So much of what we see in current design magazines and books are the ultra-modern, ultra-clean interiors. It's true that progressive design is a hot topic, but it's not for everyone. How does the owner of a more traditionally styled house make use of today's lighting techniques? Can new lighting techniques be applied to non-cutting-edge spaces to enhance the sense of warmth and comfort that these cozy interiors inspire? The answer is a resounding...Yes!

The trick is to keep the upgrades subtle so that the old standbys, such as chandeliers and table lamps, give the illusion of providing a room's illumination.

Kitchens-the new center for entertaining. More than ever, the kitchen has become the place people begin the evening's activities. Friends sip on a glass of wine while their hosts make last-minute preparations for the meal. The kitchen needs to have a warm, inviting light like the rest of the house. Careful layering of task, ambient and decorative light will help create a comfortable, inviting space.

Bedrooms-the final destination. We end up spending a third of our lives in the bedroom, and some of us spend a lot of time entertaining there as well. The main thrust, so to speak, is to have good ambient illumination. The bottom line is that you want to look good and that's the main function of ambient light.

Secondarily, task light at the bedside for reading should be unobtrusive. Here, like in all the other rooms of the house, the portable fixtures should not be the primary focus.

Dining Rooms-the main event. When friends come over for the evening, often the excitement is centered on the meal. Just as in successful restaurants, ambiance is an important factor. If people feel good and comfortable in a restaurant, they tend to subconsciously include that factor in the establishment's overall appeal. Great lighting can make even the most humble meal a star.

At home, the same principles apply. Typically, a chandelier will illuminate a dining room. The problem is that this single light source has to be cranked up so high that its glare overpowers the room visually, eclipsing everything else. The solution is to add fill light and highlighting so that the chandelier can just be a sparkling glow.


LIGHTING TECHNIQUES

The necessary general illumination can come from wall sconces, torchieres or cove lighting. Some manufacturers include a second source of indirect light inside their chandeliers, which is switched separately from the candle part, so that each can be dimmed or brightened to a pleasant level.

Feature lighting, such as recessed adjustable fixtures or track fixtures, will highlight art and the centerpiece to add a dramatic touch.

In reality, the dining room table often becomes a workspace when the owners are not entertaining. The availability of a bright, indirect light will provide excellent shadowless illumination for when bills are being paid or tax records are being sorted out.

Usually, the dining room table itself was always too big for anything other than a meal for eight or ten people. Tables have become more flexible in size, folding down to more intimate seating for four, or divided in two to make a pair of game tables. Even those who kept their large table want to be able to push it against a wall for buffet dining.

All of these changes set up a need for adjustable lighting, which has forced homeowners and designers to rethink the use of a chandelier.

Chandeliers. For eons, the dining room table has been centered under the chandelier. Many people spent countless hours of their lives making sure that this alignment was just perfect. However, as dining room tables began to move around, the chandelier in the center of the space started getting in the way. For those homeowners who want a traditional feel, but with the flexibility to create a more multifunctional room, specify a decorative fixture that hugs the ceiling so it doesn't look odd when the table isn't in the center of the room. Or select a pendant light on a pulley system that allows homeowners to raise or lower the fixture. There are a good number of European-designed pendants available, primarily in contemporary styles.

A traditional multi-armed chandelier of metal and crystal could be hung in a recessed dome so its visual relationship is linked to the ceiling configuration rather than the table location. In a remodel project where it is too expensive or there is inadequate attic space for a dome, a decorative ceiling medallion will create a similar illusion.

Accent lighting. If recessed adjustable fixtures are installed over the dining room table, they provide accent light for the table itself and the centerpiece. Downlights in chandeliers may also be used to provide accent light for centerpieces.

The next spaces to look at are the walls, side tables or buffets and plants. For art on the wall, don't feel that every piece has to be illuminated. It's all right to let some pieces fall into secondary importance; it lets them be 'discovered' as guests take a second look around the room.

Add one or two recessed adjustable fixtures to accent the side table, buffet or console. A silver tea service will sparkle and a buffet dinner will look even more scrumptious when lighted with MR16s.

Plants can be uplighted, downlighted or both. Broad-leaf plants like fiddle-leaf figs are better illuminated from above or backlighted. More airy-leafed plants, such as fichus, can be illuminated from the front, casting leaf patterns on the walls and floor. They can also be uplighted, which creates a pattern on the walls and ceiling. Palms are best shown off when they are lighted from both the top and below. The sculptural quality of cactus calls for lighting from the front at a 45-degree angle and off to one side to help add dimension.

Candles. Candles should be used correctly as well. Typically, at the dinner table, you artfully place candlesticks around the centerpiece. When you and your guests sit down at the table, that candle flame is right at eye level. When you look at the flame for a while, then toward the guests, you'll notice that there is a black hole where their heads used to be-much like the effect you experience after someone has taken a flash picture of you. To solve this problem, use candles that are either lower or higher than eye level. That way, you'll get that soft golden glow, but the candle will not distract from looking at the person across the table.

The overriding criteria of good lighting design for all homes, including the traditional ones, is to have controllable light that lets the various rooms of the house serve whatever purpose is desired. Light layering is the key with a renewed interest in decorative fixtures as part of the cohesive overall design.


Randall Whitehead has been in the lighting design field over 24 years and has written five books on the subject. For sample sections from his books and images of other lighting projects, visit www.randallwhitehead.com.


October/November 2001 Architectural Lighting Magazine