INTERIOR DESIGN VIII

ASSIGNMENT 3

SUBMITTED TO SUBMITTED BY
AR. SAMRITI PAUL VIDHISHA
16001006069
B. ARCH; SEC-B

Importance of Lighting in Interiors and Role of Artificial

Lighting in Functional, Aesthetic and Visual Comfort in Different
Types of Building Interiors
 1 LIGHTING AND ITS TYPES
Interior lighting is one of the most important aspects of any living space; it has the ability to change
the mood of a room just as it does the perceived size of a room. Lighting fixtures that illuminate a
room creates a safe and comfortable environment besides adding style to the interior décor. Light is
the main element that gives the room a special look and transforms it into a seamless combination of
functionality and style.
Utilising the right type of lighting and ensuring the correct placement is a tricky task, but it’s crucial
that such a task is fulfilled as it works in conjunction with further areas of interior design, such as,
colour selections, room size and layout, fabric choices and furniture selection. It is only when these
elements come together that a room benefits from harmony and effortless fluidity of design.
Fundamentally, the illusion of space is defined by light reflecting off of wall surfaces. Certain types of
lighting help better with this illusion by further illuminating the walls. For instance, wall lighting.
However, a good lighting plan combines all three forms of lighting to light an area according to
function and style.

There are a variety of ways in which lighting can be implemented in a room to create beautiful
interiors.
Ambient lighting
Firstly, Ambient lighting provides an area with overall illumination. Also known as general lighting,
it radiates a comfortable level of brightness without glare and allows you to see and walk about safely.
In some spaces such as laundry rooms, the ambient lighting also serves as the primary source of task
lighting. It can be accomplished with chandeliers, ceiling or wall-mounted fixtures, recessed or track
lights and with lanterns mounted on the outside of the home. Having a central source of ambient light
in all rooms is fundamental to a good lighting plan.

Task lighting
Secondly, Task lighting helps you perform specific tasks, such as reading, grooming, preparing and
cooking food, doing homework, working on hobbies, playing games and balancing your chequebook.
It can be provided by recessed and track lighting, pendant lighting and under cabinet lighting, as well
as by portable floor and desk lamps.   Task lighting should be free of distracting glare and shadows
and should be bright enough to prevent eye strain.

Accent lighting
Accent lighting adds drama to a room by creating visual interest. As part of an interior design scheme,
it is used to draw the eye to house-plants, paintings, sculptures and other prized possessions. It can
also be used to highlight the texture of a brick or stone wall, window treatments or outdoor
landscaping.
To be effective, accent lighting requires as least three times as much light on the focal point as the
general lighting surrounding it. Accent lighting is usually provided by recessed and track lighting or
wall-mounted picture lights.   Using this plan will create an atmosphere that is perfect for any room
and more importantly serve to provide functionality and practicality for the space and activities one
undertakes in it.

2 IMPORTANCE OF LIGHTING IN INTERIORS

Without proper lighting interior architecture cannot be experienced to the fullest. Good lighting
assures a warm, inviting and functional atmosphere in your home. Hence selection of proper lighting
is the key element in interior design as it enhances everything in a room – from the furniture, flooring,
fittings to the finishes and textures. Creative use of lighting can in fact embellish your decorating
project. Implement different types of lighting to make your home a beautiful showcase. The light
fittings and lamps chosen to compliment the style and décor of the room have a potential to give life
to the space. Yes, selection of the right lighting can help you achieve a perfect balance between style,
comfort and practicality in creating aesthetically beautiful yet functional interiors.
Colour Management
The use of lighting can add to or subtract from the overall colours of a room or from only those
surfaces the light is meant to enhance. Darker colours make a room feel smaller and cramped, while
light-coloured walls do the opposite. The illusion of space is defined by light reflected off of the
surfaces of the walls. Some types of lighting help with this illusion by further illuminating the walls.
In addition, directional lighting, such as a track light, can soften the wall colours. There is also
recessed can lighting, which has a soft, downward glow that illuminates the floors, not walls. This is
opposed to lights hung from the centre of the room, which provide ambient illumination, or wall
lighting. In both cases, this can affect how light or dark a coloured section can appear.
Directional Lighting
The lighting in a room either provides illumination for the entirety of the room, or it highlights very
specific elements. Track lighting is the perfect example of positional lighting. Hung from the ceiling,
the adjustable necks and lamps can be pointed at specific elements, such as a wall painting, the vase
of flowers on an entryway table or the bar top or kitchen island. Consider mounting them on the walls,
also. Special picture and mirror frames also have built-in lighting to highlight specific areas on a wall.
Recessed lighting can be used in floors and ceilings to create vertical beams of light as opposed to an
overall glow from central light fixtures hanging from a ceiling.
Functionality
One major role of lighting in the interior setting is functionality. Lighting needs to serve a purpose, or
it simply wastes electricity. Chandeliers are not only used in large, open foyers, entryways and rooms
because of their centrally themed placement but also because they provide excellent illumination for
the room. Wall lights add length and size, visually, to an entryway hall, as well as light the way.
Consider the style of lighting you want to ensure you get the best directional or luminescent type for
the setting. Look into task-specific lighting for desks and other work areas where functionality is more
important than overall room illumination.
Space
Both natural and man-made lighting help with the illusion of space. For a darker room, find ways to
bring in more full-spectrum natural light. If the room does not have sufficient lighting, it will feel
cramped. This is worsened by close-proximity furniture arrangements, such as coffee table, end table,
sofa, chair and love seat combinations in a smaller setting. Corner lamps, wall sconces and centrally
hanging lights on the ceiling help brighten a room if natural lighting is not available and help create a
visually larger space. This applies to any setting — home or office. Natural lighting is preferred above
man-made lighting because it shows off colours better and adds to the visual space of a room by
bouncing off reflective surfaces. Consider skylights or large windows if you want more natural light,
or use sheer drapes and curtains to allow the maximum amount of light from your current windows

3 ROLE OF ARTIFICIAL LIGHTING IN FUNCTIONAL, AESTHETIC AND

VISUAL COMFORT IN DIFFERENT TYPES OF BUILDING INTERIORS
Different types of artificial lighting are used in different types of building interiors to serve different
purposes. Some of them are as under:
RESIDENTIAL
Ambient light creates a fantastic environment to relax from an overly stressful day or to have a warm
conversation with an old friend. Ambient lighting is often referred to as mood lighting, because this
light captures the soft curves of your face and allows your pupils to dilate slightly. Thus, keeping
functional and aesthetics in mind, ambient light can be best used in bedroom and living room as they
relaxes the mind. To provide visual comfort, dim lights should be used in rooms so as to get a
relaxing environment in the room.
Task lighting helps naturally stimulate your brain. The contrasting light allows you to be more alert
and concentrated. This will help you see more details as you work, creating higher quality results.
Thus, in any reading area or study room, task lighting can be best used as it will make one concentrate
fully. To provide visual comfort, proper amount of light is given through the lamps so as to increase
the concentration level of the user.

Accent lighting can be used for wall washing, artwork, bookcase displays, pieces of furniture,
collections and the general architecture of their homes. Outdoor accent lighting is when you highlight
parts of the architecture of your home or yard. Proving accent lighting enhances the beauty of that
particular artwork, furniture or parts of architecture.

Under cabinet lights work great in your kitchen, like below. They add a flare to your kitchen and
give the extra light you need for chopping and cleaning. They prove to be very functional in kitchens
as they enhance the under cabinet space. In addition to that, these lightings make the space
aesthetically pleasing and provide visual comfort.
 Landscaping lightings are the best showing off the outside of our home. They can be used to light up
a pathway, prized garden or statue. They adds to the aesthetics of a home in addition to various other
elements. It provides visual comfort to the user in night.

RESTAURANTS
One of the most important features of restaurant design is lighting. Lighting in your restaurant can add
to the ambiance of your dining room or ruin the experience completely for your customer. There are
three main kinds of lighting: ambient, task, and accent. Each type serves a different purpose and can
be achieved through different lighting pieces. Below, are the types and their functions.

 Ambient Lighting is the main source of light in a room, and it can be natural light or
provided with electric overhead fixtures. It allows people to see and move around easily and
comfortably.

 Task Lighting allows your customers and staff members to perform functions that may need
a more concentrated light source, like reading a menu or cooking. It can take the form of overhead
lamps, bright fluorescent lights in your kitchen, or a small table lamp on your hostess stand.

 Accent Lighting adds drama to your space. It is used to construct focal points around your
front-of-house area. This can be done by using light to highlight pieces of artwork or menu boards, or
you can use colorful lighting behind a bar or water fixture.
Sometimes light fixtures fit into more than one category of lighting. For instance, having lanterns on
an outdoor patio could be considered accent lighting during the day but ambient lighting at night,
when there is less natural sunlight.

Different lighting levels can be used in order to set the mood and visual comfort of your restaurant or
bar. This means that customers can either be drawn into your establishment or put off by it simply
because of your lighting choices

Low Lighting
Low lighting can be relaxed and romantic, and it encourages customers to stay longer. Think of a
candlelit dinner at a formal restaurant. These settings typically have overhead fixtures with dimmers
and lots of accent lighting. The low lighting creates more intimacy, as sections of brighter light, like
those over dining tables or your bar area, allow customers to feel like they are more isolated from the
other guests in the room.

Bright Lighting
Bright lights provide more stimulation than low lighting. This means that your customers will be
awake and alert. Bright lighting is good for high-energy establishments like smoothie shops, cafes, or
family-friendly restaurants. This lighting can be achieved with large windows that let in natural light
or bright overhead light fixtures.

OFFICES

Office lighting should be one of the very first things taken into consideration during the office design
phase. Not only can proper office lighting contribute to an employee’s health, positive attitude and
productivity but it can also save money, so the company can focus on the continued well-being of its
employees.
The different types of lighting needed in an office vary depending on the room or area and the type of
work that will be done there. The main types of lighting are:

Ambient Lighting
Places like conference rooms, hallways, and reception areas require brighter lighting to illuminate the
entire area. This is referred to as ambient lighting, achieved with a larger lighting installation,
specifically with overhead light fixtures. Many offices use fluorescent lighting for this purpose. While
less expensive upfront, these can cause significant long-term negative effects on health and
productivity. Alternatively, try incandescent lighting, or if fluorescent lighting is ever-present,
consider using natural light exposure to combat the negative effects of fluorescent lights.
Task Lighting
Task lighting is a finer type of lighting used to illuminate a specific task over a larger surface area.
Projects such as reading, writing, working with your hands, and cooking or sewing would benefit
from this type of lighting. In order for it to be effective, the light should contrast with the rest of the
space. This is where a brighter, focused light such as that from a desk lamp might come in.

Accent Lighting
Whereas task lighting is helpful for illuminating task-work, accent/focal lighting is useful for
illuminating something you want on display. For example, maybe you work for an architectural firm
and there is a miniature prototype of a building you want to shed light upon for a client presentation or
any bookshelf.

MUSEUM /ART GALLERIES

Lighting plays a very important role in museum and art galleries as they are associated with display of
artifacts. The different types of lightings depends upon area to area. The main types of lightings are:
Ambient Lighting
Ambient lighting is used in the areas which needs to be lighted fully such as receptions and corridors.
It allows people to see and move around easily and comfortably.
Task Lighting
Task lighting has great importance in museums and art galleries. They are used to enlighten the
artifacts placed in middle in glass frame etc. It is used where there is need to create focus.

Accent Lighting
Accent lighting is the most used lighting in museum. They are use to light up the artifacts on walls
and artifacts in showcases. It is used in places where we want to display something. It adds drama to
the space.

These are some examples of different types of buildings in which various types of artificial
lightings are used in different places to serve important functions accordingly. In addition to
this they enhance the aesthetic view of that particular area accordingly and provides visual
comfort too.