thisplace.com.au - Plan for effective lighting

Whether you are renovating or building a new home the best lighting results will be reached by starting with a plan of what you really want. A lighting specialist will be able to assist you or you can ask your architect or building consultant to devise you one.

sketch a simple drawing showing room or area sizes and ceiling heights or simply make a list of the varying sizes
this will make it easier to determine the amount and type of lighting required for the various areas
state what you would like - what kind of effect you are trying for

Remember that getting access may be harder and will cost you more after the walls and ceilings have been installed, so planning in advance to place more cable than you may require now could save future expense.

for instance, you may want to have ceiling fans installed at a later date, therefore making allowances for cable connections to be in place will save time and installation costs later
for bedrooms it is also a good idea to have the control switch for the fan accessible from the bed, this will enable you to turn the fan off with minimal disruption

Usually a ceiling fan will be installed in a central position, therefore the placement of lights in relation to the fan is an important consideration

having a light source above the blade span of the fan will create an undesirable strobing effect on the ceiling when the fan is in operation
having a light fitted to the fan ( the light goes under the blades ) will allow a central light and is particularly useful for bedrooms.

The amount of lighting necessary will depend on the required use of the room or area

areas such as kitchens usually require a general light such as a circular or linear fluorescent in addition to more directional or focused lights for benches or food preparation areas
the kitchen light is likely to be turned on most often and for the longest period of time

Plan your lighting right and you can create atmosphere, mood changes as well as define tasks.

When choosing a light remember a few basic shopping ideas

do not get pressured by sales people
do not buy anything you do not like - even if it is a good buy
think about what purpose the room where the light is going to be is going to be used for
using a fluorescent is both practical in terms of the light output and gives the benefit of lower electricity operating costs

Modern Kitchens - modern designs in kitchens now have lighting in rangehoods over the stove, and for pantry shelves as you open the doors - all you need to add are lights for tasks such as over the benches.

Bathrooms - the bathroom is a very important task area with lighting on the face and not on the mirror - that suggests lights either side of the mirror and above.

Lounge Room - this is the most lived in room in the house - for this area you will need flexibility, lots of light for a party, soft for coffee and tea with friends. Placement and types of light are important, with floor lamps and table lamps, switching controls to include dimmers, lighting over a table for dining and wall lights for atmosphere.

Bedroom - for bedrooms ask yourself - do you or your partner read in bed? - if so you will need some suitable lighting You will not need a lot of light to go to bed but you will want to be able to switch on as you come in and switch off next to the bed when you are ready to go to sleep - you may want lights for walk-in wardrobes.