Glenn Cunningham Quote
There is a very technical side that dominates the realm of lighting design. At a minimum, years of study will train designers how to incorporate architectural construction and interior design elements, with the technology and electrical engineering aspects of installing lighting into a space. They will have studied human anatomy and perception of light, and how we interact with lighting and environments, and the way the variations make us feel.
However, knowing all of these elements isn’t the same as applying them to a physical space, and that is truly what differentiates lighting design and great lighting design – treating it as an art form… the art of illumination.
The way each designer creates a space with lighting is dramatically different. It’s like their own personal stamp – their interpretation of their art and their application of their craft. It’s studying the techniques of Michelangelo and Da Vinci and Monet, but creating something completely different, current, and relatable to their study of the art and their collection of experiences.
Great designers also bring an industry awareness of new technology that comes with lighting design and home automation. What lighting and electrical system to use? What products or brands to use? And often nowadays, what technologies are we going to use for lighting design practicality?
Lighting designers also have to evaluate the use of the space they are working in and ask general questions like how much natural light will the space have, and how much electric light will it need? What human activity is the light in that space going to provide, and what’s the amount of light required in that space?
When evaluating a space, they are also scientific in their craft. They will apply their knowledge of the physics of light production, color, and distribution, the physiology and psychology of light perception by humans, the anatomy of the human eye, and its response of the rods and cones to light.
But their artistry comes in when they achieve the human response to this light that they aim for. Pleasant environments that elevate mood? Productive environments that are functional and beautiful?
When you have a home that is designed by professional lighting design artists, you are living in a daily art installation. Maybe not something you’d see at MoMA but still, it is an artist’s interpretation of a space and its purpose, revolved around your taste and needs. It’s a commissioned piece of art that not only will provide endless functional use for you, but it is something beautiful to appreciate. Lifelong advice from any home design industry expert? Keep lighting design a forefront design element in the spaces you spend time in.