Creating a lighting plan - Let there be light

Most people do not realise the impact of well-planned lighting in a given space. Putting a light fixture on every wall of every room will only create, simply put, a lit room. Yes, there is no substitute for natural light but when the sun goes down, we all need a little help from some man-made lighting devices.

There are four key aspects to remember while creating a lighting plan: Place the right ‘type of light', with the ‘right intensity' and ‘colour', in the ‘right location'. The overall look, mood and feel of the room depend on the kinds of light you use and their positioning. Different techniques and types of fixtures can change the feel of the space. Here's a look at different aspects of lighting and a few simple solutions to help you create the right setting.

Intensity

While some spaces need bright clear light, it could prove harmful for others. Did you know that indirect and low-level lighting protects the vulnerable eyes of premature children from blindness in the paediatric ward of hospitals? Designers keep lux levels down to between 30 and 50 per cent in such areas. While we need around 350 to 400 lux (lx) for long working hours and 250 lx for regular use, mood lighting in low isolated spots would be around 100 lx while that in highlighted areas would be around 250 lx.

Types of lighting

Lighting is classified by its intended use as general, localised or task lighting, depending largely on the distribution of the light emitted by the fixture.

TASK LIGHTING is mainly functional. Usually the most concentrated, this type of lighting is used for purposes such as reading.

ACCENT LIGHTING is mainly decorative, and intended to highlight pictures, plants or other elements of interior design or landscaping.

GENERAL LIGHTING bridges the gap between task and accent lighting and is intended for general illumination of an area. Indoors, this would be a basic lamp on a table or floor or ceiling fixture.

ANGLE OF LIGHTING is just as important as its quality. It changes the total character of the object under display just like placing a torch under the chin changes a pleasing face into a scary one.

DOWNLIGHTING is a common method of lighting with fixtures on the ceiling, casting light downwards. It tends to be the most efficient. The 1 watt/square foot rule works best with this type of lighting. With a good reflector, this type of lighting makes for maximum efficiency.

UPLIGHTING is less efficient than direct lighting. However, it is common in offices where contrasting dark and bright spaces are undesirable. It is often achieved by bouncing light off a ceiling. It can also be effectively used for dramatic effect with indoor and outdoor plants or across textured surfaces of brick or stone.

FRONT LIGHTING is used to highlight artwork on the walls or artefacts. Tracks on the ceiling or spotlights help in achieving this lighting. This type of lighting tends to make the subject look flat as its casts almost no shadow.

SIDE LIGHTING is less popular. It tends to give off glare at eye-level, but does wonders at increasing the visual depth of a 3D object.

BACKLIGHTING either around or through an object is mainly for accent.

Types of fitting

Let us have a quick look at the types of light fittings and how best they can be placed to get the best results.

Wall fittings or wall pendant lights and ceiling lights or chandeliers are available in every shape and size with all types of fixtures. These are best used for ambient lighting and in large halls.

Electronic dimmers for wall and ceiling lights set the right intensity but they are expensive, prone to frequent breakdowns and induce a low frequency humming sounds in the fixtures.

Table top and floor lamps are still the most versatile fittings to create mood lighting in a room. An articulated lighting system around foliage can bring your mundane plants into focus. Be it small indoor shrubs, creepers or outdoor trees... light can help highlight shades of green that you wouldn't notice in daylight and accentuate the textures of wood.

Light, naturally!

Daylighting can be defined as the act of illuminating rooms naturally (i.e. anytime you are able to light a room with a window or a skylight instead of flipping on a light switch, you are daylighting). It's that simple! Though the concept of daylighting is as old as the window, recent advances in lighting research, window and glazing technology have opened up new horizons for daylighting.

To make the most of the natural light available in your home, you need to know how to use it.

Enlarge windows by dropping sills and removing a section of the wall below. This won't affect walls structurally. Add a window on a flanking wall.

Change a non load-bearing wall or stud a partition into a glass-brick wall.

Small skylights can be very helpful in bringing natural light into a dark room. But be careful, during the summer, when you don't want heat and have the sun directly overhead, they let in an abundance of heat. In the winter, when the sun is at a low angle, you get the least amount of available sun.

As an alternative to skylights, one can also construct clerestory windows (part of an interior wall rising above the adjacent roof with windows admitting light) or roof monitors.

Today, there is a variety of high-performance glazing which makes it possible to use more glass while minimising heat loss, heat gain and glare. If you're building a house, remodelling or replacing windows, you can choose from a wide range of options, selecting glazing best suited to a particular window.

If you work from home, you'll need good task lighting as well as natural light. Avoid putting your desk near the window, as the light will be too intense — about 1 m away is the ideal distance.

If you want to get more natural light into areas that are away from windows, clerestories, atria or skylights, there are a few of these daylighting techniques can help:

Try to bounce natural light off the ceiling. A window located close to the ceiling works well. Louvres or operable blinds can direct light, too.

Hang mirrors, particularly opposite windows. Take down unnecessary window dressings and replace with filmy materials, such as voile and muslin, to diffuse light. Block out harsh sunlight with perforated roller blinds. Turn an inner door into a glazed panel, or replace it with stained or clear glass.

Trim trees or bushes that overshadow windows. Use light-reflective surfaces, and pale carpets and furnishings.

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