Light for a healthy biorhythm | Gurgaon | Noida | Delhi NCR
Basic
knowledge of light: important questions and rules of thumb when planning
lighting
The most important rule of thumb
when furnishing with light is for us: We always plan a mix of basic lighting
and secondary lighting. Several light sources in a room create more
harmonious light, consciously set accents and enable coordinated lighting,
depending on needs and mood.
But what should you watch out for
when planning lighting? What does a successful mix of lights look
like? You can become more clear about this if you ask yourself a few basic
questions about lighting design. And then take a closer look at the room
in question and its functions.
The 5 most important basic questions
in lighting planning
1. What is the basic brightness in
the room? That means: What is the color scheme
of the walls, floors, ceilings and furniture? How many windows does the
room have? The brighter a room is, the less additional light is usually
required.
2. Where are the power connections?In a further step, we consider where light is needed and
check where the power connections are, where sockets and whether something
needs to be moved or added by an electrician. This is a little easier
during the planning phase of a new building. Nothing is worse than having
to hide extension cables later in order to be able to set up the lights
appropriately. Also good to know: The cables of table lamps (often also
floor lamps) are usually no longer than 1.50 meters.
3. Which light color do I want and
need? With the same lumen value
(brightness), daylight white and neutral white appear brighter to the human eye
than warm white light. It is advisable to stay in a room with one light
color (in Kelvin, K for short). Especially when the light sources are
often used at the same time. However, if - for example in an open
living-dining area - the light sources are not necessarily in operation at the
same time, it makes sense to place more neutral white light above the dining
area and more warm white light in the living area. For living rooms we
recommend a light color around 3000 K. At the workplace, light colors around
3500 to 6000 K are beneficial for concentration.
4. Do I want dimmable light?If you would like to dim your light, you have to make sure
that the light sources used in the luminaire can also be dimmed. Dimmable
lamps are now available in every lamp technology, including low-voltage LEDs,
for example with GU4, GU5.3 or G4. But the switching device in the LED
light must also be suitable for this.
If you already have switches in the
wall and do not want to exchange them, you should give the professional
details: Is it currently a rotary switch or a pushbutton switch? Which
luminaire (high voltage or low voltage) is used? Are you already switching
with a dimmer? If you are lazy about explanations, take a few photos of
the situation and the nameplate of the old lamp. With this help, experts
can see what is important.
5. What style should my lights
have? Regardless of whether you set up a
concise living style or a casual mix of styles: The combination of different
lights looks more harmonious if one component - color, shape, furnishing theme
- remains the same. For example, if you set up your living room in a
romantic shabby style, you could combine it with a magnificent chandelier and
stylistically matching secondary lighting, such as a floor lamp made of brass
with a fabric shade.
If you prefer a creative mix of
styles, you should ensure that references are made in terms of color, material
or shape. One and the same pendant luminaire with three surface colors can
look interesting when hung next to each other. Just like the combination
of various metal industrial lights with a similar structure.
Rules of thumb for individual rooms
with different functions
The basic questions mentioned must be asked for every room. But, as
mentioned, workplaces, for example, have completely different requirements on
light than a living room. It therefore makes sense to look at rooms
separately depending on their function and to illuminate them
differently. Of course there are mixed forms and individual
preferences. For example, some people value brightness in the bathroom,
others a dim, spa-like atmosphere. Nevertheless, the following rules of
thumb will help you choose the right light for every room.
1. Lighting of living spaces
Living room, bedroom, children's room, dining room, guest room are rooms in
which you stay longer day and night and mostly for relaxation
purposes. The following applies here: It is better to plan more light
sources for atmospheric lighting. For small rooms with little space for
standing, stool and table lamps, we plan to have dimmable basic
lighting. This is another way of creating the right lighting for cozy
evenings.
► living room.The larger
the room, the more creative you can be when planning lighting. Two to four
types of secondary lighting can be combined for basic lighting. To read on
the couch you need bright light, which best falls on the book from the side and
from behind and illuminates the reading area without shadows. Floor lamps
and floodlights with reading light or a pure reading light (floor lamp with
swivel or articulated arm) are ideal for this. Particular attention should
also be paid to the ambient lighting of televisions: The light here should only
illuminate the adjacent wall. And the other light sources in the room
should not cause any annoying reflections on the screen. Ceiling
washlights in the corner or LED strips in the background of the TV are ideal.
► bedroom. The same
principle applies in the bedroom: basic lighting and secondary lighting in the
form of bedside table or wall lights, including direct light for reading and
lights for a pleasant atmosphere. If you want, you can illuminate
cupboards from above or inside. Or highlight the back or underside of the
bed with a warm white or colored LED strip. This creates an additional
light source for romantic moments.
► Children's room. For
schoolchildren, basic lighting (ceiling lights, round spotlights, etc.), a
reading light next to the bed and a desk lamp are important. For smaller
children and babies, the basic lighting and a soft night light are usually
sufficient. As far as possible, you should still think about the
connections that will be required later and plan sockets (with integrated child
safety). If you allow your children to play with the ball in the room, we
recommend lights with a fabric shade - and with halogen or LED
bulbs. Because there are still energy-saving lamps that contain
mercury. The mercury “normally” cannot escape when the coil bursts because
it is not in the tube but in the housing - but safe is safe.
► Guest room. A
guest room can be designed like a hotel room: with basic lighting and one or
two bedside lamps so that the guest can operate the light from the bed. A
night light in the socket also helps with orientation in a strange environment.
2. Lighting for passage areas
In rooms whose primary function is to connect other rooms or levels (corridors,
stairs, galleries, entrance areas), there is one thing above all: you, your
family and guests have to find the way! So don't skimp on good lighting.
If you want to illuminate a
staircase optimally, you will be well advised to use small recessed wall lights
near the steps (in addition to the basic lighting). But you can also work
with wall lights at shoulder height that shine upwards and downwards.
There are also old buildings in
which (spiral) stairs lead openly over several levels and in which a long
pendant lamp hangs down from a power connection on the ceiling. In this
case, at least one light source, i.e. a pendulum, should hang at the height of
each level. Only high-voltage-based lights are usually suitable for such a
solution, as the cable lengths can then usually be extended individually by the
electrician.
If you want to save having to use
the light switch, you can install a motion detector in the basic lighting of
passageways. But be careful: When using motion detectors, it often makes
more sense not to use energy-saving lamps due to the short lighting times, as
the saving effect is also expressed through a balanced long switching time
(over 5 to 10 minutes).
If lights are often switched on and
off, you should generally ensure that they have a high switching
resistance. LEDs usually have this and are advisable in combination with
motion detectors (provided that their light brightness / lumen value is
sufficient for the room).
3. Light at workplaces and in work
rooms
In places where we have to concentrate - for example when reading on the sofa,
cooking, doing bureaucratic work or sewing and doing handicrafts - we need
high-contrast, bright and targeted light. There should definitely be more
white-blue components.
Good LEDs with at least 3500 K
(better 4000 K, but that also depends on the lighting technology) are suitable
here. The higher the K value, the whiter the light. With 6000 K (and
that is really extremely white) the emitted light is called daylight. But
don't be fooled: It's only about the color of the light, not the brightness or
the color rendering properties of the light.
In addition to the basic lighting in
the background, functional lighting is required to optimally illuminate useful
areas. Good work lighting for desks and kitchen work surfaces deserves a
special focus. The light should shine on the surface in such a way that
you don't cast shadows yourself. Adjustable desk lamps with a swiveling
lamp head are essential. For all work surfaces, the under-cabinet lights,
surface-mounted lights or LED strips should be attached in such a way that the
light comes from above as far as possible and illuminates the surface evenly
with their light cones. Lighting planners can calculate the optimal
illumination of such work areas.
4. Bathroom lighting
In the bathroom, too, good basic lighting is essential . Recessed
lights are recommended, as there are also many damp room-resistant versions
available and the light can even be placed over a shower. However,
circular spotlights and classic ceiling lights are also suitable (minimum
distances must of course be observed).
The light color is important for
newly purchased bathroom furniture with integrated lighting. Often, cheap
LED lights with very cold white light are installed. You should therefore
clarify this detail with the sales staff beforehand and test the lighting
before buying. Believe us: Otherwise you will be annoyed every day because
you have a pale, bluish face looking back at you. Especially with cold
white LEDs, you often look worse in the mirror than in reality (keyword: poor
color rendering index!). On the other hand, colors that are too warm often
do not provide enough light sharpness. Our tip: LEDs with max. 4000 K or
halogen lights with +3200 K behind a frosted lens or behind glass are often the
better choice. The light from the integrated lamp should illuminate the
surface of the mirror without shadows and glare!
If you want to set up a mini spa at
home, you should also ensure cozy lighting. For example, with dimmable,
possibly swiveling built-in lights above the edge of the bathtub or a dimmable
LED strip on the edge towards the ceiling (then you will not be dazzled in the
bathtub). For safety reasons, do not use table and floor lamps near the
bathtub. This can go wrong if the light ends up in the bathtub with a
large swipe of the towel.
5. Lighting of storage rooms
In storage rooms such as cellars, pantries, attics, garages or boiler rooms,
the light is generally used rarely and only briefly. Usually you go in,
take what you need and leave the room again. Here we recommend lighting
with LEDs. Because these have good switching resistance. And should
you forget to turn off the light, LEDs simply consume the least amount of
electricity. Motion detectors are also useful in storage rooms.
For those who like to stay longer in
the garage or in the basement - for example at a workbench - light strips or
moisture-proof tubing lights with fluorescent tubes can also be
recommended. The light from the tubes is mostly neutral white, supports
concentration and optimally illuminates the mostly dark room.
Low budget interior design in Gurgaon
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