interior lighting guide

8/10/2019 interior lighting guide

1/22

Interior Lighting Page i of 16

Interior LightingBringing Rooms To Life

Copyright 2008 Learning Seed

800.634.4941

[email protected]


2/22

Interior Lighting Page ii of 16

Interior LightingBringing Rooms To Life

Legal Niceties

The Video

Copyright 2008 Learning Seed.

This video program is protected under U.S. copyright law. No part of this video may be reproduced ortransmitted by any means, electronic or mechanical, without the written permission of the Publisher, exceptwhere permitted by law.

This Teaching Guide

Copyright 2008 Learning Seed.

This teaching guide is copyrighted according to the terms of the Creative Commons non-commercial license(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/). It may be reproduced, in its part or its entirety, for classroomuse. No part of this guide may be reproduced for sale by any party.

You are free:

to copy, distribute, display, and perform the work. to make derivative works.

Under the following conditions:

Attribution. You must attribute the work to Learning Seed. Noncommercial. You may not use this work for commercial purposes. For any reuse or distribution, you must make clear to others the license terms of

this work. Any of these conditions can be waived if you get permission from the copyright

holder.

Credits

The Video This Teaching GuideWriter: Jeff Schrank Compilation: Gabriel Mckee

Copy Editor: Jennifer Smith

Learning Seed Catalog and ISBN Numbers Our Guarantee

VHS LS-1124-08-VHS ISBN1-55740-515-8

DVD LS-1124-08-DVD ISBN 1-55740-516-6

Please contact us with any questions or concerns at:

Closed Captioning Learning Seed

This program is closed-captioned. Suite 301641 W. Lake StChicago, IL 60661800.634.4941

[email protected]


3/22

Interior Lighting Page iii of 16

Bringing Rooms To Life

Table of Contents

The Program

Summary ............................................................................................................................................1Direction, Quality, And Intensity .........................................................................................................2Types Of Lamps .................................................................................................................................4Types Of Fixtures ...............................................................................................................................5Review................................................................................................................................................6

Interactive ElementsDiscussion Questions And Activities ..................................................................................................7

Evaluation/TestingFill-In-The-Blank .................................................................................................................................8Fill-In-The-BlankAnswer Key.............................................................................................................9Multiple Choice Worksheet ...............................................................................................................10Multiple Choice WorksheetAnswer Key...........................................................................................11Quiz ..................................................................................................................................................12QuizAnswer Key..............................................................................................................................13

Additional InformationGlossary............................................................................................................................................14For More Information........................................................................................................................16


4/22

Interior Lighting Page 1 of 16

Summary

Interior Lighting: Bringing Rooms To Lifeteaches the basics of residential interior lighting. The live-action video demonstrates how the angle, quality, and intensity of light influence how it is perceivedand used.

The program explains ambient lighting, task lighting, and accent lighting. It demonstrates differentkinds of lamps and lighting fixtures and shows how each contributes to the overall interior designplan.

The video is aimed at students taking introductory courses in interior design or lighting.

Key points:

What are the most important components of lighting for interiors?

How does lighting affect our experience of a space? What are the most common kinds of light fixture, and what are the differences between them? What kind of light bulb uses a third of the electricity of a standard bulband lasts 10 times as

long? How do direction, diffusion, and reflecting affect the appearance of a space?


5/22


Direction, Quality, And Intensity

Direction Of Light

Light can transform our feelings. In horror movies, one of the most effective ways of creating amonster is by using lighting. An uplight, a single direct light from below, casts strong shadows. An

actors face lit by an uplight appears menacing. But direct light doesnt have to be scary. The sameprinciple can be used to make a dull surface appear more dramatic. Light shining straight on asurface makes it appear flat, but a direct, angled light can cast shadows on a wall or a piece of fabricthat highlight its texture. This kind of shadowy texturing can bring a blank wall to life.

Angled light can also be used to enhance the shape and dimension of an object. A vase lit by asingle, straight light is well-illuminated, but appears flat. Lighting the same vase from an angle makesit stand out from its background. This principle explains why photos taken with a built-in flash oftenhave an unpleasantly harsh appearance. A flashbulb is a direct light from one direction. Professionalphotographers rarely use a single, straight-on light. In other cases, angled lighting and the shadows itproduces arent desirable. A single light above or next to a mirror creates facial shadows that wont

exist in a well-lighted room. Professional make-up mirrors provide light from multiple directions toeliminate shadows.

When lighting a living space, its essential to keep the direction of the light in mind. Rooms that haveoutside light coming from two directions are generally more pleasing to the eye than those with lightfrom only one direction. For the most comfortable results, interiors should be lit to provide multi-anglelight.

Quality Of Light: Color

Light can have different qualities, from the pale yellow of the morning to the orange of sunset to the

deep blue of dusk. Weather can change lights quality and color, too. A cloudy or foggy day filters thesunlight and changes its mood. Direction also changes light quality. Because of the angle of sunlight,windows on north or east walls admit cool, bluish light, with fewer orange and yellow wavelengths.Southern or western windows bring sunlight later in the day, with warm, orange tones.

We often think of light from a light bulb as white, but in fact it has strong yellow and red tones. Thestandard light bulb, the incandescent bulb, hasnt changed much since Thomas Edison invented it in1879. It produces light by sending an electric current through a filament of tungsten. The electricitycauses the filament to burn, but it doesnt burn up because the bulb is filled with inert gases like argonor nitrogen. Some of the tungsten does evaporate due to the temperature, and thats why some bulbsblacken over time. The light we see is the glow from the burning tungsten. The yellow and red tones

in the light are reminiscent of those from a fire, and that may be why we find the light quality sopleasingfire was our ancestors first source of controlled light.

Quality Of Light: Diffusion

As soothing as those color tones may be, we usually dont light our rooms with bare incandescentbulbs. The light from a bare bulb is harsh and uncomfortable. We use diffusion and reflectingtosoften the lights quality. Direct light from a single direction can be harsh. Diffusion filters this


6/22


harshness by scattering the light, making it less direct, softening shadows, and reducing glare. Mostlight bulbs are coated with a layer of silica that softens the light before it leaves the bulb.Photographers often use diffusion filters to make objects less focused. Diffused light is less likely toproduce glare and hot spots in photographs. Clouds diffuse sunlight in the same way, which is whyphotos taken on cloudy days often look better than those taken in full sunlight. Though most bulbsoffer some diffusion, the light from a bare light bulb is usually still a bit too harsh for most purposes.Most household lighting is passed through some kind of filter, such as a lamp shade, to diffuse itfurther.Quality Of Light: Reflecting

Reflected light is also softer than direct light. All rooms have some indirect bounced lighting becauselight reflects off of ceilings and walls. Light colors and shiny surfaces are the best reflectors, which iswhy ceilings are often painted white. Rooms with dark walls or ceilings absorb more light, whichmakes them look darker overall. A room with dark walls will need more artificial lighting than a roomwith light walls. Some kinds of light fixture use reflected light. Cove lighting covers the light source sothat almost all of the visible light is reflected from the wall. Torchieres direct most of their light up sothat it bounces off of the ceiling.

Lights quality and color can be changed by reflecting. A colored surface will tint the light that itreflects. An object or person near a blue surface will have a bluish tone. Wood walls and furniture thatare lit by warm white light will reflect that light with a warm reddish glow. White and neutral furnishingslike marble and chrome look best in neutral white or daylight colors.

Intensity Of Light

The overall level of light in a room is called ambient light. High levels of ambient light suggest workand activity. Kitchens, offices, schools, and retail stores all have high levels of ambient light. Lowerlight levels suggest peace and rest. Fast food restaurants have high ambient lighting, but higher-scaleeateries have very low light levels. People draw closer together and talk more quietly in dim light. One

study found that the noise level in school hallways dropped 10 decibels when two thirds of theoverhead fluorescent lights were turned off. The intensity of the light you choose has a big impact onthe atmosphere of a space.

But how can you tell what intensity of light a bulb will produce? Most people look at the wattagenumber: a 100-watt bulb will usually give brighter light than a 60-watt one. But wattage isnt actually ameasurement of brightness. The wattage measures how much electricity a lamp draws. That 100-watt bulb will sometimes be a brighter light, but sometimes it will just mean a higher electric bill. Theintensity of light is measured in lumens. Some bulbs have higher lumen ratings than others with thesame wattage. The higher the lumen rating, the greater the bulbs brightness, regardless of itswattage. You can conserve electricity by deciding how many lumens you need and finding the bulb

with the lowest wattage that will provide that amount of light.

In addition to ambient lighting, a room needs task lighting. Task lighting provides illumination forspecific tasks, like cooking or reading. A light over a work bench or a kitchen counter is a task light.The most common task lighting is for reading or conversation, such as the lighting in a living room.Backlightingis a common error in this kind of task lighting. Putting a light behind a chair puts theperson sitting in the chair in shadow. If the person across from you is lit from behind, its difficult tosee his or her face. These shadows will also make reading difficultthe chair blocks the light before it


7/22


reaches the pages of the book. Raising the lamp can eliminate the shadow. A lamp placed behind achair needs to be higher than one place to the side. A reading lamp at the side of a chair should haveits shade placed at eye level. The average eye level is about 38-42 inches from the floor. Some tasklighting doubles as ambient lighting. Its a good idea to use three-way bulbs or dimmer switches toadjust the light level according to the task at hand.

Another common kind of lighting is accent lighting, which is used to direct attention to small areas orobjects. Downlightson paintings, sculptures, or other objects are a good way to draw attention.Lights built into bookcases or placed above display tables make otherwise unnoticed areas come tolife.

Well-designed lighting balances ambient, task, and accent lighting. A room with only one level of lightintensity appears cold and dull. Providing several layers of light increases the visual interest of aspace.


8/22


Types Of Lamps

The term light bulb is all right for everyday use, but lighting experts prefer the word lamp becausemany sources of light are not bulb-shaped. There are many different types of lamp beyond thestandard incandescent bulb. Incandescent lamps arent the most efficient light sources. About 88% ofthe electricity that goes into an incandescent bulb turns into heat. In a way, these lamps are heaters

that just happen to produce a little light, too. Fluorescent lampsuse about a third as much electricityas incandescent ones, and they can last 10 to 13 times longer. A fluorescent lamp is coated withphosphorsand filled with vaporized mercury and argon. Electric current activates the gases andcauses them to produce light. Fluorescent lamps are much more energy efficient than incandescentbulbs. Todays compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) can produce the same number of lumens for a farlower wattage. About half of the U.S.s energy is produced in coal-fired power plants, and much of theelectricity they produce goes into inefficient incandescent lamps. If every U.S. household exchangeda single incandescent lamp for a CFL, it would reduce greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to taking800,000 cars off the road. Because of the efficiency of CFLs, Australia and Canada have effectivelybanned incandescent lamps, and other countries are enacting similar laws.

When you think of fluorescent lighting, you probably think of the bluish institutional light thats used inwarehouses or retail stores. That kind of light is acceptable for the garage or basement, but not forthe living room. But in fact, todays CFLs offer a light quality comparable to that of incandescentbulbs. Fluorescent lamps are sold in a variety of light qualities, from daylight to soft white. Some bulbshave a Color Rendering Index (CRI) number. The closer the number is to 100, the better the lampreveals true colors. Most lamps change color in subtle ways. The average incandescent lamp, whichgives off reddish-yellow light, is weak at showing blues. (Some daylight bulbs have a bluish coatingto counteract this color shift.) A fluorescent lamp with a high CRI number can actually provide a lightquality closer to sunlight than that given by an incandescent. A high-CRI fluorescent can make iteasier to distinguish colors. Its important to keep the color-shifting nature of artificial light in mindwhen designing a space. The colors you see in a furniture showroom may look different in your living

room. Some high-CRI lamps are sold as full spectrum lights that claim to match natural daylight.They sometimes claim to be healthier than other artificial lights, but there isnt much evidence tosupport those claims. Sunlights quality changes throughout the day, and we enjoy a wide variety oflight qualities.

Halogen lamps are small and burn very brightly. Theyre made of quartz and can become quite hot.Theyre more energy efficient than incandescent bulbs, but not as efficient as fluorescents. Halogenlamps show accurate colors and are closer to the quality of sunlight than cool fluorescents, but whiterthan incandescents. LEDs(Light Emitting Diodes) waste very little energy as heat, can burn for 10years nonstop, and are little larger than a pencil eraser. Theyre often used in digital clocks, remotecontrols, traffic lights, and jumbo television screens. Theyre slowly finding a place in household

lighting, and someday they may be a viable replacement for standard lamps. The Mona Lisa in theLouvre is lit by LEDs. Fiber optics are cables that carry light. At the current level of technology, itsmore decorative than practical, but it may find a place in household lighting in the future. Lightemitting capacitors(LECs) are sheets of plastic with an inside layer of phosphors that shine whenhit with alternating current. They can be programmed to flash on contact, and are sometimes used onelectronic drums. Theyre also used in cell phones, pagers, and watches.


9/22



10/22


Types Of Fixtures

Knowing how to light a space requires familiarity with the different types of lighting fixtures. Tablelamps are one of the most common kinds of light fixtures. Lights spend most of their time turned off,so many people want the fixture itself to be attractive. But making a simple table lamp attractive canbe difficult. Some designers prefer to do away with bulky light sources like table and floor lamps

altogether. They prefer invisible lighting sources. Built-in lighting isnt distracting or bulky like a floorlamp. Its best planned when a house is still being constructed, though it can be added later. Olderhouses have only one or two built-in light sources, while newer houses may have dozens.

Here are a few common types of light fixture:

A hanging lamp, or pendant, provides light from above. A dish or globe around the lampdiffuses the light from a pendant. Restaurants often used focused pendants to create pools oflight that make each table feel more intimate.

Chandeliers are an elegant kind of hanging lamp. The first chandeliers were candle holders. Infact, the word chandelier comes from the French word for candle. Todays electric

chandeliers sometimes use flame-shaped bulbs as a reminder of the fixtures historical roots. Wall sconces are another modern take on an ancient type of lightinga torch on the wall. Wall washers are a kind of fixture that direct wide spans of light along the side of a wall. This

can make rooms with dark walls feel bigger by brightening up their surfaces. A spotlightcreates a single spot of light. It makes a single focal point, so its a good fixture for

accent lighting. Track lighting, which puts several separate fixtures on a single track, is a popular fixture in

contemporary design. Recessed lamps are mounted flush with the ceiling. They cast all their light straight down.

Theyre virtually invisible, but cant be moved or redirected. The interior of a recessed fixture, called the baffle, can redirect or reflect the light. White

reflects more light down, whereas a black, ridged baffle will cut glare. Some recessed lamps use eyeball lampsthat can be swiveled to direct their light. Recessed and track lights often use reflector bulbs, which have a silvery coating on the sides

to direct light downward rather than wasting it on the sides. The end is coated or textured todiffuse the light.

Flood lamps are often used in outdoor fixtures. They spill light over a wide area, flooding itwith light.

There are a huge array of choices in lighting fixtures and lamps. Consulting a lighting expert is asmart idea when planning interior lighting. Good lighting can bring a room to life, but bad orhaphazard lighting can make even the best-designed spaces seem cold or unpleasant.


11/22


Review

The three most important components of lighting for interiors are direction, quality, andintensity.

Angled light creates texture on flat surfaces and makes objects stand out from theirbackgrounds.

Sunlight has different colors at different times of dayblue in the morning, orange in theevening.

Diffusion filters light by scattering its rays, reducing glare and providing more even illumination. Light bounced from walls or ceilings affects the overall quality of light in a room. Reflected light

takes on the color of the surface its reflected from. The intensity or brightness of the ambient light affects the atmosphere of a room or space.

Bright ambient light encourages activity, and dim light is more peaceful and calm. Task lighting provides illumination for activities like reading or cooking. Accent lighting draws attention to small areas or objects. Light is measured in lumens. Wattage is a measurement of electricity. 88% of the electricity that goes into a standard incandescent bulb turns into heat.

Compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) are more energy efficient and last longer thanincandescent lamps, and they can provide high-quality light.

Though table and floor lamps are some of the most common light fixtures, modern designersprefer less obtrusive fixtures, like recessed and track lights.


12/22


Discussion Questions And Activities

1. What are some common problems in lighting design for homes?

Backlighting, lack of balance between ambient, task, and accent lighting, inefficientlamps, and poor use of diffusion and reflecting are all common problems in home

lighting.

2. Have students volunteer their living rooms for a lighting re-design. Have the students take beforeand after pictures showing how they changed the lighting scheme to eliminate problems likebacklighting, control the level of ambient light, add or adjust task lighting, and add layers of accentlighting.

3. Should light sources be hidden? Are recessed lamps and other concealed lighting sources betterthan visible table and floor lamps? Discuss the pros and cons of both obtrusive traditional fixturesand inflexible modern designs.

4. Will standard light fixtures ever be replaced? Discuss potential uses of alternative light sources likeLEDs, LECs, and fiber optics.

5. Conduct in-class experiments with diffusion, direction, and reflection. Have students team up witha partner and see how using different filters, angles, and reflecting surfaces changes theappearance of a person or space.

Be sure to have a wide variety of materials available for your students: lampshades madeof different materials, different types of lamps, and reflecting surfaces made of severaldifferent materials and colors.


13/22


Interior LightingFill-In-The-Blank

Fill in the blanks with the correct words from the bank at the bottom of the page.

The direction, quality, and intensity of light can have a huge impact on the appearance of a room.

Angled lights can bring out the _______________of flat surfaces and create some visual interest on

an otherwise boring wall. Putting an angled _______________on a vase or a sculpture can make it

jump out from its background and draw attention to it. Understanding the three components of

qualitycolor, diffusion, and _______________is essential to good lighting design. Sunlight has

different color tones at different times of day_______________ in the morning, orange in the

evening. Standard incandescent bulbs have a _______________tint, so it can be hard to distinguish

different shades of blue in their light. All rooms have some reflected light from the wall and ceiling,

and the light will be tinted in the color of the surface from which it bounces. Rooms with dark walls will

often appear small, and adding a _______________ to increase their brightness will make them feel

less cramped. _______________can help tone down some of the harsh quality of a bare bulb by

scattering the light rays and diminishing _______________. Diffusion helps control the ambient light

levelthe overall amount of light in a room. _______________ for specific activities can help

illuminate cooking in the kitchen or reading in the living room. Accent lighting draws attention to small

areas or objects to make a room really appealing to the eye. Good lighting design gives a room

several levels of light _______________, creating layers of light to provide visual interest.

Word Bank:

diffusionintensityredbluetexture


14/22


wall washershadowsaccent lighttask lightingreflecting


15/22


Interior LightingFill-In-The-BlankAnswer Key

Fill in the blanks with the correct words from the bank at the bottom of the page.

The direction, quality, and intensity of light can have a huge impact on the appearance of a room.

Angled lights can bring out the textureof flat surfaces and create some visual interest on an

otherwise boring wall. Putting an angled accent lighton a vase or a sculpture can make it jump out

from its background and draw attention to it. Understanding the three components of qualitycolor,

diffusion, and reflectingis essential to good lighting design. Sunlight has different color tones at

different times of daybluein the morning, orange in the evening. Standard incandescent bulbs

have a redtint, so it can be hard to distinguish different shades of blue in their light. All rooms have

some reflected light from the wall and ceiling, and the light will be tinted in the color of the surface

from which it bounces. Rooms with dark walls will often appear small, and adding a wall washerto

increase their brightness will make them feel less cramped. Diffusioncan help tone down some of

the harsh quality of a bare bulb by scattering the light rays and diminishing shadows. Diffusion helps

control the ambient light levelthe overall amount of light in a room. Task lightingfor specific

activities can help illuminate cooking in the kitchen or reading in the living room. Accent lighting draws

attention to small areas or objects to make a room really appealing to the eye. Good lighting design

gives a room several layers of lightintensity, creating layers of light to provide visual interest.


16/22


Interior LightingMultiple Choice Worksheet

Circle the best available answer for each of the following:

1) A reading lamp placed behind a chair must be_____ than one placed on the side.

a) brighterb) higherc) lowerd) more energy efficient

6) Putting a direct, angled light on a surfaceenhances its:

a) colorb) lumensc) intensityd) texture

2) This type of lighting carries light through cables:a) fiber opticsb) LEDsc) LECsd) halogen lamps

7) Light that highlights a small object or areais called:

a) task lightingb) ambient lightingc) diffused lighting

d) accent lighting

3) Diffused light is _________ than unfiltered light.a) less harshb) more harshc) bluerd) brighter

8) The light from an incandescent bulb has a_____ tint.

a) diffusedb) bluishc) reddishd) reflecting

4) What kind of fixture directs most of its light up toreflect off of the ceiling?

a) halogenb) chandelierc) recessedd) torchiere

9) The _______ is the inside wall of arecessed fixture. It affects the quality of the

light.a) reflector bulbb) bafflec) phosphord) wall washer

5) For a reading lamp placed on the side, the bottomedge of the shade should be:

a) 60-65 inches from the groundb) at eye levelc) higher than a lamp placed behind the chaird) angled

10) Fluorescent lamps last ______ as long asincandescent bulbs.

a) halfb) 2-3 timesc) 10-13 timesd) 38-42 times


17/22


Interior LightingMultiple Choice WorksheetAnswer Key

Circle the best available answer for each of the following:

1) A reading lamp placed behind a chair must be_____ than one placed on the side.

a) brighterb) higherc) lowerd) more energy efficient

6) Putting a direct, angled light on a surfaceenhances its:

a) colorb) lumensc) intensityd) texture

2) This type of lighting carries light through cables.a) fiber opticsb) LEDsc) LECsd) halogen lamps

7) Light that highlights a small object or areais called:

a) task lightingb) ambient lightingc) diffused lighting

d) accent lighting

3) Diffused light is _________ than unfiltered light.a) less harshb) more harshc) bluerd) brighter

8) The light from an incandescent bulb has a_____ tint.

a) diffusedb) bluishc) reddishd) reflecting

4) What kind of fixture directs most of its light up toreflect off of the ceiling?

a) halogenb) chandelierc) recessedd) torchiere

9) The _______ is the inside wall of arecessed fixture. It affects the quality of the

light.a) reflector bulbb) bafflec) phosphord) wall washer

5) For a reading lamp placed on the side, the bottomedge of the shade should be:

a) 60-65 inches from the groundb) at eye levelc) higher than a lamp placed behind the chaird) angled

10) Fluorescent lamps last ______ as long asincandescent bulbs.

a) halfb) 2-3 timesc) 10-13 timesd) 38-42 times


18/22


Interior LightingQuiz

Match the words in the first column to the best available answer in the second column.

_____ Incandescent bulbs provide light by passing an electric currentthrough a filament made of this material. 1) 38-42

_____ The overall level of light in a room. 2) tungsten

_____A lampshade for a reading lamp placed to the side should be______ inches from the ground.

3) ambientlighting

_____ Lighting that highlights a small area or object. 4) wall washers

_____ Lamps made of quartz that burn very bright and very hot. 5) LEDs

____________ percent of the energy that goes into a standardincandescent bulb turns into heat.

6) halogenlamps

_____A type of lamp that spreads light over a surface to make a darkspace appear larger.

7) 88

_____ Lamps the size of a pencil eraser that are used in clocks, watches,and jumbo television screens.

8) accentlighting


19/22


Interior LightingQuizAnswer Key

Match the words in the first column to the best available answer in the second column.

2) tungsten Incandescent bulbs provide light by passing an electric current through afilament made of this material.

3) ambient lighting The overall level of light in a room.

1) 38-42A lampshade for a reading lamp placed to the side should be ______inches from the ground.

8) accent lighting Lighting that highlights a small area or object.

6) halogen lamps Lamps made of quartz that burn very bright and very hot.

7) 88_______ percent of the energy that goes into a standard incandescentbulb turns into heat.

4) wall washersA type of lamp that spreads light over a surface to make a dark spaceappear larger.

5) LEDs Lamps the size of a pencil eraser that are used in clocks, watches, andjumbo television screens.


20/22


Glossary

Accent Lighting Lighting that directs attention to small areas or objects.

Ambient Lighting The general level of light in a space. High levels of ambient lightingsuggest activity, while lower levels make a space feel peaceful and calm.

Backlighting Lighting that comes from behind a subject, placing it in silhouette.Backlighting is a common error in lighting design for living rooms.

Baffle The interior edge of a recessed lighting fixture. The design of the bafflecan redirect or reflect light. A white baffle reflects more light down. Ablack, ridged baffle cuts glare.

Diffusion The scattering of light rays to soften shadows and reduce glare.

Downlighting Direct light from above. Commonly used in accent lighting on paintings or

sculptures.

Eyeball Lamp Lamps with a swiveling socket that allow the light from a recessed fixtureto be directed.

Fiber Optics Cables that carry light. At the current level of technology, fiber optics aremore decorative than practical.

Flood Lamp A lamp that spills light over a wide area, flooding it with light.

Fluorescent Lamp A lamp coated with phosphors and filled with vaporized mercury and

argon. Electric current causes the gases to fluoresce and produce light.Fluorescent lamps use much less energy than standard incandescentbulbs.

Halogen Lamp A small lamp made of quartz that burns very bright and very hot. Theyremore energy efficient than incandescent bulbs, but not as efficient asfluorescent lamps.

Incandescent Bulb A standard light bulb. It produces light by sending an electric currentthrough a filament of tungsten. The electricity causes the filament to burn,but it doesnt burn up because the bulb is filled with inert gases like argon

or nitrogen

Lamp Many sources of light are not bulb-shaped, so lighting experts prefer touse the word lamp.

LECs (Light Emitting Capacitors) Sheets of plastic with an inside layer of phosphors that shinewhen hit with alternating current.


21/22


LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes) A light source that is very small, wastes little electricity as heat, andcan burn for 10 years nonstop. Theyre often used in digital clocks,traffic lights, and jumbo television screens.

Lumens The standard measurement of a light sources brightness.

Phosphors A substance that glows when hit with electrons. The interiors offluorescent lights, television screens, and LECs are all coated withphosphors.

Recessed Lamps A type of light fixture that is flush with the ceiling, rendering it virtuallyinvisible.

Reflected Light Light that is bounced off of a surface. All rooms include some reflectedlight from the walls and ceiling.

Reflector Bulb A lamp with a silvery coating on the sides to direct light downward ratherthan wasting it on the sides.

Spotlight A light that creates a single, bright spot of light. Its good for highlighting aspecific area, so its commonly used in accent lighting.

Track Lighting A type of fixture that puts several lights on an electrified track. Track lightsare popular in contemporary designs.

Uplighting A single, direct light from below. Uplights cast strong shadows.

Wall Washer A light that directs a wide span of light along the side of a wall. This canmake rooms with dark walls feel bigger by brightening up their surfaces.


22/22

For More Information

Internet Resources

About.com: Lighting Design

http://interiordec.about.com/od/lighting/Interior_Lighting.htmA great collection of links and articles on home lighting design, including how-to guides and shoppingtips.

FOLD1: Fast Online Lighting Designwww.fold1.comThis website is an excellent tool for lighting design. Enter your room dimensions, task and usageinformation, and other lighting requirements, and FOLD1 will tell you the best lighting options for yourspace. It also gives electricity prices (in Euros).

Green Consumer Guide

www.greenconsumerguide.comThis online guide to energy-efficient living includes an extensive section on how to decrease theenvironmental impact of your home lighting.

InfoAboutLighting.comwww.infoaboutlighting.comThis website contains extensive background information on different types of lighting fixtures, fromchandeliers to Christmas lights.

Print Resources

Gordon, Gary. Interior Lighting for Designers. New York: Wiley, 2003.This step-by-step guide to interior lighting design is a great starting point for professionaldesigners.

Karlen, Mark and James Benya. Lighting Design Basics.Hoboken, NJ: Wiley, 2004.This book contains a basic introduction to lighting both residential and commercial spaces.

Whitehead, Randall. Residential Lighting: A Practical Guide. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley, 2004.This heavily-illustrated book gives dozens of examples of design strategies, solutions tocommon mistakes, and more.

interior lighting guide

Documents