Bright ideas for better lighting

Plan ahead
 
Lighting is the most cost effective way of ‘making’ a room, but it still pays to think about what you will be doing in different parts of a room.  For example, you may want soft lighting over a sofa and brighter lighting over a desk.  So you need to ask yourself questions such as ‘where might you work or read? Do you have any paintings or ornaments that you want to highlight with spotlights?  Where is your TV going?’
 
 
Create the mood
 
To create subtle and flexible lighting you can’t rely on just a few powerful lights.  Mixing plenty of downlights with wall lights will make it much easier to create the mood you want.
 
 
Positioning downlights
 
Ideally you should plan to have one downlight for every two square metres of ceiling.  To ensure the lighting is even without creating the ‘runway’ look (with two long lines of downlights) map out a ‘noughts and crosses’ grid diagonally across your ceiling and put downlights at every intersection and at the end of each line.
 
Cool or warm?
 
Downlights - particularly if they are halogen - tend to generate a relatively ‘cool’ cast of light, while wall lamps create a ‘warmer’ feel in a room.  Some energy-saving bulbs give off a particularly ‘warm’ yellow light. In a newly decorated room it is often worth buying a few different bulbs and experimenting to see which ones you like most before ordering in bulk.
 
 
Ceiling heights
 
Uplighters can help accentuate the height of a room, but if you use them in a room with low ceilings they will draw attention to that, too.  For rooms with very low ceiling, flush fitting lights are usually the best option.
 
Adjustable lighting
 
If you are uncertain about the position of your lighting it may make sense to fit some adjustable spotlights or downlights.  They are ideal for highlighting paintings or ornaments which you might want to move at some time in the future.
 
Low voltage
 
Low voltage 12v downlights produce more light than mains 240v downlights.  They also create a fuller spectrum of light which makes it easier to see colours accurately.  However, before buying them do make sure there is the necessary room for a transformer (about 13cm or 5 in).
 
 
Halogen lights
 
Halogen lights are excellent for places where you need to have real clarity and well focussed light, but remember that although they are usually slightly more efficient than normal lighting, they can get quite hot.
 
 
Wall lights
 
In a ‘normal’ room, the best height for wall lamps tends to be 1.65-1.7m (about 5ft 6in)
 
 
Reflections
 
In modern homes with a lot of glass you need to take possible reflections from new lights into account.  They can sometimes interfere with the style of lighting you had hoped to achieve. Reflections can also be useful though – with the help of good lighting, positioning a mirror in the right place can help to lighten a dark corner or create the illusion of space.
 
 
Proportion
 
Many people buy lights that are slightly too small for the space in which they are intended.  As a rule, lights either side of a front door (including the brackets) should be about a quarter of the door’s height.  A lantern hanging above a door should usually be no less than a third of the door’s width.