Lighting Articles
How to Design a Lighting Plan
By Paul Forte
You are doing a remodel and know that you want to add some lighting to the room, but your stumped.
Where do I start is the most common question I get asked. There are some basic guidelines and
factors that can help you determine where to start and how to proceed.
First let's take the room and it's needs. Different rooms require different lighting solutions. Rooms like
bedrooms, living rooms, dens and basements can be properly illuminated with a simple general
lighting plan. In rooms up to about 12' x 12', one ceiling light that can hold bulbs that combined equal
about 120 watts is sufficient. For a better and more evenly disbursed light, 4 recessed lights about 40"
off each corner works wonderfully.
A living room or den may be a rectangle as opposed to a square. A room that is 15' x 12' would be
more evenly lit with 6 recessed cans. In these rooms lighting can be supplemented with wall sconces
and or table or floor lamps.
Kitchens and bathrooms require much more thought. In these rooms, where tasks are performed, it is
important that the lighting level be high enough to perform these tasks safely and comfortably. In a
good kitchen lighting plan all the work areas will be well lit. Placing the cans so that the centers line up
directly above the outside edge of the cabinets is the best solution. This provides ample light and
avoids shadows while working at the counters. Spacing in a kitchen is also very important. Keeping
the recessed lights about 4 feet apart and no more than 5 feet, will assure you have even spread of
light.
If you run into a wall and need to ask questions about lighting try a Lighting Forum. There are some
basic lighting principles that can help you along in this process. One is understanding that light in
most fixtures has some type of pattern. For example a recessed light using a reflector type bulb
distributes a pattern in the shape of a cone. When this pattern reaches the floor it is in the form of a
circle. By slightly overlapping this circle of light it is possible to have a very even distribution of light
throughout the room.
Since most of the members of a household walk upright and the ones who don't, probably won't lodge
any complaints about lighting, a general rule in lighting a room is to design the plan on a work plane.
This is an imaginary plane at about 30" off the floor. This helps to provide a nice even lighting for most
tasks in any room. This is where understanding the pattern of light your fixture has is important. Most
manufacturers have specs to show what these patterns are. For reflective bulbs you can get this info
from the bulb manufacturer.
(c) Copyright 2005 Paul Forte. All rights reserved.
By Paul Forte
You are doing a remodel and know that you want to add some lighting to the room, but your stumped.
Where do I start is the most common question I get asked. There are some basic guidelines and
factors that can help you determine where to start and how to proceed.
First let's take the room and it's needs. Different rooms require different lighting solutions. Rooms like
bedrooms, living rooms, dens and basements can be properly illuminated with a simple general
lighting plan. In rooms up to about 12' x 12', one ceiling light that can hold bulbs that combined equal
about 120 watts is sufficient. For a better and more evenly disbursed light, 4 recessed lights about 40"
off each corner works wonderfully.
A living room or den may be a rectangle as opposed to a square. A room that is 15' x 12' would be
more evenly lit with 6 recessed cans. In these rooms lighting can be supplemented with wall sconces
and or table or floor lamps.
Kitchens and bathrooms require much more thought. In these rooms, where tasks are performed, it is
important that the lighting level be high enough to perform these tasks safely and comfortably. In a
good kitchen lighting plan all the work areas will be well lit. Placing the cans so that the centers line up
directly above the outside edge of the cabinets is the best solution. This provides ample light and
avoids shadows while working at the counters. Spacing in a kitchen is also very important. Keeping
the recessed lights about 4 feet apart and no more than 5 feet, will assure you have even spread of
light.
If you run into a wall and need to ask questions about lighting try a Lighting Forum. There are some
basic lighting principles that can help you along in this process. One is understanding that light in
most fixtures has some type of pattern. For example a recessed light using a reflector type bulb
distributes a pattern in the shape of a cone. When this pattern reaches the floor it is in the form of a
circle. By slightly overlapping this circle of light it is possible to have a very even distribution of light
throughout the room.
Since most of the members of a household walk upright and the ones who don't, probably won't lodge
any complaints about lighting, a general rule in lighting a room is to design the plan on a work plane.
This is an imaginary plane at about 30" off the floor. This helps to provide a nice even lighting for most
tasks in any room. This is where understanding the pattern of light your fixture has is important. Most
manufacturers have specs to show what these patterns are. For reflective bulbs you can get this info
from the bulb manufacturer.
(c) Copyright 2005 Paul Forte. All rights reserved.
Electrical Home Inspection: What You Need to Know!
By Paul Forte
Whether you’re buying a home, or just moving in to your new home, here is some advice that can help
you. If you’re in the buying process the things you will be looking for are safety and repair aspects.
Most electrical contractors can offer you an inspection to check for both of these. If you are thinking to
yourself right now that you have or are going to hire a Home inspector, think again. A home inspector
does a generalized inspection. Most of them will know a little about a lot of different areas, but be an
expert in none with a few exceptions. It is a certainty in most areas to say you will be forced to hire one
to get a mortgage, and that’s a good thing. If you hire an experienced licensed electrician, your
electrical inspection will be more thorough and you can get an estimate to what repairs will cost at the
same time.
When buying a home you’ll want to know what if any defects there are, or safety hazards. Items that
rate high on the list are things like aluminum wiring, GFCI receptacles, grounding and water leaking
into service parts. The two of these that are most critical, dangerous and expensive are the aluminum
wiring and water leaks into the main service. If you are just moving into a home you purchased, there
are some things you can do to be sure your electrical system is safe. I highly recommend that all the
devices be changed to new ones. This would be all the switches and receptacles. There is a reason
for this. Most electrical problems occur when termination points become loose or corroded. See
Picture
By having the devices professionally replaced, you can nip any of these problems before they occur.
The other item to consider changing is light fixtures. This can be a bit expensive so if it isn’t in your
budget try to at least change the very old ones. The reason for changing these is older fixture wires
tend to get very brittle. If the bulbs used in them over the years were of an improper wattage, this can
exaggerate the situation, a very common occurrence.
The peace of mind you will get, knowing a professional in the electrical field inspected your home, is
well worth the money spent.
Paul Forte is a Master Electrician and has been in the electrical field for over 25 years. For more tips
and advice including Lighting design and troubleshooting with diagrams visit the web site http://www.
forteelectric.com
By Paul Forte
Whether you’re buying a home, or just moving in to your new home, here is some advice that can help
you. If you’re in the buying process the things you will be looking for are safety and repair aspects.
Most electrical contractors can offer you an inspection to check for both of these. If you are thinking to
yourself right now that you have or are going to hire a Home inspector, think again. A home inspector
does a generalized inspection. Most of them will know a little about a lot of different areas, but be an
expert in none with a few exceptions. It is a certainty in most areas to say you will be forced to hire one
to get a mortgage, and that’s a good thing. If you hire an experienced licensed electrician, your
electrical inspection will be more thorough and you can get an estimate to what repairs will cost at the
same time.
When buying a home you’ll want to know what if any defects there are, or safety hazards. Items that
rate high on the list are things like aluminum wiring, GFCI receptacles, grounding and water leaking
into service parts. The two of these that are most critical, dangerous and expensive are the aluminum
wiring and water leaks into the main service. If you are just moving into a home you purchased, there
are some things you can do to be sure your electrical system is safe. I highly recommend that all the
devices be changed to new ones. This would be all the switches and receptacles. There is a reason
for this. Most electrical problems occur when termination points become loose or corroded. See
Picture
By having the devices professionally replaced, you can nip any of these problems before they occur.
The other item to consider changing is light fixtures. This can be a bit expensive so if it isn’t in your
budget try to at least change the very old ones. The reason for changing these is older fixture wires
tend to get very brittle. If the bulbs used in them over the years were of an improper wattage, this can
exaggerate the situation, a very common occurrence.
The peace of mind you will get, knowing a professional in the electrical field inspected your home, is
well worth the money spent.
Paul Forte is a Master Electrician and has been in the electrical field for over 25 years. For more tips
and advice including Lighting design and troubleshooting with diagrams visit the web site http://www.
forteelectric.com
How to Layout Recessed Lighting
By Paul Forte
One of the most important principles to understand when designing a recessed lighting layout is
beam angle. In recessed cans, the light is produced in the shape of a cone. You picture the light
starting as a point at the light fixture and forming a circle on the floor. The beam angle is the angle of
this light out of the bulb. For example a 60-degree beam angle will produce a circle of light about 9 feet
across on the floor if the fixture is 8 feet off the floor.
That is just one part of the formula. That circle of light we now have on the floor is not all the same
intensity. About five and a half feet of that circle is good intense light while the remainder is spill over
and diminishes as it gets further from the center. This is very important to understand. With this
information, you can overlap the spill over light so that you end up with a nice even light pattern over the
entire area you are trying to illuminate. Something to remember when you are planning this out is
something called the work plane. This is an area about 30" above the floor. It is an area where most
tasks take place.
The work plane is important because as the distance between the light fixture and the surface to be lit
decreases, so does that circle we spoke about. In a living room or den, designing the lighting plan so
that we have even light on the floor is fine. In a kitchen though, this work plane becomes far more
critical. This is why in a kitchen, keeping recessed lights about 4 feet apart, creates a pattern that is
even on the work plane with the intense portion of the circle.
There are some other things besides the bulb and the can that shape the light pattern. The finish trim
on recessed lights can vary the pattern of light. A wall washer creates a half cone that can be directed
at a wall or fireplace. A pin spot trim can direct the light in a very narrow beam to light a small object.
This should give you a basic idea of what is involved when you undertake a recessed lighting layout. If
you would like to learn more or have questions, please visit us at the links below.
(c) Copyright 2005 Paul Forte. All rights reserved. Visit the How to Layout Recessed Lighting page
By Paul Forte
One of the most important principles to understand when designing a recessed lighting layout is
beam angle. In recessed cans, the light is produced in the shape of a cone. You picture the light
starting as a point at the light fixture and forming a circle on the floor. The beam angle is the angle of
this light out of the bulb. For example a 60-degree beam angle will produce a circle of light about 9 feet
across on the floor if the fixture is 8 feet off the floor.
That is just one part of the formula. That circle of light we now have on the floor is not all the same
intensity. About five and a half feet of that circle is good intense light while the remainder is spill over
and diminishes as it gets further from the center. This is very important to understand. With this
information, you can overlap the spill over light so that you end up with a nice even light pattern over the
entire area you are trying to illuminate. Something to remember when you are planning this out is
something called the work plane. This is an area about 30" above the floor. It is an area where most
tasks take place.
The work plane is important because as the distance between the light fixture and the surface to be lit
decreases, so does that circle we spoke about. In a living room or den, designing the lighting plan so
that we have even light on the floor is fine. In a kitchen though, this work plane becomes far more
critical. This is why in a kitchen, keeping recessed lights about 4 feet apart, creates a pattern that is
even on the work plane with the intense portion of the circle.
There are some other things besides the bulb and the can that shape the light pattern. The finish trim
on recessed lights can vary the pattern of light. A wall washer creates a half cone that can be directed
at a wall or fireplace. A pin spot trim can direct the light in a very narrow beam to light a small object.
This should give you a basic idea of what is involved when you undertake a recessed lighting layout. If
you would like to learn more or have questions, please visit us at the links below.
(c) Copyright 2005 Paul Forte. All rights reserved. Visit the How to Layout Recessed Lighting page
Lighting and your Kitchen - How to Design a Lighting Plan that Cooks!
By Paul Forte
Your kitchen, more than any other room in your home, needs a good well thought out lighting plan.
Today's kitchens have many more functions than just cooking a meal. For many families it is the most
frequently used room in the house. Besides the obvious preparation of meals, kitchens today are also
a place for the kids to do homework, parents to pay the bills, reading, eating and watching TV. For this
reason it is important that the light not only be adequate but flexible.
The first place to start in any room when devising a lighting plan is to address general lighting. This is
the light that will be used most of the time. In the case of a very small kitchen, one light in the center of
the room will provide the general light. With most of today's kitchens being larger, a single light fixture
in the center of the room probably won't satisfy your lighting needs. The most common solution is
recessed lighting. Depending on what part of the country you are in they may be called high hats or pot
lights or can lights. All these terms mean the same thing. Recessed lighting is a good way to provide
general lighting in a kitchen in a neat and clean way.
The placement of the lights is very important. When designing a layout for the general lighting in a
kitchen, we want to take into account the areas where tasks will be done. This includes counters,
islands and tables. In most cases, by designing the light to illuminate these areas, the rest of the
room gets a good spread of general light as well. Try to have the recessed lights fall out on the ceiling
so that they are directly above the outside edge of the cabinets. The key here is getting the lights close
enough to the work area so that you don't create a shadow with your body. Putting the lights to far away
from the counters is a sure formula for shadows. Don't overlook any nooks that may be dark.
Islands can provide a great outlet for adding a decorative fixture or fixtures to the room. There are a
multitude of pendants to choose from that can really enhance the room. I find it is probably one of the
most commented on aspects of a kitchen lighting plan when the homeowner sees the finished
product. Simply installing 2 or 3 pendants in line over an island can be quite stunning.
The next step is the task lighting. In a kitchen this is the light directly over the counters, stove and sink.
Having one or two small recessed lights on a separate switch over the sink is both attractive and
useful. The stove these days is almost always lit from a fan hood or microwave but if it is not it should
be addressed. The way the counters are illuminated is with under cabinet lighting. This can be in the
form of simple fluorescent fixtures on an economical level. A very nice effect is to use low voltage linear
track. These can be dimmed and provide very good light to the counters. There are also xenon fixtures
and halogen fixtures. If you can try and stay with xenon as they burn cooler and have a longer bulb life
than halogen.
After you have your general lighting and task lighting covered the last thing to consider is any accent
lighting. On some kitchens where there is a space above the cabinets, lighting on top of the cabinets
can look spectacular. Tray ceilings with crown molding can also benefit greatly from this type of
lighting. Using either a low voltage type track or rope light, you can add that extra touch that makes your
kitchen unique. For more lighting tips and lighting design help visit the links below.
Paul Forte has been in the lighting and electrical field for over 25 years. He has helped countless
homeowners across the country with their lighting needs through his website. He will be appearing on
an upcoming episode of "It Takes a Thief" on the discovery channel installing some security lighting.
(c) Copyright 2005 Paul Forte. All rights reserved.
By Paul Forte
Your kitchen, more than any other room in your home, needs a good well thought out lighting plan.
Today's kitchens have many more functions than just cooking a meal. For many families it is the most
frequently used room in the house. Besides the obvious preparation of meals, kitchens today are also
a place for the kids to do homework, parents to pay the bills, reading, eating and watching TV. For this
reason it is important that the light not only be adequate but flexible.
The first place to start in any room when devising a lighting plan is to address general lighting. This is
the light that will be used most of the time. In the case of a very small kitchen, one light in the center of
the room will provide the general light. With most of today's kitchens being larger, a single light fixture
in the center of the room probably won't satisfy your lighting needs. The most common solution is
recessed lighting. Depending on what part of the country you are in they may be called high hats or pot
lights or can lights. All these terms mean the same thing. Recessed lighting is a good way to provide
general lighting in a kitchen in a neat and clean way.
The placement of the lights is very important. When designing a layout for the general lighting in a
kitchen, we want to take into account the areas where tasks will be done. This includes counters,
islands and tables. In most cases, by designing the light to illuminate these areas, the rest of the
room gets a good spread of general light as well. Try to have the recessed lights fall out on the ceiling
so that they are directly above the outside edge of the cabinets. The key here is getting the lights close
enough to the work area so that you don't create a shadow with your body. Putting the lights to far away
from the counters is a sure formula for shadows. Don't overlook any nooks that may be dark.
Islands can provide a great outlet for adding a decorative fixture or fixtures to the room. There are a
multitude of pendants to choose from that can really enhance the room. I find it is probably one of the
most commented on aspects of a kitchen lighting plan when the homeowner sees the finished
product. Simply installing 2 or 3 pendants in line over an island can be quite stunning.
The next step is the task lighting. In a kitchen this is the light directly over the counters, stove and sink.
Having one or two small recessed lights on a separate switch over the sink is both attractive and
useful. The stove these days is almost always lit from a fan hood or microwave but if it is not it should
be addressed. The way the counters are illuminated is with under cabinet lighting. This can be in the
form of simple fluorescent fixtures on an economical level. A very nice effect is to use low voltage linear
track. These can be dimmed and provide very good light to the counters. There are also xenon fixtures
and halogen fixtures. If you can try and stay with xenon as they burn cooler and have a longer bulb life
than halogen.
After you have your general lighting and task lighting covered the last thing to consider is any accent
lighting. On some kitchens where there is a space above the cabinets, lighting on top of the cabinets
can look spectacular. Tray ceilings with crown molding can also benefit greatly from this type of
lighting. Using either a low voltage type track or rope light, you can add that extra touch that makes your
kitchen unique. For more lighting tips and lighting design help visit the links below.
Paul Forte has been in the lighting and electrical field for over 25 years. He has helped countless
homeowners across the country with their lighting needs through his website. He will be appearing on
an upcoming episode of "It Takes a Thief" on the discovery channel installing some security lighting.
(c) Copyright 2005 Paul Forte. All rights reserved.
| Electrical Tech Pages These pages are for troubleshooting tips on various electrical systems including doorbells, boilers, switches and receptacles. |
| (C)Copyright 2003 Forte Electric Inc. |
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Planning Lightning
By Marjan Zemljic
When you are choosing a color scheme for any room in your home, the first thing to take into account is how that room will be used and, thus, the type of lightning you will need. Light is very important in a room, because it affects colors and makes them seem lighter or darker.
Natural light from windows will change the appearance of colors at different times of the day ? enlivening them in the morning sun and gradually toning them down as the day progresses.
Artificial lights also affect the colors in a room, making them look lighter or darker. They can also play tricks with colors, sometimes causing dramatic changes a, literally the flick a switch.
Lamps are the most popular choice of lights today and are easy to install, a homeowner can accomplish this by himself in just a few hours. They are a very important part of any home that will beautify and add warmth and elegance for every room in your home.
The possibilities for using home lighting are endless when considering light fixtures to decorate your home and the fun and satisfaction of decorating the interior of your home by yourself will be rewarding.
Lightning can be used to accentuate features in the room in much the same way as colors and patterns. Strategically positioned wall lights, spotlights, uplights, or ceiling downlights can be arranged so that they wash a complete wall with a blanket of light.
They can also be used to good effect to highlight an isolated area, such as a display shelf, or a recess filled with beautiful objects, or to light a work of art such as sculpture or painting.
The days are long gone when it was considered adequate to light a room with a single, central pendant light. In specialist lighting store, you can be overwhelmed by the lightning options open to you. Light fixtures, bulb wattages, and even colored light have been brought into the scheme of things so that, apart from practical values, there is also the esthetic appeal to consider. Lampshades, too, contribute to the interest and atmosphere of the room, coming as they do in a vast choice of shapes, sizes, materials, and colors.
Marjan Zemljic is owner of Home-decorating-ideas-and-tips.com and author of How to break into the interior design industry. In his book you will find out how you can do exactly that. For more home decorating tips visit his website and learn how to create the home of your dreams.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/
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Lighting Articles