Shedding Light on the Importance of Lighting

Earlier this summer, I described the fun and informative field trip that the A. Houck Designs team took to the Niermann Weeks studio near Annapolis, Maryland. In that post, I touched briefly on the importance of lighting to a space’s overall design. I thought it would be worthwhile to expand on that topic a little — because you really can’t overstate the importance of good lighting in creating a functional and inviting space. Here are my tips on how to properly light spaces in your home.

A well-thought-out lighting plan typically includes a mix of the three types of lighting: ambient (or general), task and accent. It begins with a look at how you use the space — eating, cooking, conversing, reading and so forth. Some lighting, such as chandeliers and sconces, is decorative; other types, like recessed ceiling lights, are pure workhorses. A layered approach works best in most spaces.

Setting a Dining Room’s Mood

Lighting goes a long way toward creating the ambience and mood of a space — it can even affect our mood when we’re in a space. Perhaps no where is ambience more important than in the dining room. Who can enjoy a meal under harsh, cold light? For ambient lighting in our clients’ Bethesda dining room, we went for all-out drama with four hammered-iron pendants from Arteriors that cast a warm glow on the table.

One of the primary considerations when choosing lighting is scale. When the fixture’s scale is wrong, it throws off the entire spatial atmosphere. I find that most folks err on the side of going too small, especially over the dining table. That’s not to say that one large chandelier is always the answer, as this room proves. Collectively, the pendants offer the scale we needed and the impact we wanted. Be sure to put dimmers on your lights (and not just in the dining room) to better control the atmosphere.

In an eclectic Washington, DC, space, a pair of custom buffet lamps from Julie Neill Designs supplement the chandelier and provide a bit of bling.

More than one light source in a space gives you more flexibility and control. Layers are the answer!

Lighting a Kitchen or Bar

Of course, task lighting is key in a kitchen, particularly over the island. Here we installed three glass fishbowl pendants from Tracy Glover Objects and Lighting:

These striped pendants introduce a touch of color in the neutral space. Another word on scale: I’ve noticed a trend in outsized island pendants (I’m talking HUGE) and, personally, I’m not a fan. Scale works both ways and, yes, it is possible to go too big! Larger pendants would have overtaken this kitchen space. We augmented the pendants with LED recessed lights around the perimeter.

In another client’s kitchen, we combined pendants, recessed cans and under-cabinet lights to create a warm atmosphere and plenty of general and task lighting.

The under-cabinet lights not only illuminate the countertop for food prep but also show off the mosaic, stone backsplash tile.

We certainly layered in the lighting for the French Modern Bar we created at the 2013 DC Design House. The space featured a glass-orb pendant from Nuevo and an organic-quality lamp from Ron Dier Design.

For added drama, though, we concealed LED strips in the walls (by notching out the mirrored walls) at the ends of the floating glass shelves. Back in 2013, LED strips were fairly new so this was an innovative approach at the time. I know LED lighting has its share of nay-sayers, but the technology has come a long way in recent years. To ensure a warm look, opt for 2,700 – 3,000 kelvins. Higher numbers in the range cast a bluer, more industrial light. LED bulbs don’t have to be replaced nearly as often, making them a particularly practical solutions for recessed and other hard-to-reach lights.

Solving the Living-Room Lighting Puzzle

Living rooms can be tricky to properly illuminate. Often living-room lighting plans rely on just table and floor lamps. I like to supplement those sources with lighted wall sconces, whenever possible. In this Arlington living room, a pair of sconces by Suzanne Kasler for Visual Comfort provides accent lighting over the fireplace — and highlights a special piece of artwork.

The unconventional seating arrangement, with a grouping of four chairs and a cluster of accent tables, didn’t allow for traditional table lamps, so the fireplace sconces and floor lamp played particularly important roles in the lighting plan.

Balancing Function and Form in Bathroom Lighting

Good lighting is essential in a full bath for those exacting tasks like applying make-up or shaving. I much prefer wall-mounted sconces flanking mirrors to shadowy overhead lights. We installed three Pottery Barn sconces in this Falls Church master bathroom with double sinks and mirrors.

Powder rooms don’t have the same exacting requirements as full baths, so it’s fun to take a bit of poetic license in them, as we did in this Capitol Hill space. An AERIN chandelier for Visual Comfort makes quite the statement and creates a sense of airiness in a confined space.

The verdant ceiling really shows the crystals to their best advantage. Pro tip: ceiling color can influence the overall look and feel of a chandelier.

Layering a Bedroom’s Light

Bedrooms should have, at a minimum, good ambient light for dressing and relaxing (remember, dimmers can help control the mood) and strong task light for bedtime reading. In the 2016 DC Design House, I created the Mademoiselle Chambre, a bedroom inspired by an imagined French teenage girl. Our lighting choices had to mesh with the girly yet glamorous vibe we sought to create. A Bocce table light in candy-colored strips by Tracy Glover and a Kate Spade chandelier with crystal flowers, installed on a pale pink ceiling, were the perfect choices.

Just look at how the crystals sparkle against the ceiling’s sophisticated hue:

In lieu of bedside table lamps, I sometimes specify swing-arm wall lamps, particularly in bedrooms where space is at a premium. This Bethesda master bedroom illustrates the point, with wall-mounted lamps by Visual Comfort.

Poor, inadequate lighting can certainly dampen the mood of a space. And light fixtures that fight with the space’s overall feel can have a spoiler effect too. I’ve seen one bad lighting choice throw off an entire space. In form and function, the impact of lighting just can’t be ignored when creating a space. I hope my tips on how to properly light spaces will guide your future selections. Let me know if I can help.