ULTIMATE GUIDE TO INTERIOR LIGHTING DESIGN
A well-planned lighting scheme could transform your home in ways you might not have imagined. Jane Crittenden takes a look at what can be achieved
Brilliant Lighting supplied the bespoke lighting scheme for this open-plan apartment. The shelving units have been lined with linear LEDs to bring shape and depth to the multi-use space while illuminating decorative objects
CHARLOTTE GALE
Good lighting is often sensed rather than being immediately tangible. It stabilises our mood, improves our wellbeing and creates comfortable surroundings – whether we’re active or relaxing. Sometimes a good or bad illumination scheme can only be determined by how the room makes you feel. Dim rooms can feel cold and unwelcoming, but overly bright spaces can become a little intense – it’s all about finding the right balance.
Self building or renovating presents the ideal time to implement a properly designed lighting scheme. That’s because you’ll be able to ensure all your new spaces have the exact lighting you need for functionality and to enhance your home’s features.
Lighting design basics
You may wish to map out your own scheme along with your electrician, lean on your architect or hire a specialist lighting designer. Whichever route suits you, working with the experts will result in an effective lighting plan. Artificial illumination should work seamlessly with natural daylight and be positioned exactly where it’s needed, with different LED colour temperatures and controls to achieve the desired moods. “Lighting can also change a space,” says Sabrina Fiorina, design associate at John Cullen Lighting. “A small room can feel bigger by directing a downlight around the perimeter. Rooms with low ceilings benefit from uplights to lift a space, while a room overlooking the garden can have an extended view by lighting the outside.”