As a decorator, I'm often asked which design decisions have the biggest and longest-lasting impact — what clients still appreciate years later. There are many, but there is one that's universal: good lighting. Good lighting will not only improve your mood; it also has the potential (when placed in the right spot) to save your sanity.
Of course, good lighting will make a difference visually no matter where it's placed. However, we will start with some often-overlooked areas where the right lighting can make a huge impact.
• Closets. This has been very much on my mind lately because our home's tiny, poorly lit closets happen to bring me more stress than project deadlines or just about anything else. The other day, as I was on my hands and knees, wondering where in the world one small shoe could have gone in a 3 by 3 foot front hall closet, my daughter/genius (she's 7) piped up, "mommy, we need a light in there." Aha! Sometimes it's the smallest spaces that need the best lighting. A good light in the closet will make even an undersized one more efficient.
• Under kitchen shelves/cabinets. The closer I get to 30, the more convinced I become of the fact that task lighting in the kitchen is key. Save yourself the squint wrinkles and install a few under shelf/cabinet lights. When I remember to turn mine on, I slice like a pro. Plus, turning these on and turning off the overhead lights creates a nice ambiance. For more information check out these posts:
• Smart Solutions: Under-Cabinet Lighting
• Minimal & Efficient: Use LEDs for Under Cabinet Lighting
• The Entry/Landing strip. It's the first place your guests see when they enter your home, and the spot where you probably need the best organization as you dart out the door (hopefully with your easily accessible keys and phone). A warm light here sets a welcoming tone and makes your daily exit all the easier.
• Bathrooms.This should go without saying, right? Well, I can tell you that it needs to be said as often as possible, because more than half the homes I work in have terrible lighting in the bathrooms. Ideally, you should use a mix of diffused lights. I like halogen for vanity lights and incandescent for overhead. The light should be soft enough to be flattering, but not so dim that you can't apply makeup easily.
(Image: David & John's Deco Meets Modern )
Apartment Therapy's Sofa Shopping Guide
Nikki’s Sweet and Cheery Print Studio
Good Food to Share 
The Big Book of Small, Cool Spaces 
Apartment Therapy Presents 
The Eight-Step Home Cure 
Stanley Console by ...
5 Things Paris Taught Me About Travel
Recipe: Ham, Cheddar & Chive Egg Bakes
You are very correct about all those areas which needs more light. LED lighting is the energy saving way.
How about some recommendations for closet lights? In my experience it's not so easy to find closet lights that are both bright enough and easy to install (remember us renters who need the battery operated ones).
I have been struggling with a hallway closet that was in dire need of lighting. I spoke with several contractors and an electrician that were trying to figure out a way to get a light in there. Even with a dropped ceiling the request seemed like a major chore.
We just purchased some battery operated LED lights from costco. They are light and motion sensing with no wires needed. I mounted one to the left and right. Now the lights automatically turn on when the door is opened. Amazing! I couldn't agree with Leah more that a well lit closet will enhance your use and organization even a tiny space. Thanks!
I'd add light for reading. I can't say how many times I've viewed a beautiful photo of a living room or bedroom, only to realize there is no provision for reading light.
Any recommendations on what lightbulbs to use now that incandescent bulbs are being phased out? I get migraines from fluorescent and LEDs don't provide a good quality of light (yes, they're bright - but I can't read by them). Also, my friends are having trouble finding lightbulbs to use in overhead lighting with dimmers. Fluorescent (CFLs) don't work with a dimmer switch.
Help!!!
I need more light on my desk, I like the vintage style, please help!
Light is amazing. It has the power to change the mood of a room completely.
I could go on and on about it. There are very few rooms that really NEED to be lit up like an operating theatre. And it's not just about the amount of light but how it is used.
Our closets, cupboards, and bathrooms all need better light. Also, the picture of that entry way is stunning.
Speaking of lighting, the household item that has changed my life is my prized vanity mirror, which I set on top my vanity table (read: old, refinished desk). I absolutely love it and get compliments on it from everyone...
http://www.vanitygirlhollywood.com/lighted-vanity-mirrors/starlet-lighted-vanity-mirror.html
Anyone know a good light or series of lights for plants that are also attractive for humans? I live with a giant indoor ficus tree, which needs more direct light than it gets from the north facing windows. All the "plant lights" I see are hideous. Ready to renovate and would be happy to install something more permanent --- or anything at all --- if anyone has lighting recommendations. Thanks!
Bath lighting is very frequently placed incorrectly by architects and contractors. The National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA) has clear standards that are worth taking a look at as you plan your efforts.
You don't need a plant light, you need a plant bulb that will screw into a light you can aim at your plants. They look like standard incandescent bulbs. You just have to make sure that the light being put out is bright enough and direct enough for your plants.
Being a former lighting salesperson, I can agree to all of the above. Closets, for the life of me, are never well lit, even in newer homes. I blame it on lazy design.
There are three types lighting: general (lets you see where you are going), task (lets you see what you're doing) and accent (makes the place look nice by accenting a part of the room or item).
There are CFLs that are meant for use with dimmer switches, but they are expensive. I have one lamp with this type of bulb and I think the single bulb was about $10 at Lowe's. Fortunately, it does seem to work just fine. I have about six other fixtures in my house with dimmer switches and am planning to wait until the current incandescents die before putting in dimmable CFLs.
what brand did you buy?
I would LOVE more articles on this subject, with details! For example, I once saw a picture of a shower stall that had a light in the ceiling above it. Do lighting experts recommend that? Also a rundown of the different kinds of bulbs available.
I think the "phasing out" of incandecents might be a partial misunderstanding. There's going to be some regulation or other put in place, but they're not going to become illegal as many people thought. Hopefully, they'll continue to be widely and easily available. LEDs and flourescents are just such icky light, even the ones that are a bit more like daylight than the early, sickly ones. And that's not even to mention how VERY non-green they are, with their mercury filling. Calling them green because they use less electricity is very misleading. If you're not aware of this yet, just check out the instuctions you're told to folllow if one breaks. You'd thing there was a nuclear leak happened in your own house.
*you'd think, not you'd thing... d'oh!
For some closets, a good ceiling light right outside the closet or a sconce on the opposite wall throws enought light to be useful. (My hall coat closet works this way.)
Don't forget about daylighting! Careful planning can substantially reduce the need for electric lighting.
For task lighting high efficiency halogens can be an efficient option. Because they better approximate a point source they work better in reflectors to put light where it is actually needed. In contrast CFL PAR lamps are much more diffuse.
Tube fluorescent lighting technology is also advancing. Newer electronic ballasts run lights at much higher frequencies. This makes them flicker free. Newer tube florescent bulbs (T5 and T8) are also more efficient than traditional T12 bulbs. Neon T5 lamps are also starting to make their way onto the market. They can put out about the same amount of light as their florescent counterparts, but with less energy.
LED technology is getting better, but for now I think it is only suitable for ambient and accent lighting. It is difficult to design economical high power LED bulbs because as the power increases the amount of heat that has to be dissapated requires larger and larger heatsinks.
Phillips has a new CFL bulb out that is crazy expensive but much better than previous CFLs. I bought one to try and put it in a lamp in my living room. I know the lampshade helps too, but the warm quality of the light seems identical to incandescent bulbs, in contrast to a lot of other CFLs.
Studio57 - pearlgirl beat me to this comment. Phillips LED bulbs put out light that is very similar to incandescent bulbs. A warm color not that weird blue. The bulbs are expensive but, I have found my electric bill has decreased by about 20% since I started switching over the LEDs.
The other challenge with LEDs is sufficient brightness. Again Phillips is starting to get around this. Here is my next purchase: http://www.amazon.com/PHILIPS-EnduraLED-Dimmable-Light-1100Lm/dp/B006OTAE8Y/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1358462910&sr=8-2&keywords=Phillips+LED
^ I have the 60-watt equivalent and love it.
I have crossed the 40 threshold and find that I need bright lighting everywhere to see anything. I have taken up embroidery too and think about strapping a flashlight to my forehead just so I can see what I am doing!
Do you have any suggestions for someone who is sensitive to the electrical hum omitted by most CFL's? Yes, I know I'm an oddity... ha ha! Thanks!
I would love more info on lighting.My home is in desperate need of decent lighting,not just the areas mentioned above,but everywhere.Every time I try to research it,I get so confused I just give up and don't do anything.One thing I don't understand: I switched out the old incandescent for a CFL,in the same lamp,and the light is exactly the same.No difference at all that I can see.Just as dim and depressing (and not very useful to actually see by).What do I have to do to get some light that isn't dark and dreary? All the lamps and bulbs I've tried,incandescent and CFL,give exactly the same light.I don't know what I'm doing wrong.So frustrating.
A few thoughts for you:
1. What kind of fluorescents have you tried? The more up-to-date ones work off an electronic ballast and don't have the old, noticeable flicker.
2. Halogen lights are still available and emit a bright, white light that I like.
3. There are compact fluorescents that can be used with a dimmer. Halogens can be used with dimmers, and even many fluorescent tubes that use electronic ballasts.
@wittersgarden: fluorescent ballasts do emit a hum. The electronic ballasts should be quieter.
Loose ballasts and lamps can also increase the volume of the hum, so check that everything fits well and securely.
Otherwise, if you can, you can move the ballast to a place where you can't hear it.
@Annie-O: "And that's not even to mention how VERY non-green they are, with their mercury filling. Calling them green because they use less electricity is very misleading."
When a fluorescent lamp giving off the same light uses four to six times *less* energy, that is certainly green, and more than offsets the minuscule amount of mercury in it. Lighting adds up, and electricity is still produced mainly by the consumption of natural resources. Consider that utilities have to match capacity to peak demand, and you get a sense of how much waste there is, and how much we can save with fluorescents.
You need to make sure that the actual dimmer switch works with a dimmable CFL; it's not just about the bulb. I installed new dimmer switches when I was doing a renovation, and I paid about $5 more for the right dimmer switch that would work with CFLs.
For people like me who are sensitive to the florescent flicker, this legislation/movement has been a nightmare.
I was actually looking for a new extendible arm task lamp yesterday and the display was all CFL's. I had a strong headache upon leaving the store. Not to mention I'm an artist and need clear crisp light to properly work in the studio. LED and CFL light is NOT that type of light. I'll stick with halogen until I can find something that compares.
With regard to lights in showers, I'm currently renovating, and my architect placed recessed lights over the tub and shower which I requested for safety reasons. I particularly wanted one over the tub because I plan on using a shower curtain and don't want my 70 y/o mother getting injured when she comes to visit which means I also need to install grab bars.
I may be crazy, but I haven't found a light I like nearly as much as the GE Reveal bulb. So far we've been saving the environment through dimmer switches instead.
I'd add hallways to that list. We have this one, albeit short, hallway that has exactly 0 lighting.
I think good lighting is the best "secret" of good interior design. Well placed for tasks and architecture, the right wattage for the bulb, the right style and proportion of the lamp design. I have come to really dislike the overkill of recessed can lights that seem to go into all new construction. Practical, I suppose, but it has no artistry to it.
I think a great lamp can upgrade a room the same way a great necklace can make a $60 dress look like couture.
I have to add over the kitchen sink to this list. The house I'm in now has terrible kitchen lighting anyway, but there's nothing over the sink. I have to turn on both the kitchen & living room lights to see well enough to make sure dishes are actually clean.