Almost all designers will consider lighting design issues in the middle and late stages of the project. Today we screened and sorted out the approximate steps of lighting design for everyone.
First of all, we will need to consider which locations need lighting, which locations need accent lighting, which locations need operating lighting, and which locations need decorative lighting?
After sorting out the requirements, we have to consider what method to choose. For example, what kind of method is needed for the task lighting on our desktop? Should we use spotlights, desk lamps, or floor lamps? What should the sofa use? After designing the lighting method, what lamps should we think about?
For the above steps, we have summarized three points for your reference:
- What needs lighting
- How to illuminate
- How to choose lamps
The three of them are also closely linked.
First. What needs lighting
- Analyze the function, architectural features, visual tasks, design style, furniture location, object decoration and atmosphere requirements of the overall space; determine the lighting location;
- Set the priority. In the same space, find the visual focus that catches the eyeball in the space. There may be multiple lighting goals that need to be prioritized at the same time. These goals need to consider the task lighting and accent lighting, such as the wood in the living room. The pier is the key lighting, and the hallway is the work lighting;
- Consider the space as a whole. In order to create an intimate atmosphere, soft light is hidden around the furniture. The wall is illuminated by the lamp belt and the ceiling is highlighted with indirect light, which can make the space look more open. ；
- Focusing on small carpets may make the space look warmer and more comfortable, but when the light is projected on a very smooth surface, it may cause uncomfortable glare, such as glass table tops and marble floors.
What needs lighting is usually determined by the purpose of the space. The attributes and characteristics of the illuminated objects and surfaces play an important role in it.
Second. How to perform lighting
After analyzing the space and the desired effect, you can use three basic lighting methods for lighting design
Ambient lighting-basic lighting
Basic lighting means that people can easily and safely move in the space, and can show the characteristics of the space, make the space look bigger, and make the space more comfortable by balancing the brightness of the space surface.
General lighting illuminates lower objects and surfaces can create a feeling of warmth and intimacy, while indirect lighting illuminates ceilings and walls makes the space look more rational, quiet and spacious.
For example, the bedroom uses light strips to indirectly illuminate the ceiling and walls, making the space look quieter and more spacious.
Accent lighting-illuminate special areas
Accent lighting can attract attention, enhance the effect, and arouse people’s interest.
For example, the lighting on the bathroom vanity table, because of the presence of mirrors, is generally used for accent lighting, but there is often a problem:
The lighting effect from the front pavement is better than that from the overhead, because the light from the front pavement makes the expression of the face very integral, and the light from the overhead will make the protruding parts of the face very bright and recessed. Very dark, the contrast between light and dark is too strong;
Therefore, the toilet adopts the form of no main lamp, and the washbasin uses the wall lamp as the accent lighting to weaken the contrast between light and dark, which can make the face expression of a person when looking in the mirror is very overall, and has a certain beautification effect;
Task lighting-illuminate the working surface
When a person is reading a book or writing, he needs to have enough diffused light to hit the work surface from his shoulder or side.
Therefore, according to the reading habits of the owner of the room, the designer used the chandelier as work lighting and installed it on the bedside. The angle of the chandelier was adjusted according to the reading posture of the owner;
A key element of how to illuminate is where the lighting fixtures are placed. This is particularly important to avoid glare and light curtain reflections. This is also a decisive factor that emphasizes or weakens the surface texture of the object. Spotlights are installed on both sides and installed. Right in front.
The front light hits the desktop, and the reflected light directly hits people’s eyes, which is prone to glare. The lights on both sides hit the desktop, and the reflected light exits from both sides of the peripheral light. This avoids the fact that the writing is too bright and the font is not clear when reading .
Therefore, functional spotlights must be installed on both sides, and desktop materials, such as glass, are not suitable for spotlights. The buffing near the wall and the washing wall a little further in front. When the lamp is closer to the wall, the light will expose the flaws on the wall. In this case, the buffing will expose the flaws on the wall more easily. This is also an emphasis. Or a decisive factor that weakens the surface texture of the object.
Third. How to choose lamps
How to choose lamps is to choose the most suitable light source, lighting method and control method for each space.
The choice of light source is divided into: light distribution requirements, color rendering, color temperature, and maintenance costs. The light distribution requirements are related to the light source and the lamp, because the lamp is not only the installation base of the light source, but also redistributes the light emitted by the light source to accurately illuminate the target area, and shielding the light source can avoid glare.
How bright light is needed?
The elderly need higher brightness (65-year-olds need twice the brightness of 20-year-olds) and are more sensitive to glare. Therefore, for places where users are elderly, not only sufficient light is needed, but also To control the glare.
Each application has a different range: low illuminance values for young people under 25 years old, intermediate illuminance values for people 25-65 years old, and high illuminance values for elderly people over 65.
Choose lamps
We need to consider aspects including: lamp efficiency; lamp efficiency; the distance between the lamp and the visual target; the use of occupancy sensing, dimming or multi-level control.
Mainly choose the light source, confirm the color temperature, color rendering and illuminance of the light; confirm the lighting fixtures, which areas need functional lamps and which areas need decorative lamps.