Our house is almost finished. We haven’t really thought about the lighting yet. The positions of the lights are fixed, as well as the types of switches (dimmable or not).
But are there companies that might come out and take a look at the rooms to make recommendations on which lights would be suitable? It’s not about the appearance of the lights but about their function. For example, ensuring certain corners are well lit or that the light above the dining table still looks good when the table is extended. The goal is to create a cozy atmosphere, not an operating room type of lighting.
How did you handle this?
But are there companies that might come out and take a look at the rooms to make recommendations on which lights would be suitable? It’s not about the appearance of the lights but about their function. For example, ensuring certain corners are well lit or that the light above the dining table still looks good when the table is extended. The goal is to create a cozy atmosphere, not an operating room type of lighting.
How did you handle this?
H
hampshire1 Jul 2021 15:50Heidi1965 schrieb:
How did you approach this? Quite "crazy," just like many of the things we do. When something is important to us, we take the time for it. Together, we researched online, made exploratory trips to stores and manufacturers that interested us, sometimes using it as a good excuse for a weekend trip with the motorhome. The lighting stores where everything is shining side by side overwhelmed and put us off. At the same time, curiosity and a thirst for knowledge led me to study the technology, physics, and psychology of lighting in detail. Not necessary, but helpful to quickly rule things out.
Tips:
- Don’t buy fixtures you haven’t seen in a room without many other lights turned on.
- Technical data provided only describe light inadequately. Pay special attention to LEDs for:
- Artifacts (color spectrum shifts, uneven illumination, donut holes…)
- The color temperature that should feel pleasant to you, because a specified 3000K is not necessarily the same 3000K for your eyes
- Color rendering on illuminated objects (Light technically described the same way can make a surface look vivid or dull, or emphasize or fade certain colors—this is not shown in the values provided. A CRI >90 is a first technical indicator, but often not listed)
- Relationship of beam angle to fixture position and the room
- Glare tendency at the installation location
- Buy fixtures you also like when they are turned off.
- Good lighting is not cheap; expensive does not guarantee good lighting.
- Distinguish the function of the fixture—what creates a cozy atmosphere, where do you need functionality or want to work
- Have fun and be creative.
- Don’t try to do everything at once.
- Remember there are wireless fixtures, including floor lamps—they offer enormous daily flexibility. (Our less-n-more Jules has proven to be a favorite portable reading lamp and sometimes even comes with us onto the terrace…)
I believe that if the location of a light fixture is already decided (even if the specific type is not), hiring a lighting designer is wasted money. They should get involved earlier. Then, based on your wishes and their demand-oriented planning, it becomes clear where each fixture should go. The opportunity has already passed for you.
We did something similar. That’s why lighting was the biggest source of stress for us.
In the end, we just sat down, dealt with the materials, and simply ordered what we needed online.
At that time, there was no other option because everything was closed.
Still, because we put the effort in, we managed to get everything pretty much right.
We did something similar. That’s why lighting was the biggest source of stress for us.
In the end, we just sat down, dealt with the materials, and simply ordered what we needed online.
At that time, there was no other option because everything was closed.
Still, because we put the effort in, we managed to get everything pretty much right.