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Confused about how to light your home to best effect? We get the experts to shed some, yes, light on your frequently asked lighting questions. In this post, we focus on three specific areas of the home you'd like to illuminate.
This cosy reading corner with the bedroom features the Elizabeth sofa and Break stool Nathan designed for Ligne Roset. The light blue of the wall keeps the room looking fresh and bright.
READING CORNER
Your reading corner should be bright enough so you don't strain your eyes, but it also should not cast any harsh shadows onto your reading material. According to Janice Tan, lecturer of Interior Design at Singapore Polytechnic, you should Invest in a good table lamp. If you don’t have enough space on your table for one, look for a floor lamp or a clip-on you can mount on a nearby shelf.
Lamps with adjustable arms are helpful as you can angle the shade and the projection of light. Goosenecks are generally shorter and take up less width, while balanced-arm lamps need more space.
To cut down on glare and shadows, place the lamp slightly in front of you to your left if you are right-handed, and vice versa for lefties. You’ll need a background light in addition to the task lighting to avoid a great contrast between the light and the dark areas, which will strain your peepers. Remember to keep your book about 30cm away from your eyes.
(image: Concord)
PAINTINGS
Halogen lamps produce both ultraviolet and infrared rays, which can degrade paintings over time. General manager of Optiled, CJ Neoh, says LED is a safer option. “LED lamps do not produce ultraviolet and infrared rays, only visible light. With the absence of infrared, heat isn’t produced, thus LED lamps can be placed near the paintings for illumination.”
To highlight artwork or other special collections, you need focused light. Megaman LED Reflector is designed to focus and direct light to a specific location without the use of an external reflector.
STAIRCASES
If you like the look of lights embedded in the stairs, be prepared for some major renovation, says Maena Ong of Mong Design Studio. “It is much easier to do it on a newly built staircase as you can plan for the concealed wiring, as the light fixtures are normally 8-20cm deep.”
As a less expensive (and less messy) alternative, she suggests placing recessed wall lights close to the treads for a similar lighting effect. These throw a gentle wash of light on the wall and steps.