Get the right lighting: 6 mistakes to avoid

Get the right lighting: 6 mistakes to avoid

Interior designers are often called to give their opinion on lighting in residential environments. When trying to face a lighting dilemma, many accessories are specified in living areas, kitchens and bathrooms that waste energy and do not get light where it is most needed. These ineffective specifications are often repeated, as owners are not sure of the lighting solutions and tricks of the trade. But sometimes, knowing what not to do can help you see yourself as a professional. Below, we list 6 common lighting errors that should be avoided and how to do it correctly.

Error 1. Install recessed downlights everywhere.

This is one of the most common mistakes that lighting design professionals see. Specification versions of the can maker can be very economical, and people often assume that placing them on a regular grid is illuminated everywhere. Unfortunately, this is not so. The optics of low-cost can light often allow only a little more than half of the lamp's light output to escape. In addition, tin lights, unless they are adjustable or wall-mounted, usually do not place enough light on vertical surfaces, which is where the eye perceives light. With a variety of cans, we could waste almost half of our watts and still have a space that feels like a cave because the walls are dark.

Error 2. Forget the tasks of the lights in the kitchen.

There are many better ways to turn on the counter, and one of them is to use fluorescent (T5), xenon or LED lights under the upper cabinets. If your kitchen design lacks top cabinets on some work surfaces, don't worry. This is a situation in which the adjustable fixtures embedded in the wall or ceiling with the correct lamp make the difference. Adding several low voltage halogen devices with a narrow flood beam distribution and focusing on the task area will do the trick. Remember to choose wisely your fluorescent or LED color temperature.

Error 3. Use downlights on the dressing table without adding lights on the side.

Standing directly under a downlight, without a light on the sides of the face, creates exaggerated and unflattering shadows. In the bathroom, using a downlight over the sink is fine to accentuate the expensive polished nickel faucet you have specified, but it is insufficient for tasks such as shaving and applying makeup. For this, we need light at the sides of the mirror at eye level to minimize shadows and provide even distribution. This can be achieved with the sconces that flank the mirror.

Error 4. Use of incandescent or halogen sources without attenuation.

While we are all finding ways to modernize lighting with more efficient and longer-lasting light sources than incandescent light, it remains a viable and important part of lighting in a residence, as long as it is dimmable. By dimming, we decrease the production of energy and heat and extend the life of the lamp.

Error 5. Forgetting to incorporate ambient lighting, tasks, and accent.

Lighting designers understand that all well-designed spaces incorporate different types of light. Ambient light is general lighting for walking, conversing and identifying objects. Task lighting provides higher and more concentrated lighting for tasks such as cutting vegetables, shaving or reading. Accent light is used to highlight works of art or architectural features, such as the beautiful glass slab that you have specified in the bathroom or the ceramic collection that your client will display on the open shelves of the kitchen. The combination of the three types of light provides greater functionality, interest and the possibility of having enough lighting.

Error 6. The carelessness of controlling different types of light separately.

For maximum efficiency and flexibility, each type of light must be controlled separately, and any incandescent or halogen light, or dimmable LEDs must be dimmed. Control of multiple sources can be achieved through the old-school method of multiple light switches, but there are many more sophisticated ways of achieving control. From a simple programmable wall box system for single room control with default function.