Whether you are a do-it-yourself interior decorator or you've hired a professional, knowing the most common terms of residential lighting will help with the process.
If you're far enough along in the renovation or remodeling process, you have no doubt begun thinking about the importance of lighting to a successful interior design. Because there are several different kinds of lighting needs, often within the same room, it's easy to become confused by terminology as well as the many options available to fill lighting requirements. Here, then, is a list of basic lighting terminology to help you find solutions.
- Ambient lighting – the general lighting that illuminates an entire space; may be a ceiling-mounted light or daylight from windows
- Accent lighting – illuminates special features in a room, such as artwork, architectural details and furnishings, creating drama.
- Backlighting – illumination from behind an object, that makes the foreground appear sharper in contrast with the background. It also lights the edges more sharply than the center of the object, creating a "halo" effect.
- Beeswax Candle – among the earliest materials for making candles, beeswax offers a soft, smokeless and pleasant smelling light. Other candle materials include paraffin, tallow, soy wax.
- Candelabrum (pl. candelabra) – a standing candle holder for multiple candles, wrought of silver, wood, ceramic, other kinds of metals in a decorative style. Often used in pairs, these are for accent purposes.
- Candolier – predecessor of the chandelier, holding candles instead of electric bulbs.
- Chandelier – suspended lighting, often with multiple bulbs; often the focal point of the dining room. As such it should be hung about 30 inches above the tabletop and should be at least 6 inches narrower than the table on each side
- Desk Lamp – usually adjustable in height, generally 12" to 20" high and used to light a specific work area. Some styles are Library lamps, Barrister lamps, Architect lamps.
- Dimmer - a device in an electrical circuit used for varying the brightness of lamps in a lighting installation. Dimming controls are ideal for almost any type of room because they can change the amount of lighting to suit each mood or activity.
- Foot-candle – in the US, standard measurement of light reaching a subject.
- LED lighting - light emitting diode. A small electronic device that lights up when electricity is passed through it.
- Lumen - a unit of measure used to describe the amount of light that a light source produces or emits.
- Nightlight – a small light source, often plugged directly into an outlet, to provide soft illumination for safety.
- Pendant - provides both task and general lighting. Equipped with shades or globes to avoid glare, they are suspended from the ceiling over dinette tables, game tables, kitchen counters, or other work areas.
- Recessed lighting (pot lights or cans, downlights) - a small light fixture recessed into the ceiling that usually concentrates the light in a downward direction.
- Sconce - an ornamental light fixture attached to a wall.
- Task lighting - lighting that is specifically installed to light an area where a task is performed.
- Track lighting – light fixture which provides several same-size lamps installed along a metal track which connects them to the central power source. May be mounted high up on a wall or on the ceiling. Sometimes the lamps are movable, sometimes they are fixed. Can be directed or pointed toward different features for dramatic effect.
- Torchere - tall floor lamp with a bowl-shaped part that diffuses the light or directs it upward
- Toe lighting – low-level lighting, often LED, run under the bottom edge of kitchen cabinets at floor level. Provides soft light for safety when kitchen is darkened.
- Three-Way Switch – in combination with a 3-way bulb, enables one lamp to provide low, medium and high levels of light.
By combining the types of residential lighting known as ambient, task and accent lighting, you'll find most rooms will be comfortable, warm and efficient for the purposes intended for use.
Sources:
- Pegasus Associates Glossary of Lighting
- Lowe's Buying Guide: Lamps
Further reading:
The copyright of the article Glossary of Interior Decor Lighting Terms in Home Lighting is owned by Barbara Bell. Permission to republish Glossary of Interior Decor Lighting Terms in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
 |
 |
 |
