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Basic Lighting Design

continued from Basic Lighting Design (part 2)

Accent Lighting Fixtures:
When lighting small objects or spaces, or when you are trying to draw the eye to specific areas of a room, consider low voltage halogen track fixtures in lower wattages or ambient pendant fixtures. In lower wattages (35 watts or less) low voltage track heads can be an ideal solution for accent lighting. They allow multiple heads to be used to illuminate small pieces of art or areas of a room.

Pendants using non-directional (ambient) light bulbs (commonly called ambient pendants) are also very popular as accent lighting. The nature of these pendants allows richly colored hand-blown glass shades to be gently illuminated from within to dramatic effect. These fixtures create a natural focal point in any room and are ideally used over a bar or table.

Finally, recessed fixtures are a good choice for accent lighting. They allow focused light to be cast on walls, artwork and surfaces.

Circuit Design - Control Different Lighting Classes Separately
Circuit design can be a complicated topic for new construction. Consult your electrician or architect in that case. For remodeling or simple lighting upgrades, the circuits are already in place so consumer options are limited.

One final current trend in lighting is for almost all fixtures to be put on dimmers. Putting fixtures on dimmers allows light to be varied in different ways for different moods. Adding dimmers is easily done without rewiring your home.

One rule to remember when adding fixtures or planning original circuits is to endeavor to keep lighting for general illumination, task lighting and accent lighting on separate circuits. By adjusting the light level of each of these three classes of lighting, you can easily vary the mood of a room. Functional, relaxed or intimate…any mood can be achieved by balancing the three types of light.

Planning and designing your lighting makeover, when done with care, is fun and the results can be stunning. Go ahead, try something new and see yourself in a new light.