4 Mistakes You Should Avoid in Home Lighting Design

Interior designers are usually called to give input on home lighting design. In trying to tackle the dilemma, many fixtures get specified in living areas, baths and kitchens that often waste energy and do not provide  light where it is needed the most. These ineffective specifications are usually repeated as homeowners are unsure of the tricks and solutions to the trade. Below are some of the most common lighting mistakes that you need to avoid.

Mistake #1: Installing recessed can downlights everywhere

This is one of the most common lighting errors that design professionals see. These lights are usually inexpensive so people usually assume that laying them out in a regular grid will get light everywhere. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. The optics of inexpensive can lights mostly allows a little more than half the lumen output of the lamp to escape. Also, unless they are wall wash fixtures or are adjustable, can lights do not put sufficient light on vertical surfaces, which is where the eye perceives light. With such an array of cans, you can use  up to half the watts and you are left with  a dark space.

Mistake #2: Forgetting task lights in the kitchen

There are numerous better ways to light your counter. One of which is the uses of fluorescent, xenon or LED task lights under the upper cabinets. But if your kitchen design does not have upper cabinets over work surfaces, no need to worry. You can use ceiling recessed or wall-mounted fixtures like the Nemo Italianaluce Norma 65 Wall Lamp by Illuminating Experiences. You just have to make sure that you use the right lamp. Adding several low voltage halogen fixtures and focusing them on the task area will do the trick. Make sure that you wisely pick the fluorescent or LED color temperature.

Mistake #3: Using downlights over the vanity without adding lights on the side

Standing under a downlight, without lighting at the sides of the face, creates unflattering and exaggerated shadows. In the bathroom, the use of downlight over the sink is fine to accent a polished nickel faucet, but it is not enough for tasks like tweezing, shaving and applying makeup. In this case, you need light at the sides of the mirror at eye level to provide even distribution and minimize shadows. You can achieve this with sconces like the Adams 1 Light Sconce by Kenroy Home.

Mistake #4: Using halogen or incandescent sources without dimming

While we are looking for ways to retrofit lighting with more long-lasting and efficient light sources than an incandescent, it remains to be an important and viable part of lighting a home. You just have to see to it that it is dimmable. By dimming, you can decrease heat and energy output while lengthening the life of the lamp. Get yourself a table lamp with a dimmer switch like the Callahan Desk Lamp by Kenroy Home and you can never go wrong.