The key to success with any lighting scheme is to ensure that its meets two criteria; it must give light where it is needed;and the effect it create should enhance the room’s appearance by creating a balanced mixture of light and shadow.The type of light fittings chosen has a major part to play, and so does the positioning of the fittings .The illustration shows how the type and positioning of ceiling can create different lighting effects on room walls.
The first basic guideline to observe is to ensure that naked lamps or tubes cannot be seen,by the judicious choice of shades and diffusers.The second is always to provide an acceptable level of background lighting throughout the room,even when additional local lighting is employed,to avoid creating pools of hard,dark shadow. The third is to use lighting to highlight individual features of the room-an attractive alcove,for example ,lit by a spot light,or a run of curtains(drapes)illuminated by perimeter lighting.
In addition,many rooms in the house will probably need local task lighting,for reading,writing,sewing or other work.The kitchen in particular has its own special lighting requirements.Some task lighting requirements can be satisfied by the use of portable plug- in lamps while others may need more permanent arrangements.
Living rooms are among the most difficult areas to light successfully,because of the many different use to which the room is put.The aim should be to provide background lighting that can be bright or dim according to the mood of the moment,and then to add separately controllable feature lighting to highlight the room’s focal points,and local task lighting where required.
The accent is on flexibility.Choosing fittings in keeping with the style of the room will help to ensure that its lighting looks good by the day or by the night.
Dining rooms have slightly different needs.The main requirement is a table that is well lit without glare,which you can satisfy with a rise-and-fall fitting or carefully targeted downlighters.The background light should be subdued,preferably under dimmer control-note that fluorescent lights cannot be easily dimmed.Additional lighting from wall lights or wallwashers can be used to illuminate the serving and carving area,and uplighters for dramatic effect.