Opting for lighting with a parking atmosphere may cause a cold in the living room at cocktail time. As for the kitchens, many are as dark as a cellar because they are illuminated by a single opaque suspension…
Very often neglected, however, the lighting of the rooms is essential to our comfort.
Here are five mistakes not to make.
Be satisfied with a single light source
“In Montreal, we are used to being satisfied with a single light point on the ceiling,” says Christophe Bresson, Communications Director for Philips Lighting Montreal. However, in the same room, depending on the activities, the lighting needs are different. In a living room, you can receive, relax or read at the same time.
To vary the lighting ambiences, nothing beats multiplying the sources by mixing suspensions, wall lights, reading lights, auxiliary lamps…” In the kitchen, we think to light up the work surface well in addition to the rest of the room at the risk of cutting off a finger by cutting the carrots! “advises Mario Fournier, owner of MF Electrique in Montreal . Finally, we place luminous points in each corner and we do not hesitate to put light on particular objects, paintings or the library.
A place that is not lit is a place that disappears, giving the impression that the room is smaller.
Illuminate too much (or not enough)
It is difficult to rest when the room is lit like a dentist’s office, and on the other hand, nothing is more painful than looking for clothes in the dark of the dressing room.
“There are different types of luminaires,” explains Laurent Soubeyrand, “the key is to adapt them to each situation. “They are divided into four categories: direct (light radiates throughout the room), indirect (light is diffused against the ceiling or a wall), radiant (light is diffused from everywhere) and focal (light is focused on a specific point).
For example, the Scandinavian metal suspensions, which are very popular at the moment, provide focal lighting that can only be used as a supplement. Instead, they should be hung over a table, kitchen island or bar to complement the general lighting.
Choose the wrong bulb
Before, choosing a bulb was simple: just look at the number of watts. Today, you need a baccalaureate + 12 in metaphysics. Between LEDs, compact fluorescents, low-energy halogens and new criteria to take into account, such as lumens, choosing the right bulb has become a real challenge.
However, this is essential for the quality of lighting. “Watts refer to the amount of energy used by a bulb to produce light, while lumen is the unit used to measure its light intensity,” says Christophe Bresson. To simplify things, 40 watts corresponds to about 400 lumens.
More importantly, care must be taken with the colour rendering index (CRI), which must be greater than 90 and the colour temperature.
Expressed in Kelvin, it is thanks to it that we know if the bulb will emit a warm (between 2,700 and 4,000 Kelvins) or cold (over 4,000 Kelvins) color. Cold colours are preferred for tasks that require concentration and warm colours for relaxation.
Choose spotlights as ceiling lights
Whether fixed or adjustable, the light from ceiling spots always ends up dazzling, depending on the angle. “The ideal solution is to use a basic ceiling light the same color as the ceiling and add other lighting sources,” Laurent Soubeyrand recommends.
Avoid the dimers
Luxury superfluous, the drive? Quite the contrary. It is a simple and effective way to adapt the light of a room to the needs of the moment.
“In the room, it allows you to go from a subdued atmosphere to rest to a brighter light to look for your clothes for the next day,” says Laurent Soubeyrand.
Technically, it is also easy to install since there are models integrated into the switch. With its Philips Hue system, the brand goes further by offering (with adapted bulbs) to colour the lighting atmosphere which can be synchronised with the colours of the evening film, music or your mood….
MF Électrique
6745 Waverly App.001 Suite E,
Montréal, H2S 3H8
Québec, CA
(514) 700-0696