Home Lighting Options

To get the proper home lighting takes some planning. You have to make sure that it’s not too bright and not too dim.

Only when you get it wrong will you notice that you feel uncomfortable. It’s easy to design lighting that is safe, attractive and pleasant to work in when you know the right steps to take.

Two Types Of Lights

The two most common types of lighting found in the home are incandescent and fluorescent.

Incandescent light is warm and yellow, and is preferred for most general task lighting. However, starting in 2012, these will be hard to find as the energy conservation movement will result in compact flourescent lights (cfls) replacing the incandescent bulbs.

Incandescent bulbs can also be controlled by dimmer switches to allow better regulation of the amount of light from a given fixture. On the down side, incandescent home lighting is one of the least energy efficient forms of lighting, and also produces a substantial amount of heat.

Fluorescent light is soft and diffuses well over a larger area than incandescent, producing virtually shadow-free light. It is more economical to operate than incandescent light, producing three to five times as much light from the same wattage.

Fluorescent home lighting is naturally white, but tube coatings can be used to create a warmer, less harsh light. The tubes also produce virtually no heat during operation, but dimmer control is limited and comparatively expensive.

There are three basic levels of home lighting, depending on the location and the desired use of the lighted area.

Low level lighting, such as that for TV watching or general relaxing, should be in the 40-to-60-watt range for an incandescent light, or 16 to 22 watts for fluorescents.

Moderate level lighting is common for short term use, or for easy-seeing applications like eating, exercising, and other general tasks. It is typically in the range of 120 to 150 watts (combined in one or more fixtures), or about 30 to 44 watts of fluorescent light.

High level lighting is for prolonged use or tasks where seeing is difficult, such as reading fine print or doing intricate hobbies. This level calls for approximately 180 to 300 watts of incandescent light, or 45 watts and greater of fluorescent light.

When selecting lights for specific uses, here are some general rules of thumb:

Reading: Floor lamps should be placed slightly behind you and to the left or right of your shoulder, while table lamps should be set so the base is about at shoulder height and approximately 20 inches to either side of the reading material. Casual reading should be done under about 150 watts of light, or 200 to 250 for prolonged reading or studying.

Desk and work-table lights: Use a lamp that creates a uniform, glare- and shadow-free light on the desk. The more intricate or prolonged the work being done at the desk, the higher the wattage of light that's needed - typically a minimum of 200 watts of incandescent light or 40 watts of fluorescent.

If you're right-handed, place the lamp on the left so that the light is not shadowed by your arm - do the opposite if you're left-handed.

You can use strip lights with a series of 25-watt bulbs for good lighting around mirrors. If you're using fluorescent lights, remember that soft-white tubes are the most flattering to your skin tone.

Kitchen: Simply placing a light on the ceiling is not nearly enough for the amount of concentrated work that occurs in the average kitchen; your home lighting plan needs to concentrate light over specified work surfaces as well.

Select fluorescent fixtures for under the upper cabinets to shed light on the counters - the light is uniform and shadow-free, and heat is not a problem. Use two 100-watt bulbs or two 75-watt reflector bulbs over the sink, and one or two 60- to 75-watt bulbs over the cooktop.

Television: While some people prefer a dark room for watching television, most experts recommend that the room have some light - it lessens the sharp contrast with the bright TV screen and makes for more comfortable viewing.

Use a dimmed downlight or a floor or table lamp with a three-way bulb on the lowest setting. Place your fixtures carefully so that the light is not reflected on the TV screen.

CFLs

A compact fluorescent (CFL) is a smart move because these bulbs use much less electricity than old-fashioned incandescents, and they can normally be screwed into the same lamps and fixtures.

Although some fixtures have shapes which limit the type of bulb that will fit. This isn't typical, but you should be aware of it when shopping for CFL bulbs.

Not only will choosing a CFL save you about $30 in electric bills over the life of each bulb, it also will help you do your part to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases and other air pollutants.

“They use two-thirds less energy to provide the same amount of light, and they last a long time, up to 10 times longer than incandescents,” says Wendy Reed, communications manager for the U.S. government’s Energy Star program. The Energy Star program also estimates that replacing a single incandescent bulb with a CFL prevents nearly 500 pounds of greenhouse gas emissions.

Other Ways To Save Through Home Lighting

But there are other options to consider. In fact, there are a growing number of ways you can save electricity and make your home more comfortable by choosing the right lights.

Just a few of the most promising options include new varieties of CFLs and fluorescent lights, new superefficient light-emitting diode (LED) bulbs; and simple strategies for using less electricity and bringing in more natural light (like skylites and glass panels in doors).

Here's more information about Compact Fluorescent Lights.

You might also consider using motion sensor lighting fixtures where they seem appropriate. Closet lights that go on when you open the door are a good idea as well.

Here are a few other related pages you might find interesting:

Landscaping Lights.

Recessed Lighting.

Light Switch Timers.

Remote Light Switches.

Victorian Chandeliers.

Wirless Light Switches.

Low Voltage Track Lighting.

Solar Christmas Lights - Mr. Light provides many rechargeable and battery operated Lighting products such as Christmas Lights, Led Candles, Flameless Tea Lights, Solar String Lights, Pumpkin Lights, Lighted Signs, Solar Garden Stakes and many more.

modern light fixtures - Get enchanted by the Contemporary & Modern Designs of well-known Lighting manufacturers like Flos, Ingo Maurer, De Majo, Axo, Murano Due, Masiero, Anta, LZF & Rotaliana and many other great ones in our Shop - LightingDeluxe.com

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