The experts at Koda Lighting share their top tips for designing a luminous lighting plan to suit your home.
1. Ensure your lighting is fit for purpose
Every space within the home requires an appropriate amount of light, and there are specific standards that need to be followed to achieve this. At Koda, we make sure our clients’ taste and style are always respected without compromising the lighting requirements of any space. For example, there is no point having a stunning pendant light over the kitchen bench if it does not provide sufficient light output to perform food preparation and cooking tasks.
2. Opt for lighting that enhances wellbeing
Wellbeing has become an important factor in the design of modern homes. This holds especially true for a successful lighting scheme. Koda considers emotions, compositions, materiality and use of space as the four driving forces behind a lighting scheme that boosts wellbeing.
3. Remember that different areas need different kinds of lighting
Functional and task lighting work best in the kitchen, while feature lights can also be included when they offer appropriate lighting for the space they illuminate.
Opt for decorative lighting in the dining area. This can include soft but functional lighting that is in scale with the length of the table. It’s best to avoid overly glary lights in this setting as it can hinder the ambience.
The living room is the place most of us spend the majority of time when not preparing meals in the kitchen. As such, the lighting used should help create a warm and calm environment. A central feature light fitting with diffused or indirect lighting elements is one way to achieve the desired atmosphere. This can be used in conjunction with soft feature wall lights that complement the central feature light fitting. Functional lighting in this space can also be introduced via floor lamps that add personality and visual layers.
Bathroom lighting must be water and steam resistant, so look for products with favourable IP (ingress protection) ratings. IP ratings define the water and dust resistance of a fitting, with bathroom fittings requiring an IP54 and above. Consider horizontal illumination for mirrors. Wall sconces or pendant lights beside mirrors will effectively light up faces and avoid shadows, which is always important for anyone who shaves their face or applies makeup — in other words, almost everyone with a face!
Soft, relaxing lighting is ideal in the bedroom. We strongly suggest indirect lighting as the main source of illumination, relegating direct lighting to the bedside for reading purposes. While wall and table lamps are often the first choice, we recommend pendants over bedside tables as they add more depth and character to the room. Built-ins and walk-in wardrobes should preferably feature focus lighting with asymmetric beams.
Downlights are the silent heroes of the lighting world as they provide ambient and functional lighting in any space. Downlights need to communicate with the decorative elements, such as artwork, plants, pendants and sculptures, so they don’t take away from their design intent. For example, you’ll want to select an asymmetric downlight for your artwork with the right size light fitting and beam angle.
For more information
For more lighting tips, or to view Koda Lighting’s extensive range, visit kodalighting.com
