Lighting

There are three different light source options that an interior designer will always consider – task, general and mood. All play very different roles and are all important in their own way. The trick with lighting is to consider the requirements of each room and light accordingly.

Task lighting provides concentrated lighting for particular activities and includes lighting such as reading lamps, over table dining lights or specific lighting for your kitchen bench and stove top. A great place to start is with halogen as your light source, this is the brightest and most effective source of lighting for tasks. It is very important to place task lighting so that it doesn't cast shadows, for example reading lights should always be placed so the light is coming from the left (if you're right handed). To avoid shadows on a bench top the lighting source should be situated between the user's eye level and hands and lights above a dining table should be approximately 60cm above the table.

Playing around with your mood lighting is one of the best ways to personalise a space. Floor lamps, wall lamps, picture lamps and table lamps are great tools here, casting pools of light and giving feature to specific areas of a room. They tend to highlight the horizontal in the room rather than the vertical, really helping with ambience in the evening and helping to create both a welcoming and relaxing environment alongside an effective level of lighting.

General lighting refers in large part to the main overhead ceiling light(s) you will have in a room. As opposed to creating a mood or performing a task this light will simply fulfil a room's immediate needs. General lighting can still derive from several sources in which case it will often contribute to both mood and task in a small but not specific way.

A great light source to have included in your general lighting plan is some lighting behind your TV or computer; a table lamp (not too bright) or perhaps under-bench lights in a TV unit. This will help soften the harsh glow that is thrown off the screen making TV viewing easier on the eye.

From an interior designer's point of view, it is important to have many light sources which will give great flexibility in setting a mood and also give the ability to perform tasks in well lit environment. Bear in mind that simply changing the lighting in a room can totally transform a space from unwelcoming and cold to relaxing and creative - the effect of a great lighting plan can be enormous.