Let There Be Light

Lighting: every room needs it, but how much thought do we actually give it? Clare Hunt flicks the switch on the best ways to achieve function and ambience

Clare Hunt
21 October 2016

The last time you decorated, how much time did you spend choosing colour schemes? Fabrics? Furnishings? Probably quite a lot. How much time did you spend planning lighting? Like most of us, probably a lot less. When lighting is good it’s pretty much invisible; when it’s bad it can have real impact on our use and enjoyment of a room and even on our mood.

There’s certainly an art – and something of a science – to effective, sympathetic lighting. But it’s not rocket science. Consider some basic questions when you’re thinking about how to light a room, and half the battle is won. First: how much natural light is there already and how bright do you want the room to be? Second: what is the primary function of the room? This will inform your choice of ambient, background lighting (bright for the kitchen, relaxing for the living room, muted for the bedroom). Third: what will you actually be doing in the room? This tells you what kinds of ‘task’ lighting you may need (for reading, cooking, entertaining, watching TV, doing homework, crafting). Fourth: are there any features in the room you’d like to accent, such as items of furniture, architectural attributes, pieces of art? Fifth: do you want lighting that’s decorative as well as functional? “Choose something that works with your décor but is not too stylised, as designs can date,” says Mario Joakim from Mushroom Designs in Totnes. “Opt for a style that gives balanced and ambient light – glass is great for this and is also a beautiful, timeless material.”

Stephanie Allen, Sales and Marketing Manager at Dusk Lighting in Exeter, feels there are a number of common lighting pitfalls into which people fall: installing recessed downlights everywhere; using incandescent or halogen lamps without dimming; neglecting to control different types of light separately.

Lighting is about function, yes, but it’s also crucially about mood and atmosphere. Combining different light sources at different levels will bring texture and glow to a room. Avoid one single, glaring, unsympathetic overhead light and consider the wattage of your bulbs – too bright is painful, too dull equally so. As Stephanie says: “A chandelier or big statement piece can be the focal point of your living room, but you wouldn’t place a fitting like this in your kitchen, as kitchen lighting needs to be functional, especially above a breakfast bar or dining table. Spotlights embedded in the ceiling allow you to direct the light in key areas. Task lighting is the most important type in the bathroom.”

A minefield? Maybe so. But read on for some tips on making the most of each room.

"There’s certainly an art – and something of a science – to effective, sympathetic lighting"

Living Room

Living rooms are multi-taskers – everyone in them may be relaxing, but not in the same way – so consider task lights that allow for reading, watching TV, gaming and entertaining. Spread lights around at different levels (floor, table, wall) to avoid dark spots and make the room warm, inviting and versatile. Multiple light sources allow you to easily change the mood to suit what’s going on. For ceiling and table lights that inject an element of contemporary design, check out the handcrafted wooden Pinikin pendant or colourful Lendy table light from Samuel Wood Furniture in Bideford.

Kitchen

Modern living has made the kitchen the hub of the home, with the most varied requirements of any room. Whether it’s clean and bright with minimal shadows for cooking, or intimate and cosy for dining, flexibility is key. Pendant lights over dining tables – from glamorous to sleek or industrial – can complement design schemes and décor, while linear LEDs or spots under cabinets work well to supplement natural light on worktops. The Atom pendants and chandeliers from Totnes-based Mushroom Designs are stylish, contemporary and quirky-in-a-really-good-way.

Bathroom

Eye bags, double chins and other gravitationally challenged areas are cruelly exposed by the shadows of harsh overhead light, and skin tones are rarely at their best under fluorescent bulbs. So think hard about the mood you want in the bathroom (bright and clinical, or warm and atmospheric?) and which features need focus (bath, shower, sink). Side- rather than top-lighting on mirrors is best for applying make-up or shaving, and consider gentle night-lighting for out-of-hours visits to the loo. Old-school candlelight is always a warm, flattering winner in the bathroom. Indulge in some luxury with beautifully decorative, hand-made candles featuring raised-relief designs from Parable in Exeter.

Bedroom

Nowhere in the house are dimmers more vital than in the bedroom. The bright glare of an overhead light does nothing for sleepy relaxation or gentle waking up. Reading lamps allow pools of illumination to be controlled and focused, while numerous light sources on separate switches give flexibility to control mood and ambience. Check out the range from Dutch brand Light & Living, stocked by Dusk Lighting.