How Lighting Shapes Great Design
Ask a client to describe a room they love, and they will often describe its light without realising it. That is why we draw the lighting plan early.
Once plaster is up and cables are buried, a poorly placed fitting is expensive to move.
Plan by activity
We mark what happens at each spot in a room, then give it its own source at the right height. Reading needs a beam from behind the shoulder. Cooking needs shadow-free light on the worktop. Talking needs almost nothing, just a low glow near eye level.
Rules we follow
Keep every lamp on a dimmer where possible
Choose a warm colour temperature, around 2700K, for living spaces
Avoid a single grid of downlights across the ceiling
Put the switches where your hand falls when you enter
Spend an evening in your own home with the big overhead light off. You may be surprised how little you miss it.