lighting Tips
- Recessed light is a great way to provide general lighting because the source is concealed; flush-mounts also provide general lighting.
- For accent lighting try wall washing with scones or highlighting artwork with track lights.
Foyers, Halls, and Stairwells
- The foyer is the first impression of your home. If the fixture can be viewed from above choose a fixture that looks pleasing from the second story as well.
- To ensure your stairways and halls have ample lighting for safety, try placing wall sconces 8-10’ apart to illuminate the entire hallway.
- To ensure your stairways and halls have ample lighting for safety, try mounting a sconce 66” from the centre of the fixture to the floor to ensure the lamp source is not visible.
- Wall sconces placed in a hall or stairway can reduce the ‘cave effect’ often caused by down-lights.
- To determine the proper size of the chandelier for the foyer add the room dimensions together for the diameter of the fixture. Example: A 10x10 room would = a 20” fixture in diameter.
- A chandelier or pendant over your table can provide a focal point in the home as well as providing general lighting. A chandelier or pendant should be hung 30” above the table and can go up 3” for each additional foot of ceiling.
- For additional light focused in your table try using a chandelier that shines down on the surface of the table.
- Thee kitchen is often the busiest rooms in your home. Keep these tips in mind:
- Under cabinet fixtures provide task lighting on counters and reduce shadows.
- Try mounting a down light over the sink for additional task lighting.
- Mini pendants 18-24” above a work surface is a great way to light up an island or breakfast bar.For additional light focused in your table try using a chandelier that shines down on the surface of the table.
- The kitchen is often the busiest rooms in your home. Keep these tips in mind:
- In an eating nook try a pendant hung 24-30” over the surface of the tab le to provide sufficient task lighting.
- Down lights mounted 18” off the edge of the cabinets and spaces 3-4’ on centres creates general lighting.
- A fixture mounted over the vanity is a good way to light your bathroom, but to avoid shadows try mounting a wall sconce to match on either side of the mirror, as well as, recessed down lights mounted 24-36” on centres between the face and the mirror.
- To avoid shadows in the bathroom and vanity, choose a fixture at least 24” wide over the mirror.
- In a bathroom and vanity, wall sconces should be placed at least 28” apart and 60”above the floor.
- Additional areas in the bathroom and vanity that may require additional lighting are over the tub, shower, or toilet in which case a down light would be sufficient.
- Outdoor lighting provides security and enhances the look of your home. Try landscape lighting, not only does it create ambiance, it provides needed safety along pathways.
- When choosing lighting for the outside of your home, select a size and design that keeps with the size and design of your home.
- When mounting wall lanterns on the outside of your home ensure the lanterns are 60-66” from the ground to the centre of the fixture.
- How large should the wall lanterns be for my front entrance?
A – There are no hard and fast rules on this. Basically, it depends on the height of your house’s front entrance. Normal range for the lanterns would be from 1/5 to 1/6 of the entrance height.
- To determine the appropriate wattage for a room first multiply the rooms dimensions Ex. 10x10=100. Then multiply the square feet by 1.5 for the total wattage needed. Ex. 100x1.5 = 150 watts.
- For specific task lighting in areas where stronger light is needed, multiply the area’s square footage by 2.5 rather than 1.5 to find the needed wattage. A kitchen work island or a desk area where schoolwork is done is an example of task areas in your home. These same rules apply to every room or area in your home.
- How much light do I need in an area to light it properly?
Glad you asked! There is actually a proven formula for calculating the proper amount of general light (usually expressed as the number of watts) you should have in each room or area of your home. Multiply the length times the width of the room. Then, multiply that number times 1.5. That gives you the amount of wattage you need to light the room properly for general illumination.
