Lighting has an obvious function, but it is important to light a room properly. Harsh, glaring lights in the study can cause headaches or eyestrain, while insufficient lighting in the kitchen or workshop could be dangerous.
To keep you and your family safe, observe the manufacturer’s guidelines when hanging lamps, chandeliers and wall lamps and follow lighting tips for each room. Seek professional advice on all electrical matters.
• The light source should illuminate the room fully and evenly.
• Light projected from the ceiling should not diminish the effect of nearby floor or table lamps.
GOOD TO KNOW 
The end of incandescence
In 1880, Thomas Alva Edison patented the incandescent light bulb. Today, the bulb’s fate is sealed: Many countries have either banned incandescent bulbs or will begin phasing them out. Energy-saving bulbs (such as CFLs or LEDs) use a fraction of the energy of traditional bulbs and come in many different forms, colors and temperatures. By making the switch you can reduce lighting energy consumption by up to 80 percent.
A hanging light fixture is a common sight in a modern home, but not all are properly hung. Follow these suggestions when installing one.
• Pendant lights are perfect for casting light on dining room tables. Hang them about 30–34 inches (76–86 cm) above the table for an 8 feet (2.5 m) high ceiling so they provide enough light without disrupting sight lines or blinding guests.
• If the ceiling is higher and you plan to use large, dramatic table centerpieces, hang a pendant light a little higher so guests can see one another.
Glittering crystal chandeliers are the most elegant forms of hanging lamps. They have become much more affordable through the use of glass-like synthetic materials. However, a chandelier won’t show a dining room to its best advantage if it is draped with cobwebs and a layer of dust, so it needs to be cleaned regularly. (See “Smart housekeeping,” here.)
Wall lamps supplement the main light source in a room and play an important role in mood lighting. Here are some suggestions for using them to their best advantage.
• A beam of light shining up or down on the wall can visually separate different areas of activity in a room from each other.
• If you want wall lamps to help spread the light evenly in a room, make sure that more light is shining upwards than downwards.
Portable floor lamps come in many different attractive styles and will always brighten up dark areas of a family room or den.
• Floor lamps create a cozy atmosphere, lighten dead corners and provide reading light.
• Torchières (lamps on tall stands) can add a striking accent and also be used as reading lamps.
A CLASSIC floor lamp ADDS ELEGANCE AND DIFFUSES soft light.
Table and desk lamps can be both decorative and useful.
• They can look pretty on an occasional table or they may be essential for bedtime reading or for close work in a study.
• You can make an imaginative lamp base from a clay pot, clear vase or ceramic urn, using a lamp kit from a hardware store. Be sure to use only materials that aren’t combustible, as the bulb will emit heat.
Basic lighting is provided by a ceiling light, but halogen spotlights or fluorescent tubes installed under hanging cabinets can illuminate important working areas much better.
• Recessed downlights over the sink or stove can create good task lighting for cooking, baking or scouring pots and pans.
• Kitchen islands and breakfast bars can be effectively lit and highlighted with a series of pendant lights.
• A pendant over the kitchen table provides lighting for doing homework, tackling paperwork, undertaking hobbies and more.
The living room is more about ambience, so torchière lamps can provide basic lighting but they will reveal any bumps on the ceiling and walls, so place them carefully. Here are several other things to consider.
• Islands of light created by several small table lamps accentuate certain spaces.
• Colored lights can create a fun effect, depending on the color and position.
• To relieve eyestrain, illuminate the wall behind the TV with a soft light source.
• Indirect lighting, mounted, for example, along baseboards, in glass cabinets or behind a curtain rod can provide a pleasing lighting effect.
• Choose a hanging lamp with a pleasant and glare-free light to install over the dining table. A dimmer switch that allows you to adjust light conditions is ideal: Turn the light up for a family dinner, down for an intimate meal for two.
THE DINING AREA should be STYLISHLY LIT and FREE from glare.
• A ceiling light that can be turned on and off at the door or from the bed generally provides the basic light source in a bedroom. However, it is also important to invest in a good bedside reading lamp if you enjoy reading in bed.
• Halogen lamps or fluorescent lights provide basic lighting in many bathrooms these days. For a more focused illumination of the vanity area, you can install additional lights that don’t cause glare or shadows above or on both sides of the mirror.
