The Fundamentals of Good Lighting Design

Dimmers and control panels, task and accent lighting. The intricacies of lighting schemes may not seem as exciting as selecting that beautiful wall color from a peacock’s fan of paint chips, or match the joy of discovering a long-sought-after sofa for the family room, but it matters—a lot.

Successful lighting design is fundamental to enhancing the look and feel of a home or a business, says Randy Burkett. Since 1988, his full-service architectural lighting design company, Randy Burkett Lighting Design, has been brightening up projects in places as far away as Saudi Arabia and Russia and in buildings here at home, including the Old Post Office and Custom House, the Missouri State Capitol rotunda, and Graham Chapel at Washington University.

Without a lighting plan, says Burkett, wall colors may turn muddy or unexpectedly garish. The intricate pattern of a favorite carpet may go unseen and underappreciated. The reflected light thrown from that exquisite 18th-century mirror? It could quickly turn into a glare in the entryway of the house.

“Typically, we assume, our client doesn’t understand lighting,” says Burkett, “so there’s always an educational component to our discussions. We talk about what role lighting plays in design and in functionality. Lighting is an element that goes beyond decorative.”

Room by room, Burkett and his team uncover what homeowners want, what they need, and how to manage a lighting plan. Here, he shares examples from his checklist:

Entryways and Foyers

Chandeliers, sconces, and table lamps provide only basic illumination and may produce glare or uneven distribution of light that would require a secondary choice, such as pin lights or downlights. In contemporary and modern entries, both as architectural enhancement and as ambient lighting, the spare design of recessed downlighting can be effective.

Dining Rooms

Chandeliers and pendants alone may not provide sufficient functional lighting, so it’s a good idea to add sconces and lamps as secondary fill light and decoration. Recessed adjustable pin spots provide functional light, such as that needed to showcase food on the dining table.

Living Rooms

Use a combination of all lighting tools at hand—architectural, chandeliers, pendants, table lamps, and floor lamps—to define areas, layer light, and create mood.

Bedrooms

Table and floor lamps help create ambient light, and dedicated in-bed reading lights—wall-, ceiling-, or lamp-based—should be switched on and off by the user.

Kitchens

Task lighting rules. These include under-cabinetry lighting with concealed linear lighting for the countertops, and both recessed lighting and pendants placed above free-standing islands. Lights situated in architectural coves, above the cabinets, or to bring out architectural details, such as decorative moldings or woodwork, provides soft fill light.

Grand or whimsical, stately or fun-loving, light fixtures, lamps, and other decorative luminaries enhance the design of a room while fulfilling the important task of providing warmth and illumination to a space.

Chandeliers

Remember to have some fun with their placement. Chandeliers are now found throughout the house, from the foyer and dining room to the bedroom, kitchen, bathroom, and dressing room.

Pendants

Often hung in multiples, pendants add style and definition above a freestanding kitchen island or countertops. Pendants are typically placed 28 to 34 inches above the surface for maximum effectiveness. Alone, they may not provide uniformity and adequate illumination for kitchen tasks, but when supplemented with recessed downlights, they perform well. Like chandeliers, pendants aren’t limited to kitchen areas. They add sparkle and interest to a bedroom nook or as an accent in the bath.  

Sconces

Think of sconces and decorative luminaries as jewelry. They provide style as well as secondary fill or ambient light. Sconces may be used effectively to define an area or to highlight a treasured acquisition.

Lamps

In the lighting landscape, table and floor lamps work double duty by adding pop and personal style. Floor lamps, in particular, throw light up and down and impart a dramatic effect to a room. Use both to augment and balance light in foyers, dining areas, and living rooms. In bedrooms, they provide good ambient light.