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How to plan the right lighting in your home
The right light in the right place
Every room needs several different light points to fulfil its function and create the right atmosphere. A good starting point is to choose general lighting according to the primary function of the room. Then you can add more light points to highlight focal points such as paintings or vases, armchairs or other favourite objects in the room. Remember to vary both the intensity and the position of the light to create a dynamic range.
A room is most effective when general lighting is mixed with different types of light points, such as floor lamps, window lamps and directional spotlights. Five to ten points of light per room, depending on the size and scope of the room is usually a good rule of thumb.
Windows, mirrors or other types of glass reflect light. Therefore, avoid bright or directional light sources towards the window or TV, for example, otherwise you risk being dazzled. It may also be worth considering the dimmer function of your lights. Not all light sources are dimmable, but if you have a dimmer switch connected to the ceiling light or to one of your other light points, you will have a lot more freedom to adjust the light points as needed.
It's not just the number of light points that determines how cosy or atmospheric a room feels, the nature and characteristics of the light sources are also very important. The right type of light in the right place makes all the difference!
LED light bulbs - the right technology is essential
The traditional incandescent lamp has been phased out for some time, both low-energy and halogen lamps have since emerged as replacements. However, these two technologies are now also dying out. Instead, light sources with LED technology continue to develop and take over the market.
Above all, it is the energy-saving technology in LED lamps that has made the light source a popular and environmentally friendly choice. An LED lamp consumes as little as 10% of the energy of a traditional light bulb. This means that the heat generated is significantly lower, which in turn means that the life of the light source is significantly longer. LED lights can therefore be used in very confined spaces and are also ideal for outdoor lighting that is switched on for long periods.
LED light bulbs have other favourable characteristics, such as the fact that they immediately illuminate at full intensity rather than needing time to heat up. They also contain no mercury, making them better for the environment and easier to recycle. This technology also makes LED lights less sensitive to shocks and vibrations.
The Nebra pendant from New Works is a stylish lamp with built-in dimmer function and LED light source.
Choose light source according to your needs
Once you have a clear picture of how the room will be used, what general lighting is required and what objects or areas in the room should be in focus, it's time to look at the characteristics of your light sources. Every room has different functions, which means that the needs will also look different in each room. We can divide the type of lighting into three categories; decorative (or mood) lighting, general lighting and task lighting.
To describe the properties and character of light, we can, use lumens and Kelvin. Lumens measure the amount of light a bulb gives off, while Kelvin is used to describe the colour, read on to find out more.
What type of light do you need? Identifying this will make it easier to make the right choice when it comes to light sources.
General lighting
The broadest and often the most difficult type is general lighting. It is difficult to say exactly what is right or wrong here, as the total area of the room plays a big role in what values to aim for. Taste also plays a role, as does the total number of light sources. The easiest way to break down values is to start with the traditional light bulb.
A 60W bulb is equivalent to about 800 lumens and has a colour temperature of 2700 Kelvin (40W is equivalent to about 450 lumens). This is usually sufficient to light small to medium-sized rooms (around 10-25 m²). Many people choose to go for a slightly whiter glow (around 3000 K) to get slightly clearer colour rendering in the home.
Lumen: 450-800 lm Kelvin: 2700-3000 K
With the Moon ceiling light from Verpan you get a cosy glow and general light in your home.
Task lighting
A clear and proper light is essential when it comes to task lighting. The white/cool light makes it easier for the eye to focus and requires less effort, making you more efficient and less tired. Therefore, reading lights and workspaces (e.g. kitchen or office) should be equipped with light sources that emit a cool glow. Aim for a range of 3300-4500 Kelvin for best results.
When it comes to lumens, the number of light sources and the distance between the light source and the work surface play a major role, but since we generally want a powerful light, we can generally aim for from 800 lumens up to 1500 lumens. For an ordinary reading lamp with a short distance to the work surface, however, about 400 lumens is more than enough.
Lumen: 800-1500 lm Kelvin: 3300-4500 K
Shape & socket
The last thing you need to look at before you hit the purchase button is the actual shape and base of the light source. There are three sockets that are found in the majority of all lamps today. These are E27 (large screw base), E14 (small screw base) and GU10 (bayonet base). You need to know this in order to buy the right lightbulb for your new lamp.
Light bulbs also have different shapes, which can be useful to know. Some of the most common are the standard bulb, globe bulb, chandelier, pear bulb and globe light.
Glossary of terms you need to know when choosing a light bulb
To understand the characteristics and nature of light sources, you need to know some of the most common terms, which we list here.
Watt (W)
A 60W bulb doesn't really tell us anything about how much it illuminates. It only tells us the amount of energy consumed per hour. Watts therefore measure power. A high wattage means a high energy consumption, heat output and cost.
Lumen (lm)
Lumen is a unit used to measure the luminous flux or brightness of a light source. In the past, the unit Watt was often used (incorrectly) to give consumers a simple idea of luminous flux. But Watt can be very misleading today when a 7W LED bulb can light up as much as a 40W incandescent bulb. Therefore, lumens are a better and more accurate value.
Kelvin (K)
The Kelvin scale is used to measure colour temperature. In lighting, we can say that the scale ranges from about 2000 K (candlelight) to about 5000 K (sterile hospital environment). Normal colour temperature for a home environment is usually in the range of 2700-3000 K.
Rendering average (Ra)
The Ra value is a measure of colour rendering, i.e. how realisticly we perceive the colours of the object we are illuminating. The scale ranges from 1-100.
