Because my experience should count for something, today, I leave a list of four most common lighting errors that most people make and don’t even realize.
1º A light source, in the environment, is enough!
Investing only in a light source is one of the most common lighting mistakes. This is because, when we only bet on a bright spot, some areas are very dark. Not to mention that these can be work and study areas that need to receive adequate lighting, otherwise they will only be contributing to low productivity. I’m sure that’s not the goal.
How to avoid this situation?
Whatever the environment, the lighting has to be balanced and, for this, it’s necessary to use layers of light.
I chose to invest in a general font (built-in in the ceiling and in the center of the room), a task lighting, intended for my reading corner, and finally, a highlight, to draw the attention of a particular element and give that touch unique to my space.
I realized that using this layering technique there is no way to fail.
2º Shadows? I’ve never seen!
When the subject is lighting, we immediately think about brightness and luminosity capacity, as well as the different types of lamps, right? But the shadows formed by them often go unnoticed.
Installing a luminaire in the wrong place can lead to the formation of unwanted shadows, which ruin the design of the room and cause possible accidents for those who live in the space.
How to avoid this situation?
Simple! Before the blunders, think of a lighting scheme for the entire space, trying to simulate different light sources at different points and observing the changes.
3º Built-in lights, in excess, do the trick.
Many times, we opt for several light spots built into the ceiling so that we don’t have any more lighting problems, but this is a very serious mistake. As they do not illuminate the walls, this type of luminaire causes a greater waste of electrical energy and, also, some areas that are poorly lit.
How to avoid this situation?
A good tip is to place this type of luminaire on the headboard or on a TV panel.
Don’t overuse them and balance with other types of lighting. Otherwise, in addition to poor lighting, your space will end up looking pretty sloppy.
4º Dimming the lamps is not a very important issue.
Quite the opposite! The lighting of an environment creates the perfect atmosphere to bring drama to the space and still make everything more cozy and inviting.
And one way to reach this perfect atmosphere and not leave all spaces with the same type of lighting is through dimming the lamps. This is achieved when you can increase or decrease the brightness of the light, making it stronger or weaker.
How to avoid this situation?
Installing dimmers is essential for all incandescent lighting you want to use. In addition to decreasing energy consumption and overheating, it will increase lamp life.
An alternative is the use of smart LED lights, which can be built-in or have their colors changed, among many other functions, and are operated from a smartphone, tablet or a small remote.
