Andrew Pisciotta, a lighting designer with Wilson Lighting in St. Louis, advises homeowners to first spend time thinking about the style of light fixture they want for their ceiling. What is the desired shape and finish? What are the dimensions of the space? “There’s nothing worse than people finding a fixture they love and then it’s too big or it’s too small and they have to start over again,” he says. Homeowners should also determine early in their search if the ceiling fixture is going to be the room’s only light source, or if they plan to install recessed lighting, too.
“If a chandelier is going to be your only source, you’ll want to pick a fixture that has at least four to five bulbs,” says Pisciotta.
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When it comes to lighting, Pisciotta thinks functionality first. Oftentimes owners are lured into buying a fixture because of its visual appeals, but then they realize later on that it doesn’t throw sufficient lighting in the room. Having a room with lots of windows and ample natural light is a wonderful addition to a space, but it doesn’t provide enough lighting. “I say [having a lot of windows] is kind of irrelevant because you need to use that space at night, and windows aren’t going to help in that situation,” says our expert.
The best way to light a room is to think of it like a cake with three distinctive layers: Task (recessed lighting, under-cabinet tape lighting), decorative (anything fixture that’s attached to the walls, such as a sconce, or to the ceiling, like a chandelier) and lamp lighting (table, floor). When possible, Pisciotta encourages clients to install recessed cans because the need for more light only grows as people age. To distribute the cans, he takes his cues from the layout of the furniture. “There’s a fine line where you want [the recessed lighting] to be enough light but you don’t want it to look like a runway at an airport,” he says.
Simply switching out incandescent for LED bulbs provides a fast and efficient way to get more light into a space. Pisciotta upgraded the bulbs in his house to 100 watts, even though they call for a max of 40-watt incandescent bulbs. To figure out the math, think of it like this: Ten percent of a 100-watt LED bulb is 10 watts, which is still under the 40-watt minimum making it perfectly find to use. Try doing this in your home, too.
For those who want to add a ceiling fixture to the hearth or TV room, Pisciotta cautions against adding the fixture in front of your television. “Rooms have gotten bigger, especially if the homeowner has taken out a wall,” he says. For the circulation of air, “I’ll usually throw a ceiling fan [with a built-in fixture] in there because I don’t like a fixture in front of a TV,” he says.
