Let There Be Light

Story by John Johnston
Photography by Robert Gerardy

Your home is the most important purchase you may ever make. You want it to look comforting and inviting. Whether you’re building new or renovating, the right lighting fixtures can enhance both the beauty and the usefulness of your home.

Jeff Beall, of Rexel Branch Electrical Supplies in Waldorf, said some customers want to augment the standard lighting installed by their home builder. Other home owners want to convert rooms to different uses, such as setting up an office in a former bedroom, and need compatible fixtures for the new uses.

“It helps if the customers have a preplanned budget and know what they’re looking for in lighting or aesthetics,” Beall said. “The most expensive lighting is not necessarily the best to use. In most cases we find we can provide the best service that is less costly than what the customer intends on spending. Then the customer can use the money they saved for other upgrades.”

According to the Lowes Home Improvement Warehouse chain, the best lighting schemes combine several different types of light. Complement your general lighting with task lighting for detailed work. Accent lighting will draw attention to interesting features of your décor. And don’t forget natural lighting from windows and skylights.

Lowes points out that as people age, their eyes become less sensitive to light. So your home’s lighting scheme should be useful for occupants of all ages. This requires balanced even light throughout your rooms, along with the flexibility to brighten and direct the lighting. Also, adequate lighting in stairways, hallways, and entryways will provide safety and security for older residents.

Three to five light sources per room will make the area more inviting. To add depth, vary the height of the light sources to create areas of light and shade. And because dark colors absorb light, you should install more lighting in rooms decorated in these colors.

Rensselear Polytechnic Institute’s Lighting Research Center recommends fluorescent lamps in rooms that require light much of the time. One way to do this is with architectural fixtures, linear fluorescent lamps mounted behind decorative shielding boards. Valance fixtures, which direct light both upward and downward, are good for general room lighting. Use soffit fixtures to aim light downward over a counter or table.

You can use compact fluorescent bulbs in lamps designed for traditional incandescent bulbs. If you pick a bulb that is one-third the wattage of the incandescent bulb that you’re replacing, you can get the same amount of light while using much less electricity.

Even though commercial buildings make heavy use of fluorescent fixtures, this type of lighting doesn’t have to look cold or artificial. Fluorescent lamps with a color temperature of 2700 to 3000 K give off warm light similar to that from incandescent lamps. The types that match incandescent light best are RE827, RE830 or RE730. Also, lamps with electronic ballasts produce much less noise and flicker than systems with magnetic ballasts.

Recessed ceiling fixtures allow you to spread light in your room without changing its décor. These can be used for general room lighting, or they can concentrate light on a counter or a painting.

According to Lowes, recessed lights can make your room appear larger by washing a wall in light. This adds visual depth by creating shadows and contrasts. The Lighting Research Center recommends that you install separate switches for the wall-wash lights and general lights, so you can create a variety of room scenes.

Wall scone lights can be used for hallways, bedrooms and living rooms. The Center recommends using scone lights designed solely for compact fluorescent bulbs.

Dimmer switches give you a lot of flexibility with your lighting. They also help cut your energy costs, since you can dial in only the amount of light that you need. Most dimmers are designed for incandescent bulbs. But if you’re using fluorescent bulbs, you can use special fluorescent dimmers with dimming ballasts. These have to be wired exactly right, so you may want to leave this task to a professional electrician.

When choosing fixtures, Beall advised home owners to go with their first instinct. “Don’t settle for something second rate. If you have something in mind, a style you’re looking for, stick to your principles,” Beall said. “If you compromise, you won’t be happy with the final result.  Don’t settle if you’re not happy, because you could go through the same process in six months to a year.”