Lighting is an incredibly important aspect of every room, so when designing a renovation or new build, you need to carefully consider the type of lighting fixtures you need. If you are feeling completely lost in your hunt for the perfect light fixtures, then look no further. I have made a list for you of all the things I consider when selecting a light fixture,
1 | Purpose
The purpose of the light fixture will determine a lot of my next points, so it's important to understand this first. Lighting can generally be broken up into 3 categories, all which serve a different purpose,
Ambient lighting - this is your main ceiling lights, which should evenly light the room. A common way to create ambient lighting is with evenly spaced downlights.
Task lighting - task lighting is concentrated over work spaces to create really good visibility, like a desk or your Kitchen benches.
Decorative lighting - decorative fixtures can also create ambient or task lighting, but not all decorative lights are suitable for those purposes. If you are wanting to use a decorative light for more than aesthetics, then you need to make sure that the light output will suit.
2 | Size
The size of the fixture is very important, so you need to think about scale! If using a decorative light, then you need to ensure that it is in proportion to the room and able to hang high enough. You also need to ensure that the light output itself is suitable, which may mean using a larger downlight for higher ceilings, or selecting a larger pendant with multiple globes.
3 | Location
Not only is it important to get the right fitting, but it is also important to put it in the right locations. Task lighting needs to be placed directly above your work area so that it's not creating shadows. It's important to consider whether this is best achieved by a ceiling, wall or freestanding light. The location of a decorative light also needs to make sense within the context of the room. Decorative lights can be easily used to create different zones within a large room so use that to your advantage!
4 | Height
The hanging height of a light is important for visual purposes, to ensure it's actually lighting the space correctly and so that it is out of the way of heads. Although the surrounding context and ceiling height can have a large impact on what the best height might be, I generally follow the below rules,
Pendant over a table or island bench - bottom at 1600mm
Pendant over a walk way - bottom at min. 2200mm
Wall sconce - centre at 1700mm
5 | Aesthetic
And of course the look of the light is also very important. First, you need to decide whether the light will be a feature in the space or not. Keep in mind that feature lights will draw your eyes towards it so ask yourself, is this where you eyes should be going? If the answer is yes, then we recommend doing a decorative light. When selecting decorative lights, you need to consider the material and colour and how that will work with other materials and colours already in the space. This is especially important if selecting a fixture that has a metal finish as it can clash with other metals in the room!
I hope my tips have been helpful! If you would like more help with your new build or renovation project, you can get in contact with us using the link below:
Have a wonderful week!
Nina xx
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