Lighting in Design Q2 2019

The lounge is known as the living room for good reason. It's the place where we spend a lot of time, be it socialising with family and friends, watching television or practicing a hobby. Considered lighting works to enhance the look and feel of a space, and plays an important part in achieving the right ambience. How to light a lounge

T he best lights for a lounge are usually a bal- anced combination of different lights, which are determined by the main function of the space, as well as individual taste and style. The experts at Eurolux offer their insights below on lighting for the lounge/living area. Uplighters Uplighters illuminate from the bottom up, essen- tially lighting the ceiling. These types of lights tend to be comfortable on the eye and create little glare. Illuminating the ceiling helps to make a room appear larger than it is, which can be useful in small homes. Uplighters also make it seem like the ceiling is the source of light, and as it reflects down it creates a soft, even spread of light. Uplighters tend to work best on white ceilings and have little or no effect on thatch or wooden panel ceilings. Uplighters with a dimmer switch, are useful because they let you easily control the amount of light in the room. Downlighters It is possible that uplighters aren’t the best option for a space.That’s when downlighters work. Since they're recessed in the ceiling themain benefit of downlight- ers is that they allow for an even spread of light. They're a popular choice and available in a variety of styles and sizes. As a rule of thumb, downlighters need to be placed 1.5 to 2 m apart but this also depends on the height of the ceiling and what the lights are needed for. Generally, the higher the ceiling the more downlighters needed, unless you're opting for a particularly soft light effect. Downlighters are the best option for creating fo- cus within a room, especially if you have a particular ornament or artwork that needs to be illuminated. For the best results use a 24-degree beam for fo- cused lighting, such as highlighting a picture, and a 60-degree beam for creating an even spread of light across a broader area or for passageways. A 38-degree beam is the most common option for downlighters, but they can create ‘archways’ of light on the walls, especially down passages.

One of the best features of downlighters is that they are dimmable, which allows you to easily con- trol the amount of light within a room. Downlighters also work as ‘supplementary’ lighting if you want to illuminate the inside of a cabinet, a dark bookcase or the inside of a bay window. Chandeliers and pendant lights A chandelier or pendant light is a great way to create a focal point in the lounge or add a touch of sophis- tication to a living space. Size is the most important consideration when selecting a chandelier.They are designed to ‘float’ in a space so a fixture that is too big will overpower the space, while one that is too small will look out of place. It’s also important to consider the other furnishings and how this striking light piece will complement them. Chandeliers typi- cally hang in the centre of the room, which could leave the corners dark, but table and floor lamps are a great way to remedy that. If a chandelier is not suitable, pendant lights are a good way to achieve a stylish, modern look. Pendant lights face either up or down; up-facing fit- tings diffuse the light to the ceiling, which reduces glare, while down-facing fittings are best for a more focused and intimate effect, though of course it doesn't illuminate the ceiling at all. Down-facing pendants work especially well in small rooms Wall lights Wall lights can be made to work beautifully in a lounge, even if you already have a chandelier or pendant lights as a focal point. Wall lights are best used to create an effect on the wall, to illuminate dark corners or to enhance the decor. As they're generally fitted at eye level and have glass shades, the light from wall lamps is usually beautifully dif- fused.This also helps to reduce harshness and adds to a soft ambience. On a practical note, wall lights are also ideal for highlighting pictures. By reflecting light off the artwork into the room, wall lights help to create a strong point of interest around your picture. www.eurolux.co.za

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LiD Q2 - 2019