It’s likely you’ve walked into a room where you immediately felt as if you belonged there, but you just couldn’t quite put your finger on why. The furnishings were nothing special, and the paint was a neutral colour – that is, if there was any paint on the walls at all – but you felt as if you had stepped into an elegant, comfortable space.
Chances are, the lighting was to blame. On the flip side, we’ve all experienced the antiseptic quality of light provided solely by shining a bright overhead light. We affectionately call this phenomenon “the big light,” but let us tell you: its use is the enemy of cosiness.
However, designing a living space that is not just functional but also enjoyable as a living environment is not just a matter of lighting it properly but is instead a process of using the art of layered lighting. This is a process where various sources of lighting can be combined to achieve depth, mood, and functionality.
Understanding the Three Layers of Light
In order to become proficient in this art, it is important that you understand there are three basic levels that contribute towards a lighting design. The first level is ambient lighting, which provides a background for lighting design basics. This refers to lighting that provides enough light for you to navigate around a room while being able to see well enough. In a typical British home, there are central lighting fixtures in ceilings, down lights, or natural lighting sneaking through windows.
The second layer of lighting is task lighting. The name of this type of lighting is straightforward – the lights are directional and brighter, and they are designed to aid you with a specific task. Consider a reading lamp placed ideally above a favourite armchair, a desk lamp for a home office, and a series of pendant lights suspended low over a kitchen island so you can better prepare food. It serves a purpose while also denoting areas of focus.
The final layer of lighting is accent lighting. This is the decorative layer of lighting that is used for the purpose of illuminating certain features such as art pieces, objects, and architectural elements. It is the layer of lighting that helps to give character and drama to the space.
It can also be created through the use of wall sconces and track lighting, but even table lamps positioned in such a way as to cast a soft glow behind an opaque shade will serve as an accent light and also as an accent object itself in the space.
Effectively Blending Your Sources
The magic occurs when you combine these three types of lighting in a manner that involves the use of ceiling, floor, and table lighting. The important thing to do is to mix lighting heights. This means that if all the lighting sources in the room have the same height, such as when all that is needed is recessed lighting from the ceiling, the room ends up looking like it belongs in an office building.
It’s also important that you take into consideration the strength and spread of light that you want to have in the room. For instance, an upward-facing shade floor lamp can direct light to hit the ceiling in such a way as to diffuse the ambient light layer, and light provided by an eye-level translucent shade table lamp will be warm and soft.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
One of the most common pitfalls of homeowners is the creation of “light clutter.” This occurs when too many light sources are crammed together in too small of space, or when aesthetic clashing is severe. Although your lamps do not have to harmonize completely, they can speak the same language of metal finishes and shades.
The second mistake would be to neglect the colour temperature of your light bulbs. Having blue-toned daylight bulbs in the ceiling light and yellow-toned bulbs from your table lamps would be very unsettling. Make sure that the warmth is consistent throughout, at 2700K to 3000K.
Lastly, skipping the addition of dimmers would be a lost advantage. Having the capability to control the level of brightness on your ceiling or floor lamps would help you transform your home from a bright workspace during daytime to a darkened den at night.
Illuminate Your Home with Intention
The art of layering lighting is about seeking a balance between function and beauty. It is a process of analysing your spaces not only as functional zones of your dwelling but also as settings for your life. With your ceiling, floor, and table lighting, you can transform the simple act of switching on the light into a process of genuine comfort. Begin with your basic layer of lighting, move to the task lights where you require them, and finally complete the process with accents of lighting that delight you!
