Light it up Right: Interior Design Tips for Superior Lighting
By Dawn Westdawn.west@interiordesignschoolreview.com
Ever notice how creepy movies are inevitably darkly lit? The awful greenish glow of "The Ring," the dim corridors in "Skeleton Key"… Unless you've been hired by the owner of a haunted house who's looking for some theatrical lighting to scare customers this Halloween, as an interior designer chances are you'll have few requests for "gloomy."
So what are you going to have requests for? Perhaps cozy, maybe regal, potentially even efficient. Here are a few lighting tips to help you with all those un-scary requests.
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Rule #1 -- Nothing that Buzzes
For some setting like offices and kitchen, florescent lighting fixtures make great sense. They provide bright, even light. And for providing light for a big space, nothing is more cost effective. But florescent lighting fixtures are not without their problems. Anyone who's spent anytime in a cubicle below a buzzing light knows the misery bad florescent lighting can cause. Lighting should be seen and not heard. Make sure if you choose florescent lights, you choose silent ones.Rule #2 -- Nothing too Big for its Britches
Huge crystal chandeliers are elegant and beautiful lighting fixtures for grand entryways, large formal dining rooms, or ballrooms. And while a little creative placement of crystal can go a long way, lighting that's too grand for its setting will make a room into a farce, not a favorite. Subtle lighting choices always outshine garish ones.Rule #3 -- Light from a Variety of Sources
Once again, as an interior designer you'll have few requests for spotlights. The best way to warm up a space, whether it's an interior one or an exterior one, is to provide a variety of light sources.Lighting can make or break an interior design. Give lighting the attention it deserves, and you'll find it reflects well on your whole project.
About the Author:
Dawn West teaches writing at Oregon State University. Her previous experience includes working for the Community Development Venture Capital Alliance, a not-for-profit in New York City, and serving as the director for an educational program for at-risk youth in Boston. Dawn holds a B.A. in English from Harvard University.
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