When it comes to building a new home, lighting design can easily become an afterthought. Building a home already entails so much decision making from brand of cabinets to paint colors. Where does lighting design fit in and why does it matter? The effects of good lighting are unobtrusive, but make a lasting impact on not only visibility but the warmth and style of a home.
Whether or not you are working with a lighting designer, consider these 5 subtle effects for greater impact in your new home:
1. Double Chandeliers
Double chandeliers in the dining room are a popular trend that make a significant impact. During the architectural design phase this lighting effect is created by adding two evenly placed reinforced j-boxes in the ceiling of the dining room. Upon completion of your new home, you will want to find two identical chandeliers that are appropriately sized so they don’t overpower the space. High ceilings with larger tables can benefit from larger chandeliers, while more compact rooms will want to utilize smaller or visually lighter chandeliers.
2. Grazing Lights
Grazing lights are recessed, ceiling mounted lighting that cast light straight down over a surface, such as a textured wall, to highlight the texture or create visual interest. These cost-effective lights can be selected in different sizes which then determines the size of the beam cast on the surface. If you are planning to use a textured wall surface, grazing lights will highlight that wall.
3. Art Lights
Art lights, when properly positioned, will make your room (and art!) come to life. The most important aspect of art lighting is properly positioning the light in the ceiling to highlight the art properly. The distance from the wall that the light needs to be installed will vary depending on the size of your art, the height of the ceiling and the angle of the light from the art light itself. By taking time to understand the products specified for the job your lighting designer can ensure your art lights are properly placed.
4. Dimmers
While it seems simple, dimmers are a wonderful option for energy efficiency and setting the mood of a room. They can completely change the feeling of a room with just a swipe. Additionally, there are limitless options for dimmers and with new smart dimmers available, it is an affordable use of home automation. Dimmers can be very specific with regards to the type of electrical load being placed on them. Some dimmers are made specifically for LED’s, while others are for incandescent lights. Some lights can’t be dimmed, so be sure that your dimmer is compatible with the light you are trying to dim to prevent issues such as flickering, uneven dimming, shimmering and even fires.
5. Layered Lighting
Layering involves combining ambient, accent and task lighting to create a balanced, visually comfortable space. Here at Aterra Designs, we love layering to create dynamic, useful spaces. One of the most logical rooms to apply layered lighting to is the kitchen because of its frequent use. In a kitchen, an ambient layer would come from recessed can lights. The diffused light from the cans evenly lights the space for increased visibility. Accent lighting can come from art lights used to highlight cabinetry or pendants hanging over the island. Task lighting can be created with under cabinet lighting. LED Puck lights from Nora provide ample task lighting, are energy efficient and have no forward heat. Another way to provide task lighting is with recessed pin-hole lights above a work space. Pin-hole lights are small recessed lights in the ceiling that provide a concentrated beam of light on a surface, perfect for over the kitchen island to make meal prep a breeze.