Illuminating Spaces - Types of Lighting

 

Lighting and Its Types

Two major source of lighting Natural light and Artificial lights can be further divided into different categories. Both natural light and artificial lighting affects the lighting of the space in their own ways. 

Natural lighting

Natural light or daylight illuminates a space making it attractive and admiring. The source of daylight in an interior space depends on various openings like windows, doors, ventilators etc. orientation of the building is another major factor affecting the daylighting in a space. This is the reason that orientation is a major concern while designing and constructing a building. Further, daylight is also affected by different seasons, weather and time of the day. For instance, the duration of daylight is longer in summers than in winters also during noon, a place experiences maximum amount of daylight rather than evenings. Daylight often find its way into a space through openings, but the amount of daylight can be manually controlled in a space as per user preference or comfort.

As openings the basic source of daylight in a space also allows open vision which sometimes can be against privacy. Hence, there are many ways in which one can control daylight in a space.

●      Using of textured glass or one way glasses can allow daylight in a space and also control the privacy. Textured glasses also affect the amount of daylight entering in a space.

●      Process like multiple glazing, in which we incorporate two or three glass sandwiched together the amount of daylight can be controlled.

●      One can use window treatments like curtains, draperies, blinds etc. are best when it comes to cut shorting the amount of daylight in a space especially during noon when the sun is at its peak.

 Natural light or daylight also affects the furniture placements and planning of the space. Hence, it is one of the most important light source which needs consideration and attention.

Natural Light 

Artificial Lighting

• Artificial lighting is a totally controlled lighting system for its illumination, colour, placement and quality. It is the only source of vision during the dark hours of the day. Artificial lighting not only adds illumination but also adds colours to the space. Playing with different types of artificial lights one can create multiple moods in a space. Artificial lightings are generally specified under three categories:

●      Task lighting – lights used for specific defined purpose like reading, sewing etc.

●   General lighting – also known as ambient lights, these are used for providing comfortable overall lighting for a space.

●     Special lighting – also called accent lighting, these are used for special purpose like highlighting an object in a space.

●     Accent Lighting  - Used for highlight works of art or design. 

 

Other than these three types, artificial lighting can further be divided into different types based on their use and location of use like walls, ceilings etc.

●    Incandescent Light – these are the general light bulbs. The light in these bulbs are produced upon heating the wire to a temperature that generates light.

●   Fluorescent light – these are more economical than incandescent lights. These are generally available in the form of long rods called tube lights, hence, illuminating a large space. These lights are available in warm white and deluxe warm white colors.

●      HID or High Intensity Discharge Lights – these are combined form of incandescent light and fluorescent lights. They have a long life and are these days a common light source in public spaces.

●   Fiber-optic light – these lights are made of strands of glass or acrylic fibers put together in numbers of three to hundreds. These lights are used in spaces where it is difficult to use bulbs or tubes.

●      LED or Light Emitting Diode – LED lights are a very commonly used light in interior spaces these days. These are available in both high and low intensity. Lights in these bulbs are produceded when the particles through which current passes combine together to emit light.

●  Uplighters - These different types of lights are available in different forms and illuminates differently based on direction and their types. These different types of illuminating feature also help in adding aesthetic effect in the spaces. These different forms are:

1.   Down lighters – these lights are placed such that the lighting direction is downwards.

2.   Uplighters – these lights are placed such that the lighting direction is upwards.

3.   Highlighters – these lights are used to highlight a specific feature like statue or sculpture.

4.   Spot lights – these are focused lights that highlights a particular feature or spot.

Fluorescent Light 

Incandescent light

Up/Down Lighters 

Other than these types of lights, there are different lighting fixtures to support the lights. The fixtures vary from areas as:

●      Lamps – shaded incandescent lamps, desk lamps, reflector lamps or torches.

●      Wall-mounted – wall brackets, reflectors, uplights etc.

●      Ceiling units – downlights, hanging lights, pendent lights, surface mounted lights, recessed lights, track lights etc.

●      Built-in lights – cove lights, strip lights etc.

Hence, it can be taken into account that there is a wide variety of lights that can be used to create various effects and moods in a space based on their types or their fixtures. These lights can create different ambience from calm and cosy to dramatic and bold. Just a proper consideration of different aspects and choice of proper lighting system is all we need to play with lights in a space.