Advice · Interior lighting · 4 min read
Lighting a room well,without the glare.
One room too dark, another too glaring, a living room lacking warmth: good interior lighting is planned around how each space is used, before choosing a single fitting.
Maxime LyonsElectrician in La Croix-Valmer
Start from how each room is used
You do not light a space the same way for cooking, reading, entertaining or moving through it. The kitchen calls for clear light on the worktop; the living room, soft and adjustable light; the hallway and stairs, light that guides without dazzling.
Three layers of light
- General light: recessed spotlights or a ceiling light, spread out to avoid dark corners
- Task light: above the worktop, the island, a desk
- Ambient light: LED cove lighting, wall lights, grazing light across stone
Combining these three layers, on separate controls, lets you adapt the room to every moment of the day.
The right colour of light
Warm light, around 2 700 to 3 000 K, suits living spaces. A more neutral tone can be justified in a working kitchen or a study. Within the same room, keep the same colour temperature throughout.
Dimmers and LEDs
Being able to dim the light transforms an evening. But the dimmers must be compatible with the chosen LEDs, to avoid flickering or humming.
Bringing out the house
In homes around the Gulf, stone, beams and vaulted ceilings deserve to be shown off. A hidden LED strip in a cove or a grazing wall light is often enough to transform a room.
