FAQ
Is lighting used for function or fashion?
Really lighting is both!! But, much of home furnishing today reflects the need for homeowners to surround themselves with things that are functional. Lighting is a significant consideration when determining a room’s functionality and should complement a homeowner’s lifestyle. There are three basic types of lighting that illuminate your home: general, task and accent.
- General Lighting provides an area with overall illumination. Also known as ambient lighting, general lighting radiates a comfortable level of brightness, enabling one to see and walk about safely. It can be accomplished with chandeliers, ceiling or wall-mounted fixtures, recessed or track lights.
- Task lighting helps you perform specific tasks such as reading, sewing, cooking, homework, hobbies, or playing games. It can be provided by recessed and track lighting, pendant lighting, and portable lamps. Task lighting should be free of distracting glare and shadows and should be bright enough to prevent eyestrain.
- Accent Lighting can be used to spotlight paintings, houseplants, sculpture, and other prized possessions, or to highlight the texture of a wall, drapery or outdoor landscaping. Accent lighting requires at least three times as much light on the focal point as the general lighting around it. This usually is provided by track, recessed, or wall-mounted fixtures.
What should I look for when buying lighting?
Your lighting choice should complement the entire room setting. Match the lamp to your furniture style to help complete the look.
Try to buy lamps in pairs or in similar styles to create uniformity in your room.
Bring samples of fabric or wall colors when picking out lighting. This will give the best chance to match items in a room and to keep the compliments in the room.
What is the correct size fixture for the dining room?
When choosing a fixture for the dining room is to have the diameter equal to 1/2 the width of the table. For example, if the width of your table is 52,” select a chandelier that has a diameter of 26.” The fixture should hang so the bottom of the fixture is approximately 30? above the tabletop.
What is the correct size fixture for the foyer?
To determine what size of fixture is going to fit best in a foyer add the room dimensions together. For example, if your foyer is 12? by 18,’ add 12 + 18 =30. The size of fixture for this foyer would be 30? in diameter.
How do I determine the correct amount of wattage for a room?
Multiply the room dimensions to get your total square footage (12 x 18 = 216). Then multiply the total square footage by 1.5 for total illumination needed (192 x 1.5 = 324 watts).
For example, for a 12 x 18 room, two 150-watt table or floor lamps would give ample light for a room this size (2 x 150 = 300 watts). Also, a 6-light fixture with 60-watt bulbs could create the same ambient lighting effect in a 12 x 18 room (6 x 60 = 360).
For specific task lighting within a space, for example, the light needed on a desk, multiply the square footage of the desk (8 x 6 = 48 square feet) times 2.5 = 120 watts, or two 60-watt fixtures.
