Designing Lighting

• General lighting. This lights the perimeter of the room, allowing movement through the room.
• Recessed lighting. A popular alternative to a traditional center ceiling fixture is recessed lighting in the ceiling, spaced so the light patterns overlap. Choices for recessed lighting include 1) eyeballs, which pinpoint light on a wall, 2) downlights, which use either a reflector bulb with a specific lighting area, or 3) a floodlight, which provides wide beams of light. Recessed lighting must be installed during the construction. (Track lighting can provide the same sort of directional lighting and can be installed post-construction.)
• Task lighting is brighter, more directed lighting in specific areas, like a desk or table top
• Accent lighting. This is decorative lighting that can be used to highlight architectural details, foliage or decorative objects.

Types of Illumination

• Incandescent bulbs--the traditional choice, provides a warm yellow cast.
• Fluorescent--improved, can be warm or cool in cast.
• Halogen--intense white light with 30 percent more illumination for the same electrical use as incandescent.