Before I get on to the topic of the week, I need to tell everyone that Trish has been published! You can see it here. To be more accurate I suppose I should say that our showroom was published. In one of those weekly Houzz articles. So not published the way it sounds. But it was Trish’s design and if it weren’t for her there wouldn’t be a set of fully stocked and styled fully-integrated refrigerator drawers in this “Kid-friendly Kitchen” article. Without those drawers the article would have been incomplete. We consider this a stepping stone. I’m convinced its only a matter of time.
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Now back to business: kitchen lighting plans. More specifically good kitchen lighting plans. Have you ever tried to develop one? For designers they are a time-consuming, painstaking, balancing act of form and function. Understanding voltage, amps, foot-candles, candle power, lumens, light cones, color temperature, housings, and the actual bulbs themselves, and then successfully applying that knowledge requires a master’s degree level of education. That’s the way it can feel, anyway. We develop lighting plans for the majority of our clients so we also have to keep up with and plan ahead for new laws and industry developments.
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In case you haven’t heard, say goodbye to the 100W incandescent bulb as you welcome in the new year. Maybe you have heard and have become a hoarder of light bulbs? You’d be in good company. Bunny Williams stockpiles them. This entertaining article in the NY Times shares many people’s extreme reactions to the bulb ban. It also touches on how obsessive designers can be when it comes to good lighting.
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Layers of task, ambient, accent, & decorative lighting are required to create the perfectly lit space. Task lighting is more important in kitchens versus living spaces, and color temperature and lamp location are two very important considerations for lighting in bathrooms. How often have you tried to apply makeup in yellow light? Yuck. And there is NOTHING attractive about being lit from above. That is the ALL-TIME WORST and most common mistake at both bathroom vanities and in dressing rooms. It only highlights flaws and adds a decade, at the very least, onto your age. I am 99.8% sure that if companies spent just a little more time and money to light women from the front, which is slimming and much more attractive, sales would improve instantaneously! And who doesn’t appreciate looking a little slimmer during the clothes buying process? I mean, come on!!! Is this too much to ask?! I don’t think so!!!
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Hmmm (deep breath)… sorry. Back to residential lighting…
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Shadows are a good thing. And a bad thing. Having everything fully illuminated is boring (Shadows provide contrast. Contrast is interesting.), but if your head creates a shadow over the chopping block you could wind up a digit short of a full set. Bad thing.
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It is important to consider how a light may create glare off of glass & polished stone, and where to place lights to avoid their beams hitting you directly in the eye. Also, how old are the people living in the space? How long will they be living there? Age and the seemingly inevitable effects of time on good vision require attention & foresight in the lighting plan process (no pun intended).
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Decorative lights are the most fun part of the selection process. Pendants above islands and sinks can provide the finishing touch and spotlight the architecture of a space.
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Are those sconces the perfect finishing touch to this rustic industrial style kitchen, or what?! The quantity makes a statement while the finish coordinates & highlights the cabinets. Bulbs are easy to change and light can be moved to wherever your little heart desires. Or needs. Fabulous.
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Under-cabinet lighting isn’t essential, but dang if it doesn’t do a heck of a job! Between task and mood lighting, then doubling (tripling?) as a night-light for the kiddies, they are an illumination work horse.
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This little post barely gets into the things we designers think about as we develop a lighting plan, but I hope some of the pictures inspired you a bit at the very least. If you ever have a need for a lighting designer, give us a call. We would love to help!
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This is an article I found interesting on lighting design via BuilderOnline.com.
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HAPPY NEW YEAR, EVERYONE!!
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