photo by Frank McMains
One of the most common desires people have for a dream home is “lots of light.” They are usually thinking of plentiful and broad windows, but there is another dimension to a light-filled home. Night time.
Having plenty of light, the right kind, and in the right place, makes a home feel delightful at night. A superior lighting design includes well thought-out light fixtures and controls.
The latest in controls used to mean dimmers instead of just an on/off switch. Now it’s easy to program a roomful of lights for various moods and uses, or “scenes” using labeled, multi-scene controls.
As for light fixtures, maybe it’s time to rethink the use, and overuse, of recessed ceiling lights. An excellent article on lighting basics by Martin Holladay, a self-proclaimed “energy nerd”, talks about why:
The U.S. is cursed by a plague of senseless recessed can fixtures. If you walk under a recessed can, it will cast strange shadows on your face. Why do people like these ridiculous fixtures?
Recessed cans do a great job of illuminating the floor, but they keep your ceiling dark. Some hotels use recessed cans to illuminate their hallways. As you walk down the hallway looking for your room, only one thought is going through your mind: “Ugly carpet. Ugly carpet.”
You can read the entire article on his ten rules of lighting.
I think he’s right about nixing recessed “can” lights. What do you think? Do you like them?
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