Residential Lighting Design

252 Pages·2014·31.61 MB·English

by  Steffen

Residential
LIGHTING DESIGN
MARCUS STEFFEN

Residential
LIGHTING DESIGN
MARCUS STEFFEN
THE CROWOOD PRESS
First published in 2014 by
The Crowood Press Ltd
Ramsbury, Marlborough
Wiltshire SN8 2HR
www.crowood.com
This e-book first published in 2014
© Marcus Steffen 2014
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any
means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval
system, without permission in writing from the publishers.
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
ISBN 9781847977571
Disclaimer
This book is intended for guidance on wiring and installation only. Regulations do change over time, and all
lighting should be installed by qualified professionals to the latest set of standards. Wiring diagrams are
presented to give knowledge of the principle of installation, and all installations should refer to the
manufacturer’s specified installation diagrams. The author and publishers accept no responsibility for
incorrect installation or wiring.
Dedication
This book is for my wife and children, whose love and support bring me inspiration every day.
Acknowledgements
I would like to thank John and Leigh Everett of Mr Resistor. Without them starting me on the path to being
a lighting designer I would never have had this chance to write a book. They shared their vast knowledge
and gave me freedom to create and make mistakes, learning in the process. I have been allowed to learn and
progress with their support and help. Thank you for my wonderful clients, who let me into their lives and
homes, and allowed me such a personal view into how they live. Without willing clients who also have a
passion for lighting I would not be able to create good lighting designs. Thank you to Alan Hughes and
Atousa who gave me the opportunity to lecture at the Inchbald School of Design. They have been helpful
and supportive and given me the wonderful task of introducing interior designers into the world of lighting.
Finally, thank you to my wife, Emanuela, for her patience and understanding in the time I needed to write
this book. She has supported me and helped take care of our family while I have sat trying to convey my
thoughts onto paper.
CONTENTS
1 The Nature of Light
2 Lamps
3 Light Fittings
4 Basics of Lighting Design
5 The Heart of the Home: the Kitchen
6 Luxury and Style: the Bathroom
7 Comfort and Relaxation: the Living Room
8 Entertaining with Drama: the Dining Room
9 The Retreat from the World: the Bedroom
10 Lighting Controls
11 Creating a Lighting Plan
Index
CHAPTER 1
THE NATURE OF LIGHT
LED strip set into a recess under the handrail illuminates the stairs, while pendants and wall lights
provide general and effect lighting within the space.
Light is a complex medium with which to work. While light itself is understood
by science, how it is perceived by humans is still not fully comprehended.
Different people react to light in different ways, and it is important to be
sensitive to what people like and dislike with certain properties of light.
LED lighting in a living room with an LED strip used as a guide light inthe hallway. (Photo: Mr
Resistor)
Light, and this book deals only with visual light, is the emission of energy
within a certain bandwidth range, known as the visual spectrum. The range of
wavelengths is generally between 390nm and 700nm, though this can vary
depending on the person. Light can be received directly from a light emitter,
such as a lamp, but it can also be seen as a reflection from other objects. The
colour of objects is determined by the light that is reflected from their surfaces,
and thus received by the eye.
Light travels in straight lines, and so it is easy to predict where light will fall
within a room. Standard mathematics can be used to determine if a light source
will be visible and have a high glare, or if light will fall on a particular surface.
When light travels through different materials, such as air and glass, then the
direction of the light will change. Most of the time this is not relevant, but when