural light, artificial sources should not be sharp and bright. They try to fill the entire space with light evenly. The most applicable in children's lighting is spotlight, chandeliers with crystal pendants are inappropriate here, they “attract” balls and washers.
The role of working lighting will be played by a convenient table lamp with the ability to adjust the height and direction. The gaming area becomes the most brightly lit area. A small beautiful nightlight helps to go to bed, and it is more convenient for parents to navigate with it when dimming.
Conclusion
The feeling of the whole room can change, if only the usual incandescent lamp is replaced with a halogen or LED. Metamorphoses from the complete replacement of all chandeliers and sconces are unpredictable. When there is no money for a complete transformation of the interior, you can have fun by choosing several lighting fixtures from the catalog.
Proper lighting of the home is important not only for maintaining healthy eyes, it contributes to better relaxation,and morning coffee with a beautiful lamp will seem much tastier and will give you a setting for a good day.
The result of the most expensive repairs can disappoint if the inhabitants of the house did not take care of lighting design in time. Correctly selected lighting focuses on the semantic center of the room, divides it into functional zones, eliminates the design flaws.
The main components of the home are space and those elements that are there. The arrangement, the number of lighting fixtures is planned at the stage when there is already a well-thought-out plan for arranging furniture, the position of the sofa, accessories is selected, the length of the dining table is determined.
Content
Types of lighting in the interior
Most recently, most were quite satisfied with the presence of 2-3 light sources in the room. Now the light in the interior serves not only to ensure visibility, the lighting system implies primary and secondary sources. Given the direction and places of distribution of the light flux, the following types of lighting are distinguished:
Modern trends in home design have destroyed the old established norms. A variety of lighting fixtures, new rules for their placement give designers the opportunity to apply:
Daylight
All physiological, mental processes are closely related to the amount of daylight. The working productivity of adults, children's performance and even the level of sales of outlets depend on it directly.
The use of the “second light” strategy with the absence of floor coverings, combined lighting, when the light penetrates not only through vertical frames, but also through those installed on the roof or the second tier, helps to provide good natural light.
To "catch" more light from the sun, they think through everything even before the moment of construction. With an existing apartment you need to work. Use the following techniques:
Artificial lighting
A room lit by 2-3 bulbs of 60 watts does not meet sanitary standards, is uncomfortable. Properly selected lighting is one of the conditions for the convenience of a modern living space.
In the light coming from above, the interior seems sharper. This effect is mitigated by light sources mounted at eye level. A room becomes more dynamic if light emanates from the floor.
The choice of the type of lamp is subject to design requirements. If the source needs to be hidden, it is built into the floor or ceiling, hidden behind bars, blinds. If you need a small angle of diffusion of rays, uniform illumination of the entire space, creating a more relaxing atmosphere, instead of one chandelier, many point devices are installed.
To improve the color perception of the interior, light sources with different "color temperatures" are combined. A warm orange hue is appropriate at the dining table to create the comfort in the bedroom. The yellowish light relaxes. Neutral white is good when working in the kitchen, reading, bluish is useful only in a museum or jewelry store.
Variety of fixtures
Lighting devices need to be selected based on the characteristics of the room. A massive chandelier with many plafonds on a long suspension looks good in the living room or lobby of the hotel. If the ceiling is low, the suspension is shortened, and the plafonds are directed upwards to “raise” it.
In small and low rooms, fixtures rigidly fixed to the ceiling are welcome, with different light intensities, chandeliers only with a short suspension and preferably with matte shades. This will provide soft lighting for a small space. In a spacious room, several of these sources highlight functional areas.
Wall, floor, built-in, desktop appliances, spots, point sources often complement central lighting. Local more functional, changes the atmosphere.
Track lighting is popular not only in shops and offices, but also in interior solutions of an apartment. The track itself often has a minimalistic look, it is used by designers in fashionable loft, high-tech, rustic interiors. Track led lamps are economical, safe, durable.
An innovative type of backlight created using special profiles on a stretch ceiling, light lines are used not only for backlighting, zoning. It helps to adjust the premises of an unsuccessful shape.
Which lamps and fixtures are better to use
When decorating a modern interior, the following can be used:
The effect of light on shades of color
The color perception of various objects in one room varies, which depends on a combination of different sources with different temperatures.
It is important to maintain harmony, otherwise the “color disco” will begin to irritate your eyesight, and the taste of the owner will be called into question.
Warm shades of light contribute to morning awakening, soothe in the evening. Neutral white lighting mobilizes, activates.
We fix the main mistakes with the help of light
When planning lighting, it is important to choose the right fixtures and the place where to place them. It’s bad when the room is dim and even though there isn’t much light, it’s also not very pleasant to feel like on stage under technical lighting.
How to adjust the space using light:
Rules for the location of sockets and switches
The optimal location of the switches is at a distance of 80-90 cm from the floor and 10 cm from the door, on the side where the handle is located. If the lighting is planned flexibly, the switch and dimmer will not be “responsible for all”. Additional lighting is regulated by switches, in accordance with the design.
The number of outlets is consistent with the number of electrical appliances. The height of their location does not matter, the main thing is that the number corresponds to the number of lighting devices. It is better if in each room one or two "extra" are provided.
There are not many of them in the corridor, the height of the location is according to the “European standard”, 15 cm from the floor, it’s more convenient to connect a shoe dryer. In the bathroom use special sockets that have moisture protection.The socket near the TV in the living room is "hidden" behind the screen. The kitchen can withstand 60 cm to the stove and sink. A large number of outlets is desirable here, the list of household appliances consuming electricity is growing. In children's openings for plugs protect with special valves.
Placement of lamps by room type
Natural lighting is often not complete due to poor layout, small window openings, unfavorable floor layout. Assistant comes in central, local or decorative artificial lighting.
There is a central one in any room, but this is by no means the only bulb hanging in the center of the room. Above their heads should be correctly placed a chandelier, turned lamps. A separate group will be made up of floor lamps in harmony with the ensemble of sconces, suitable table lamps. Any type of room will become complete if decorative lighting highlights the most advantageous details: an aquarium, a niche with a sculpture, a textured floor vase.
The use of back, bottom, middle illumination, directional light devices will allow to introduce a lot of light patterns into the interior. Lamps on the tires can be moved, change with their help the direction of the light flux.
Bedroom
This will require a more subdued light source. They put a floor lamp next to the ottoman, a sconce by the dressing table, a reading lamp for sleep, and a lamp at the head of the bed. The style and configuration of all objects of lighting resonate with the central.
It is better that the light at the dressing table does not give shadows, glare, optimally approaches the natural. It is useful to provide for the regulation of the brightness of the room.
Living room
A large room will be decorated with a pendant chandelier with a large number of shades. Here you can experiment with light: highlight curtains, a deep window sill, fountains, elegant furniture.
The middle tier in the room can be grouped on one switch.If there is a dining table in the living room, it is required to light it completely. The recreation area is equipped with a wall lamp or a cozy floor lamp.
Hallway
Twilight is not recommended for this room; it is illuminated with a central lamp. The compact corridor becomes wider when using mirrors with lamps around the perimeter.
The evening script implies a low light, and in the far dead end - a highlighted wall niche.
Cabinet
Local light prevails here. It is also not worth giving up the general light, it will come in handy while working at the computer, so your eyes get tired less.
The home office is often the place of informal meetings. Near a table, sofas and armchairs, a sconce or floor lamp with diffused yellowish light looks good, which makes conversation easy. To stimulate active activity, halogen, fluorescent lamps are optimal.
The less formal than the office environment allows the use of not strict lamps made of glass and metal, but more comfortable wooden ones with lampshades made of textiles.
Kitchen
Lighting in the kitchen is predominantly functional. The working surfaces are solidly illuminated with halogen or fluorescent lamps. If there is no built-in backlight, they use convenient lamp-pegs. They think over the technology of placing LED strip lights or integrate special rods into the eaves of the upper wall-mounted lockers on which the directional lamps are mounted.
The stove is illuminated by light sources located on the hood. On the stove, on other work surfaces, light sources are protected by shades with a smooth surface, which are easier to clean. Local light is not always required, so separate switches are made for it.
Bathroom and toilet
A well-lit bright room, with direct overhead lighting and a second by the mirror, sets up a festive mood, becomes spacious.It’s better to choose semi-hermetic shades and sconces, and not to install them directly above the bathroom;
For particularly demanding, there is a backlight mounted in the design of the bath. The dimensions of lighting devices located in a bathroom or toilet room are determined by its area.
In the toilet, where the ceilings are quite low, the best option is wall lighting. The main thing is that it can not be touched at the entrance and exit.
An infrequently encountered type of illumination and low lighting are convenient for a combined bathroom. It looks decorative, comfortable at night, when you don’t feel like waking yourself in the toilet with a bright light.
Children
The main rule when installing lighting devices in a children's room is that they should be safe, located at a sufficient distance from curious children's hands, breaking glass parts should be avoided.
Here you need more natural light, artificial sources should not be sharp and bright. They try to fill the entire space with light evenly. The most applicable in children's lighting is spotlight, chandeliers with crystal pendants are inappropriate here, they “attract” balls and washers.
The role of working lighting will be played by a convenient table lamp with the ability to adjust the height and direction. The gaming area becomes the most brightly lit area. A small beautiful nightlight helps to go to bed, and it is more convenient for parents to navigate with it when dimming.
Conclusion
The feeling of the whole room can change, if only the usual incandescent lamp is replaced with a halogen or LED. Metamorphoses from the complete replacement of all chandeliers and sconces are unpredictable. When there is no money for a complete transformation of the interior, you can have fun by choosing several lighting fixtures from the catalog.
Proper lighting of the home is important not only for maintaining healthy eyes, it contributes to better relaxation,and morning coffee with a beautiful lamp will seem much tastier and will give you a setting for a good day.