Lighting is integral to interior design, a fundamental component of and contributor to the whole. Further, it’s magical, in that you can flip a switch and instantaneously make a room come alive in any manner of ways, and change it just as easily. Its immediacy, versatility, and coverage make it a powerful design element.
Interior lighting, however, is anything but simple to get right. Why is that? Well, consider the following:
Because lighting can be used in so many different ways.
There is a profusion of choice — LED versus incandescent, all the various fixtures, interior versus landscape applications — for generating and displaying light.
Multiply all your lighting needs by number of rooms, and you may end up with a long list of variable lighting requirements.
Finally, the technology is continuously evolving.
Types of Interior Lighting
If you haven’t been exposed to the framework below, it’s a game changer. Consign it to memory and you’ll walk into spaces and know, in a moment’s time, exactly how to assess the lighting you encounter.
All lighting can be categorized into seven types. The first two are natural and artificial. And then under these, there are five types: general, ambient, mood, task, and accent. The categories are not mutually exclusive, meaning some lighting can cross categories. I’ll define each in turn.
Natural light
This is sunlight. While there is one source, natural light is apt to change by the minute — consider clouds, time of day, season, geographic location, which compass direction a room has — and be difficult to control.
Artificial light
This is everything else, from candles to floodlights.
General lighting
This is the base foundation of illumination in an entire room. Its purpose is functional and to establish an even level of lighting in a space. A naked ceiling lightbulb is a low-end example. More pleasing to imagine is a grand chandelier. A dimmer is required to adjust for changing natural light.
Ambient light
This layer of lighting is also functional and used to light an entire space. It is often indirect, however, and used to create a particular mood. Again, dimmers are mandatory. A wall sconce is a perfect example, also coffered ceiling border illumination.
Task lighting
This lighting is added to allow a job or undertaking to get done. Reading lights, under cabinet kitchen lights, fill this need. To be most effective, this lighting should be directed and strong. Concurrent general or ambient lighting softens the contrast between light and dark.
Mood lighting
This layer shapes mood and supports the design style of a room. Small pools of light take the eye to different focal points — a corner table, a sitting area, a bar. Table lamps of all shapes and sizes and floors lamps are favorite light sources — no real limit on how many can be used — and various shades add to the visual effect.
Accent lighting
This lighting is primarily functional but can add powerfully to mood. Like task lighting, it is directed, but used to highlight features and objects. Examples include wall art, sculpture, collectables in cabinets. This lighting must be bright and have dimmers.
An excellent exercise is to apply this framework to each room in your home, identifying what lighting you have, how well the different types work together, and what you are missing and might add.
The advantage of analyzing and deploying interior lighting this way is that it brings structure and reasoning to what you’re doing, providing a common language for sharing your vision and needs with others.
Comments