TYPES OF LIGHTING

Two basic types of light sources:

Incandescence and Luminescence

3 Basic Types of Lighting

● Ambient lighting - Ambient lighting is essentially

indirect lighting. A soft light that is reflected off
the ceiling. It reduces the shadows on people's
faces and fills the room with equal brightness,
opening up the architecture and drawing
people in.

● Task lighting - Task lighting provides increased

light for specific tasks in a room that may already
have some ambient light. Task lighting is
especially useful for seeing small objects or
objects of low contrast.

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● Accent lighting - Intended to highlight a specific
object or area, accent lights are typically three
times as bright as ambient lights. Accent lighting
draws attention to a feature, such as artwork,
furnishings or architectural details, converting them
into focal points.

1. GENERAL LIGHTING
General lighting is a background light in a space that reduces bright contrasts
between task lights and lets you move about easily. In living areas, it is a soft fill-in
light provided by reflected light from open top lamps, wall lighting and ceiling or
wall fixtures.

Living rooms, Dens, Family rooms and Recreation Rooms accommodate a

variety of activities which require lighting flexibility. DImmer control of lighting lets
you change the atmosphere of a room to suit your mood easily and quickly.
 General lighting is needed in Bedrooms for housekeeping chores, care of invalids
of children and for seeing into drawers and shallow closets.

2. LOCAL AND SUPPLEMENTARY LIGHTING

These are two terms that are used interchangeably but have slightly different
meanings. By definition, local lighting provides a small, high-level area of lighting
without contributing to the general lighting, supplementary lighting also provides
a restricted area of high intensity, but supplements the general lighting. A desk
lamp, a high- intensity downlight on a merchandising display, and a track light
illuminating wall displays, all seem to answer both definitions, and in practice are
referred to as local, supplementary, or local-supplementary lights.

3. COMBINED GENERAL AND LOCAL LIGHTING

This illumination method is used in areas where the general visual task is low, but
local high-intensity lighting is required. An excellent example is department stores
where circulation requires low-level lighting while merchandising areas and
showcases require up to 500 fc. The indicated solution to this problem is a
general lighting system that will provide 30 fc of uniform, diffuse lighting of the
proper color and supplementary local lighting in restricted areas. The quality of
local lighting supplied depends on the particular item being displayed. A
nonuniform lighting layout that is arranged to localize lighting but does not have
a uniform overall pattern is difficult to classify.

DECORATIVE LIGHTS
Floor cans
Under plants or tucked corners give dramatic uplight,
creating shadow patterns on the upper walls and ceiling.

Picture Lights
Picture lights that mount on the
picture frame or on the wall highlight
treasured paintings, prints, or photos,
creating interesting vertical brightness in a
room.
 Portable Spots
Free standing, wall mounted or attached to a track, have a
directional beam creating sparkling highlights and deep
shallow, especially good or small sculpture and flowering
arrangements.

STRUCTURAL FIXTURES

CORNICE LIGHTING
Cornices direct all their light downward to give dramatic
interest to wall coverings, draperies, murals, etc. May
also be used over windows where space above the
window does not permit valance lighting. Good for
low-ceilinged rooms.

VALANCE LIGHTING
Custom or ready made, used over draperies, provides both
upward and downward light, bathing both the ceiling and
draperies in soft illumination. Informal in character, it can
restore daytime lighting balance to a window wall at night.

SOFFIT LIGHTING
Soffits over work rease are designed to provide a
higher level of light directly below. Usually they are
installed in a furred-down area over the sink
kitchen. Also are excellent for niches over sofas,
pianos, built-in desks etc.

Since most kitchen chores take place at the sink,

you’ll want it especially well-lighted. For a sink
that’s under a cabinet or shell, choose soffit
canister lights recessed in the soffit bulkhead or
upper kitchen cabinets.
 COVES LIGHTING
Coves direct all light to the ceiling.
Should be used only with white or
near-white ceilings. Cove lighting is
soft and uniform but lacks punch or
emphasis. Best used to supplement
other lighting. Suitable for
high-ceilinged rooms and for places
where ceiling heights abruptly
change.

WALL FIXTURES
Wall-mounted luminaires are mounted directly to a wall surface. This type includes
sconces, diffusers, and vanity lights. Track lighting can also be mounted to the
wall.Wall-mounted luminaires are commonly used in homes because they are easy to
install, are available in a wide variety of styles, and accommodate many lamp types.
They can be used for most lighting techniques, particularly ambient, indirect, task, and
special purposes.

Fluorescent Wall Lighting

- Energy wise fluorescent strips concealed behind a shielding board produce a

soft diffuse light, suitable in living and dining areas, bedrooms, family rooms and
dens. Use soft white home fluorescent for a flattering light that blends well with
incandescent light.

CEILING FIXTURES

Ceiling lights hang close to or against the ceiling. Because they provide ambient
lighting, they are central to the overall illumination of a room and set the tone for
distinguishing style. Available in both flush mounts that hug the ceiling directly and
semi-flush fixtures that drop down slightly to cast light across the ceiling, these valuable
light fixtures hang 6” to 21” from the ceiling to allow for installation on lower 8’ to 9’
ceilings with ample feet of clearance below.

TYPES OF CEILING LIGHTS

● Hanging: Light fixtures that hang from the ceiling, including chandeliers,
pendants, and lanterns can be found in our Hanging Lights collection. Hanging
 lights create a striking visual effect and are often used for both decorative
purposes, to make a bold design statement, and task lighting, to bring the light
down to where you need it to complete specific tasks.

● Decorative: Just because flush and semi-flush fixtures sit closer to the ceiling does
not mean they can’t have decorative purpose! Our selection of decorative
ceiling light fixtures includes a wide variety of beautiful finishes, like metallic brass,
nickel, chrome, antique gold, tin and copper as well as unique materials like
driftwood, shells, chicken wire, bamboo, and painted colors.

● Shaded: To diffuse light from the ceiling and create a soft ambiance, shaded
fixtures are a popular choice. Shaded options include elegant drum shades, silky
sheer to burlap solids, and fun geometric prints, with glass choices from recycled
bottle to sparkling crystal, art glass and colored Murano glass.

● Modern: Want to bring a contemporary edge to your lighting? Modern designs

include modern style elements like geometric open frames, mid-century globe
shades, minimalist exposed bulbs, and more sleek fixtures with unexpected
panache.

● Rustic: If you are updating lighting in a modern farmhouse or cottage design,

consider fixtures on the rustic-to-industrial style spectrum, including metal mesh,
engine fans, smoke bell lanterns, rustic twigs and antlers, vintage schoolhouse
lights and our famous glass Moravian stars!

● Energy-Efficient LED: If an efficient-burning light with a long lifespan is top priority

for you, consider choosing a fixture with built-in LEDs, or a fixture compatible with
one of our LED bulbs. If the fixture includes LEDs already, that will be noted in the
product name and description.

EXTERIOR LIGHTING FIXTURES

Outdoor lighting is, as the name implies, designed for use outside, or on the exterior of a
building or in an outdoor space. Because they are exposed to the elements day and
night, Outdoor lights must be resistant to weather. Outdoor lighting, especially outdoor
motion sensor lights, can also enhance security.

● Floodlights: Floodlights have an adjustable-angle beam that can be rotated to

focus on a specific area. They can be installed in the ground or mounted on
structures, walls or poles. LED floodlights last longer and use less energy than
floodlights that use halogen or fluorescent lamps. Outdoor floodlights are
 commonly used to aim light on a fixed item, such as a monument or flagpole, or
to illuminate large areas, such as sports fields, parks, playgrounds and parking
lots.

● Landscape Lights: Landscape lights rely on fixtures like spotlights, lanterns,

sconces and globes to create an aesthetically pleasing lighting design that
highlights building and landscaping features at night while also improving safety
and security.

● Motion Sensor Lights: Any outdoor light can have a motion sensor or
photocontrol included to help manage lighting. The motion sensor lights up
when something passes by the infrared beam and lighting goes on for a
specified time. This is a great security and safety device, but also an energy
saver, since the light typically stays on for just a few minutes.

● Spotlights: Spotlights provide focused light that emphasizes a specific feature for
safety, wayfinding or aesthetic purposes. They allow you to highlight a specific
area without casting wide beams of light elsewhere.