contributed by Sheryl Breze [field reporter / interior designer / lighting guru]
 
[Editor’s note: This section is meant to educate readers about the more technical aspects of the design profession (think lighting, audio-visual, heating & air conditioning, plumbing, security, etc.). Sometimes we’ll feature products, and sometimes we’ll talk about systems in general. Why? Because featuring products isn’t going to do you any good if you don’t have the Big Picture on why they’re so important in the first place. The article that follows here is the first in a series on the vital, yet mysterious, field known as Lighting Design.]

Light in itself is a phenomenon. Being able to harness light and successfully bring it into a space is a force that the design professional has at their disposal to be a star! Fundamentally, lighting is a science and a powerfully creative medium, requiring the designer to have a comfort zone with the technical as well as the bling-bling.

Lighting is responsible for the way a space is perceived; more importantly, it is responsible for how we see everything. All occupants are greatly affected by the presence and implementation of lighting. Have you ever been in a space and could not put your finger on why the space didn’t work? Or why you were uncomfortable? Betcha it was the lighting! Most highly successful designs are created when the designer has a good grasp of how lighting works, characteristics of lamp sources (“bulbs” for those uninitiated), and the appropriate lamp source for the designed space.

What is a basic checklist to consider when undertaking the lighting of a space? First of all, what is the space to be used for? Is it a public space or a private, intimate space? What tasks will be performed? What finishes are being considered? What colors? What furnishings? How do you want the occupant to FEEL? Energized, relaxed, hungry, focused, agitated, or sexy? What light levels are required? Are there areas that need to be highlighted or is an overall, balanced level of light preferred? Does the space receive natural light?

I could go on ad nauseam, but I am sure you get an idea of things to consider when designing a space. It is not all fluff. The lighting is what brings a space to life, and gives it a sustainability that we all fantasize about. The more you know, the more powerful you are.

Remember: Good lighting makes a good design better. It can even make a bad design better. Good lighting makes ME look better. And THAT, honey-bunnies, is a beautiful thing.

Coming soon: “Fluorescent Lighting IS Sexy”

For future articles, I would love to hear from you, dear reader, on how you perceive lighting and what you would most benefit from. Feel free to email me at sbrezega@aol.com.