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SHOPPING FOR LIGHTING
Also helpful to have in hand, are samples of wood used in cabinetry and flooring as well as fabrics and colors. That helps lighting designers steer you to the appropriate selections. When visiting a lighting showroom, in addition to having a handle on what style you like, you need to ask yourself,"'what is it that I am doing in these rooms?" For example, will the lighting be used for tasks, or will it be mostly ambient or decorative? Those questions will ultimately help refine the type of lamp needed. Functional or task lighting is essential in places like kitchens, master bathrooms, entry ways and laundry rooms. Food preparation is one of the activities that demands ample lighting. This is more specific than just lighting a kitchen. Usually, food prep takes place on the kitchen counter or on an island or peninsula. Many houses – even upscale new ones – lack appropriate under-cabinet lighting, and fortunately, it is one of the easiest light sources to add. Under-cabinet lighting is a good source of lighting, because it reduces shadows significantly and it gives you the light exactly where you need it. Islands or peninsulas are typically lit with recessed lighting, although in the past few years pendant lights have become popular as they blend decoration with function. Not all decorative lights can double as task lights. It's important to discuss with whomever you're buying fixtures from what exactly the light output will be, what direction the light is going, and whether it will provide good lighting. You need to look at fixtures that direct light downward. Dining rooms and foyers are major decorative lighting opportunities. Decorative lighting fixtures are designed to do more than just illuminate the spaces. People are really looking at them as pieces of art. Most rooms will have multiple sources and styles of lighting, achieved by layering. In a kitchen you could have recessed lighting in addition to under-cabinet lighting, plus pendant lighting. Having all those different types of lighting allows you to create lighting for tasks like chopping vegetables or paying bills, and then you can turn down some lights to create more ambiance for a romantic dinner. Grooming is another activity that requires high light levels. Many older homes only have two levels of light in the bathroom – on and off – making them prime candidates for layering. Unlike the Hollywood strip lighting of old, bathroom lights have been completely updated in the last four to five years. Manufacturers have come out with hundreds of designs for bathroom fixtures. Most of the good vanity lights now have higher wattage and the light bulbs are shielded by shades so you don't have a glare problem. And, all bathroom lighting should be put on a dimmer. The high level of light required for grooming is usually not required for other activities in the bathroom, so it is strongly recommend that people use dimmers. Most people don't think about doing it, but once they do it's amazing how much they use that dimmer. Dimmers basically take one light fixture that gives you one quantity of light and turns it into a light fixture that can give you almost infinite lighting. Laundry rooms need to be highly illuminated making them a perfect application for today's new economical, full-spectrum fluorescent lamps. The fluorescent fixtures use electronic ballasts that virtually eliminate flickering and allow lights to be turned on instantly. When selecting lighting, really think about what you will be doing in a room. For example, the lighting needs of a family room where the only function is watching television are different from one where people may be reading or doing homework. How best to light a room depends on how you want to use the space. If you meet with a person in a showroom who is educated in lighting it will help you identify when to use a wall sconce versus an overhead light, when to use portable lamps in addition to the existing lighting, when to use track lighting – a lot of that is drawn out of the use of the room. Bedrooms generally use softer light levels. One source of ambient light in a bedroom is usually sufficient, accented with table and floor lamps. Recessed can lighting is still the most popular light source in terms of the sheer number of pieces sold, and is usually installed during new construction or remodeling. Track lighting can achieve the same effect as recessed cans without ripping up the ceiling. To some, track lighting still conjures up images of the '70s, shag carpeting and disco balls, but track lighting has come a long way. There are some very stylish-looking heads out there now. One hot new trend is monorail, a variation of track lighting that offers the ability to curve the track into different shapes and which is available in both low voltage and line voltage. Knowing a room's measurements, including ceiling height, is crucial to make sure lighting is properly scaled to a space. There is nothing worse than an undersized chandelier hanging forlornly over a dining table. Blueprints or a scale drawing of a room can help you get the best advice from a lighting consultant. Quality is a concern for most consumers. To determine the quality of a fixture you want to look at the way parts fit together. The color and finish should be consistent among all the components, and glass should fit into the holder. Chandeliers in particular, with multiple components, need to be well put together. Quality is not always apparent to consumers. You need to rely on your retailer to tell you which of their vendors have better quality based on customer returns. Price is often – but not always – a measure of quality. Today's wide array of manufacturers means you can get what you want on a budget. There are lots of trendy styles out there at affordable prices….Lots of manufacturers offer similar looks and varying price points. It's important to have a budget in mind and communicate that with your showroom consultant. The places to splurge are visible high-traffic areas like foyers and kitchens. Because lighting is so affordable, compared to most other kinds of interior furnishings, updating lighting is an easy and innovative way to change the look of a space.
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