Interiors: How to master the art of lighting

“Lighting can change the atmosphere of a room; when you learn to control the lighting in your home, you can create any ambience your heart desires.” Ryan Windsor, development director and co-founder of Cambridge architecture firm WindsorPatania, talks about the transformative power of getting light right

It is amazing how light can transform a space. However, it is a secret that often goes unnoticed. Instead, we hear about the difference lighting makes to photographs, and perhaps you have that one friend who regularly says “the lighting isn’t good enough” when trying to take a selfie!

However, the effect lighting has on a home’s interior is far more drastic than the way it changes photos. Lighting can change the atmosphere of a room, and when you learn to control the lighting in your home, you can create any ambience your heart desires.

The Different Types of Lighting

Before we delve any deeper, we need to understand that there are three different types of light in a space, and they all have different effects. The three types of lighting are as follows:

Direct light: This is light that comes directly from a light source (like the sun). This lighting can be intense.

Reflected light: This is indirect light that is reflected from a surface. It can be diffused or focused, and you can create different colours from this light depending on the finish of the surface the light is reflecting from.

Refracted light: When light passes through certain materials, like vintage-coloured glass windows, it can change in colour, intensity, and direction.

Tips for Utilising Light in Your Home

There is a strong connection between the reason a space is used and the type of light that should be used in that space. For example, you’re going to need practical lighting in a kitchen so you can see what you’re doing when chopping vegetables or cooking up a nice dish. In this instance, direct lighting might be your best option. On the other hand, you might prioritise ambient lighting in your living room to create a relaxed and homely atmosphere.

The way your space is orientated and where your windows are placed will also influence how much natural light enters your home, and at what times it enters. During the day, south-facing windows receive more daylight, whereas north-facing windows receive more diffused light. This is due to the way the sun rises and sets.

The atmosphere of a room is affected by the colour and temperature of natural light. Cooler light provides an energising environment, whereas warm light creates a cosy atmosphere that makes you want to huddle down and read a book. When picking light fixtures and bulbs, take colour temperature into account.

When light enters a room, it bounces off the walls, floor, and furniture. If your walls and floor are dark and rough, they’ll make the room feel darker. But if they’re light and shiny, they’ll make the room feel brighter.

Understand Your Space Plan

Before installing light fixtures, it’s important to make a lighting plan. This means thinking about the different areas of the room and what you’ll use each area for. This allows you to choose the right kind of lighting to create your desired atmosphere. By doing this, you ensure that you have enough lighting in each area and the right types of fixtures to create the desired effect.

About WindsorPatania Architects

WindsorPatania is a firm of architectural specialists “using design innovation to positively impact lives and improve how people interact with their environment. . . creating practical building

designs that meet changing cultural, economic and technological challenges,” say the team. A multicultural team of seven architects, designers, planning and property investment consultants, WindsorPatania is headed by Ryan Windsor and Giovanni Patania, with bases in London, Cambridge and Liverpool.

Projects span the UK, working with everyone from large-scale developers to property investors and private residential clients.

Visit windsorpatania.com or email ryan@windsorpatania.com for more.