How to layer lighting for the best effects

In an overall renovation project, lighting is often an afterthought, ignored until the last coat of paint is dry on the wall. Lighting designers say this is a blunder that can leave beautiful imported tile, gleaming woodwork or custom upholstery in the shadows.

Lighting is not only about ambient or task lighting, but the overall look of a space, they say. It can accent that special woodcarving, natural stone or piece of art. By varying its intensity, you can also create an illusion or mood with lighting, whether that's entertaining with sparkle or spending an evening home alone.

Gone are the days when a single fixture lit an entire room. Today lighting is done in layers, and these layers can be controlled separately to contribute to a home that is adaptable and energy-efficient.

But waiting until the project is nearly complete can result in disappointment. It may lead to cramped spaces for fixtures, lack of wiring for electrical hookups or no budget for lights that complement your style, says Michael Lichtenstein, president of the Lighting Gallery in Huntington Station.

But how do you navigate this mystifying world of illumination? An amazing array of styles, dimensions and bulb types are available. From track to recessed, portable to pendant, cabinet to cove, light emitting diodes to compact fluorescent lamps, how does one know how to choose the proper scale, intensity, height and placement?

Lighting designers discuss how to light a room - from choosing the right style and dimension of a fixture to the height they should be hung:

1. PLAN AHEAD

Make lighting part of the overall design, says Lichtenstein. Common failures are low ceilings and cramped spaces inadequate for a fixture, fixtures sized too small or - a worst-case scenario - adding high hats after ceiling construction is complete. And if you plan to float furniture in the center of the room, you may want to wire an outlet that fits flush with the floor at the outset.

2. LAYER YOUR LIGHTING

The stark, contrasty lighting resulting from using only high hats can make a room "look like Swiss cheese," says Natalie Weinstein of Natalie Weinstein Design Associates in St. James. To give an interior even lighting and visual interest, a room ideally should at least have three lighting layers, says Joe Rey-Barreau, consulting director of education at the Texas-based American Lighting Association.

Layering gives a room vibrancy, explains Marilyn Schulman, owner and president, Bay Shore Lighting and Home. "It's not that bland gray overcast day," she says. "It's a sunny day that sparkles." In a kitchen, this might mean incorporating the following three layers: overall lighting such as recessed can lights, under-cabinet lighting and pendants over an island. A fourth layer could be a decorative light, such as a chandelier or ceiling fan with a light kit, says Rey-Barreau. By placing lights on separate switches, it allows you to localize the lighting, using only what you need at a given time, he adds.

3. PICK A STYLE

There's been an "exponential growth of styles - from traditional to ultramodern," says Rey-Barreau. But so many options means that showrooms can't put everything up, so you may need to search out that special style. Try websites like the American Lighting Association's to find showrooms that are members or have Certified Lighting Consultants (a designation that requires educational courses and passing an exam). Also check manufacturers' catalogs in the stores.

Manufacturers are now offering a range of lights in one style, points out Rey-Barreau. For instance, wall sconces, chandeliers and exterior lighting in the same general design can help tie together separate spaces.

Once a light was offered in one or two sizes, but today a similar light may come in a wide variety of sizes, Rey-Barreau says. For example, several years ago, a chandelier may have come in a standard 30 inches. Now it is offered in 48 inches wide for a three-story foyer, as well as a mini chandelier (known as chandelette) in 20 inches and even 14 inches. The latter are popular for powder rooms or even to create a classy look in a walk-in closet.

4. ON TASK

To begin your lighting plan, recommends Rey-Barreau, find the four or five places where you need great light. These may include kitchen countertops, areas for reading in a bedroom and a family room, desks, game tables, bathroom vanities and the laundry room.

Sometimes overhead lighting is confused with task lighting, say others. But popular lighting styles such as high hats and monorail lighting should be used as general lighting, says J.R. Rotell, design consultant with Ethan Allen in Huntington Station. Use more intense, directed light, such as table and floor lamps, for tasks like reading or hobbies. Overhead lighting can be turned off, dimmed while watching TV or used for security, she adds.

5. SCALE IT RIGHT

What's the proper dimension and height to hang a chandelier? Table dimension is key, lighting experts say. Size a chandelier at least 12 inches less than the width of your table, Lichtenstein recommends. That way people won't bump their heads. Using that guide with a standard table width of 48 inches, choose a traditional round chandelier no more than 36 inches wide.

As for height, hang it 30 to 36 inches above the table, says Rotell. If you have a tall ceiling of 9 or 10 feet or more, hang it on the higher end of the range, and you may want to try a chandelier with two levels of lights set vertically.

As for table lamps, which stand anywhere from 24 to 32 inches high, how do you choose the proper height? What you select should depend upon your furniture height - the bottom of the shade should be just above eye level when you're sitting, Rotell notes. "You don't want to see up into its guts when you are sitting," adds Lichtenstein.

6. USE ACCENT LIGHTING

People think lighting design has to be expensive, says Lichtenstein. It doesn't have to be. It's easy to backlight a tree in a corner with a simple spotlight or extend lights up and over a hutch or bookcase to shine down on books.

Add warmth with well lights in the floor to graze a stacked stone fireplace, he says, or add a subtle glow around the room's perimeter and ceiling with cove lighting (try LED rope lights, which come in lengths up to 250 feet). Cast an overall glow with wall washers, or add a delicate scalloping effect on the wall. Sconces can also enhance a romantic mood.

Create ambience by placing two small recessed lights in the ceiling to illuminate a centerpiece, says Weinstein. Or, to really make your crystal chandelier pop and sparkle, place two small ceiling-mounted spotlights on it.

7. BE SUSTAINABLE

Incandescent lighting, the conventional bulbs we have used for decades, have the lowest energy efficiency. We like them for their warm glow, but compact fluorescent lamps are beginning to take hold because newer bulbs have a high color rendering, meaning they have a warmer quality. For your home, look for those labeled with a warm color temperature for living spaces, while a neutral temperature is a natural for areas like laundry rooms.

Are they dimmable? While more expensive, CFL bulbs built as such (not the kind that retrofit into an incandescent lamp) are, in fact, dimmable.

Light emitting diodes could become the primary light source, says Rey-Barreau. These long-lasting, energy-efficient lights are used in flashlights, Christmas lights, cell phones and traffic signals, but have been taking a smaller role in home lighting - thus far, that is.

The Energy Star program began labeling LED products late last year, and this is the first year that LEDs are being manufactured for general interior lighting, says Rey-Barreau. "It has resulted in an explosion of interior lighting LED products."

Currently, these are primarily in the form of rope lighting, undercabinet lighting and the like, while the transformation of screw-base LED bulbs to fit conventional incandescent table lamps is just getting under way. If purchasing these, according to the American Lighting Association, look for the Energy Star label that ensures the bulb met testing standards.

LED lights are very expensive - at a minimum of $100 each for a bulb, this can be a turnoff. However, because they are rated for 50,000 to 100,000 hours, even if left on eight hours a day all year, they may not need to be replaced for 25 years - a savings in the long run.

Three kinds of lighting

General lighting provides an area with overall illumination. Also known as ambient lighting, general lighting radiates a comfortable level of brightness, enabling one to see and walk about. It can be accomplished with chandeliers, ceiling or wall-mounted fixtures, recessed or track lights, and with lanterns outside your home.

Accent lighting adds drama to a room by creating visual points of interest. As part of a decorating scheme, it is used to spotlight artwork, houseplants, or sculpture, or to highlight the texture of a wall, drapery or a craftsman's fine detail. Accent lighting requires at least three times as much light on the focal point as the general lighting around it. This usually is provided by track, recessed, or wall-mounted fixtures.

Task lighting helps you perform specific tasks, such as reading, sewing, cooking, homework, hobbies, games or balancing your checkbook. It can be provided by recessed and track lighting, pendant lighting and portable lamps. Task lighting should be free of distracting glare and shadows and should be bright enough to prevent eyestrain.

Source: American Lighting Association