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Whether you’re buying a new home, or planning on renovating, lighting should be considered from the start. Not only can the right lighting vastly improve the look of your space, it can add value to your property and bring psychological benefits too. If you’re thinking about lighting design, you’re already one step ahead.
However, before you rush into things and start purchasing fixtures online, it’s a good idea to fill any missing answers to questions you may have - it’ll help solidify your decision as well as build confidence in your chosen lighting designer. So, to ensure everything is as clear as possible for you, we’ve shed some light on 7 of the most commonly asked lighting questions.
With the ability to alter the mood of a room, lighting is considered one of, if not the most important element in interior design. But there are many more reasons why.
Aside from providing adequate visibility for day-to-day functions, lighting also has the power to transform the perception of a room. When paired with lightly coloured walls, mirrors, and architectural features, the size and shape of your space can be made to seem refined.
Lighting plays a huge role in how your space looks and feels aesthetically too. When choosing the colour temperature of your lighting, the finishes and colour palette used with your interior design should be complemented. Reds, oranges and yellows look stunning under warm light (3000K), whereas blues and greys look crisp under cool, white light (4000K).
As mentioned above, you should consider lighting right from the start of your project. Whether you’re designing a room from scratch, or renovating your entire home, it’s the perfect opportunity to transform your space with lighting.
Planning your lighting as early as possible will allow you to ensure you have everything needed to bring your vision to life. This goes especially for the electrical side of things. From the right cables, to available wall sockets and lighting controls, being one step ahead will result in a smooth project for all.
So, if you’re looking to use the expertise of a lighting designer, be sure to get them on board with your project as early as possible.
The cost of lighting design can vary from project to project and is calculated based on several aspects. The overall project size, the quality of fixtures used, the hourly design rate, and any integrated technologies are just a few. Then there’s labour time for the installation, plus the cost of any materials needed to create support for the lighting column.
As a rough guide, costs can start from a few thousand pounds and reach tens, if not hundreds of thousands of pounds. So, you’re best speaking to a lighting design consultant when it comes to costs.
Once the project scope and requirements have been agreed on and everyone’s on the same page, a cost estimate will be achievable.
If you’re looking for guidance on the cost of your lighting project, why not speak to one of our experts? Arrange a no-obligation, complimentary design consultation today and we’ll let you know how we can transform your space.
This question all comes down to what your expectations are. If you’re looking for improved, but simple lighting, you may suffice without a lighting designer. However, for superior lighting schemes that turns your guest’s heads, improve your quality of life and offer excellent flexibility, hiring a lighting designer is always the best approach. In fact, we’ve expressed the importance of hiring a lighting designer before.
Lighting designers use three layers of light – ambient, task, and accent lighting. Each layer is fundamental to your lighting scheme and affects the ambiance, perception, and functions of your space.
Ambient lighting is used to provide the foundation and general illumination of a room.
Task lighting is designed to create a shadow-free environment for undertaking daily activities in your home.
And the purpose of accent lighting is to add style and personalise your space just how you want it.
For more information on lighting layers, plus examples and recommended fixtures, take a look at our interior lighting design blog. Here, we discuss how at Hampshire Light, we use each layer to transform our client’s space.
Amongst voice-controlled speakers and automated blinds, smart home lighting is one of the most popular pieces of home technology today.
Fortunately, all major lighting control systems are network-enabled. This means they can be integrated into your wider smart home with ease, giving you the ability to control your entire home’s lights from the power of one button.
At Hampshire Light, we’re huge fans of smart lighting technology. From smart switches, to assisted lighting controls and fully integrated systems, each smart lighting avenue is worth exploring for your home. For more information on this topic, and to find out what options are available to you, check out our latest blog on all things smart lighting controls.
The colour temperature of your light should be based on where and why you need it. For homes, warm light typically around 2700 to 3000 Kelvin is ideal. The almost yellow glow creates a warm, cosy and friendly atmosphere for you and your family to relax in.
On the other hand, a cooler, white light is best for office environments. So, when looking to create a productive home office environment, we recommend using between 3500 and 5000 Kelvin.
In short, the colour temperature of your lighting plays an essential part in how your home looks and feels. If you’re interested in learning more about temperature colours in lighting, take a look at our blog on how colour temperature can influence your interior.
At Hampshire Light, we’re here to help. If you’ve any lighting related questions you’d like answering, feel free to contact us. We may even add your question to this blog.
When it comes to thinking about the flow of space and atmosphere in your home, lighting can be one of the most important elements. Here are 4 lighting design tricks to help create an atmosphere in your home.
The owner of Somersbury Manor approached Hampshire Light to redesign the lighting scheme throughout the building. As a listed property, there was added complexity in addition to the client’s standard requests. Ultimately, our client wanted warm, unobtrusive light through the building, but it needed to be bat-friendly in accordance with the UK Dark Sky Policy.
