Jen's Den
Let There Be Light!
Light. We all crave it - as much as we want fantastic natural light in every room, the reality is most of us can't have it. So, how do we optimize our lighting needs?
Lighting is thought of in three categories:
General - the light necessary to get from A to B without tripping
Task - the light you need to improve visibility in a workspace
Ambient - the softer light that invites you to stay awhile or that spills over from another room or a window.
It's important to consider your lighting needs for each space based on its function and layout. In a Kitchen the most commonly desired light source is halogen pot lights. They create a pure and bright light, but require more than one or two to properly illuminate an area and can get expensive in high quantities. Usually, pot lights serve as General lighting in the Kitchen, under cabinet lights for Task lighting and decorative pendants over an island to serve as Ambient lighting. The end result is a balanced scenario without shadows in this multifunction room for today's lifestyle. Dimmer switches and grouping circuits lets you control the quantity and brightness which creates a more intimate atmosphere when entertaining.
Designing open concept living space continues to be popular. The Kitchen's layered lighting now needs to spill over to the surrounding areas so it feels unified. Placing table lamps for Task or Ambient light in Family and Living Rooms and using that traditional central light fixture for General light works well. Some strategically placed pot lights featuring window treatments or artwork will draw the adjoining spaces together.
Residential LED lighting will become mainstream and more cost effective as the technology advances, so the future of more energy efficient light is just around the corner. In the meantime, layered lighting allows us to use only what we need when we need it. Conscientious use of existing fixtures will help keep energy cost down until we catch up with our future.
Copyright © Pioneer Craftsmen Ltd. 2010.