INTERIOR DESIGN

11.0 INTERIOR LIGHTING:

• Primary and Secondary function of Lighting in interiors

• Brightness & Glare , Direct and Indirect Glare

• Ambient, Task and Accent Lighting

• Understanding the lighting objectives & Gradations of

Light

• Important definitions in Lighting Design

• Procedure for working out the Lighting layout

• Characteristics of Light sources

• Types of Lighting fixtures as per Illuminance

• Comparison between some commonly used Light

fixtures

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INTERIOR DESIGN

INTERIOR LIGHTING:

PRIMARY AND SECONDARY FUNCTION OF LIGHTING

Primary function of Lighting in interiors is to:

• Illuminate the forms and space of an interior environment

• Create a visible interior enclosure

• Effectively guide the viewer through a space or series of

spaces

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INTERIOR DESIGN

INTERIOR LIGHTING:

PRIMARY AND SECONDARY FUNCTION OF LIGHTING

: Secondary function of Lighting in interiors is to:

• Direct the viewer’s gaze to points of interest

• Provide security through the illumination of spaces and

any potential hazards

• Emphasize architectural features , provide cues to the

use and orientation of the space and support the
designer’s intent
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INTERIOR DESIGN

INTERIOR LIGHTING:

BRIGHTNESS & GLARE

• Surface brightness of a task area should be the same as

the background or brighter.

• Recommended to have a maximum brightness ratio of 3:1

between the task surface and it’s background

• Higher brightness ratios can lead to glare

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INTERIOR DESIGN

INTERIOR LIGHTING:

BRIGHTNESS & GLARE

GLARE:

• Glare results when our eyes can not adjust simultaneously

to widely contrasting areas of brightness .

• The Illuminating Engineering Society (IES) defines glare as

one of two conditions:

• Too much light

• Excessive contrast, meaning the range of luminance in

the field of view is too great.

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INTERIOR DESIGN

INTERIOR LIGHTING:

BRIGHTNESS & GLARE

GLARE: DIRECT & INDIRECT

• Direct glare is caused by the brightness of light sources

within our normal filed of vision

• Field of vision-30 degrees to horizontal

• Direct glare zone-45 degrees to horizontal

• Possible solutions to the problems of direct glare:

• Locate the sources of brightness out of the direct line of

vision

• Some times, this may not be possible. in that case, use

properly shielded or baffled lighting fixtures

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INTERIOR DESIGN

INTERIOR LIGHTING:

BRIGHTNESS & GLARE

GLARE: DIRECT & INDIRECT

• Indirect glare is caused by the brightness of light

sources outside our normal filed of vision

• Reflected Glare or Veiling Reflection is a reflection of

incident light that partially or totally obscures the details
to be seen on a surface by reducing the contrast

• Indirect Glare leads to a veiling of the image on the task

surface

• Also a resultant loss of contrast required for seeing the

image

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INTERIOR DESIGN

INTERIOR LIGHTING:

BRIGHTNESS & GLARE

GLARE: DIRECT & INDIRECT

• Possible solutions to problems of indirect glare:

• Locate the light source so that the incident light rays

are reflected away from the viewer

• Use indirect lighting fixtures

• Lower the level of general overhead lighting and

supplement it with localized task light closer to the work
surface

• Use bi directional lighting- lighting from two directions to

raise the level of diffused light in a space

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INTERIOR DESIGN

INTERIOR LIGHTING:

AMBIENT, TASK AND ACCENT LIGHTING :

AMBIENT LIGHTING:

• Provides general illumination in a room in a uniform and

generally diffuse manner

• Purpose is to create the general ambience in the space

• Ambient lighting provides a general, shadow less light level

that is restful and minimizes interest in objects and people.

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INTERIOR DESIGN

INTERIOR LIGHTING:

AMBIENT, TASK AND ACCENT LIGHTING :

AMBIENT LIGHTING:

• It sets the mood-warm/ cool/ etc. as per the requirement of

Warm lighting
the interior

• It is used to soften shadows, expand the corners of a

room, provide a comfortable level of illumination for safe
movement and general maintenance.

Cool lighting

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INTERIOR DESIGN

INTERIOR LIGHTING:

AMBIENT, TASK AND ACCENT LIGHTING :

AMBIENT LIGHTING:

• It sets the mood-warm/ cool/ etc. as per the requirement of

the interior Warm lighting

• It is used to soften shadows, expand the corners of a

room, provide a comfortable level of illumination for safe
movement and general maintenance.

Cool lighting

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INTERIOR DESIGN

INTERIOR LIGHTING:

AMBIENT, TASK AND ACCENT LIGHTING :

AMBIENT LIGHTING: IMPORTANT CHARACTERISTICS

• It is appropriate for areas where the location of tasks

varies widely and also for spaces which are reconfigured
frequently

• Also, it provides a comfortable level of illumination for safe

movement and general maintenance

• However, it often tends to get monotonous in an interior

scheme and needs to be complemented with another form
of lighting

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INTERIOR DESIGN

INTERIOR LIGHTING:

AMBIENT, TASK AND ACCENT LIGHTING :

AMBIENT LIGHTING: IMPORTANT CHARACTERISTICS

• Vertical surfaces are the most visually conspicuous

features in a space .

• Good Ambient Lighting should :

• Preserve the integrity of vertical surfaces ,

• Highlight special features or finishes and

• Avoid spatial distortions

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INTERIOR DESIGN

INTERIOR LIGHTING:

AMBIENT, TASK AND ACCENT LIGHTING :

TASK OR FOCAL LIGHTING :

• Task or focal lighting illuminates specific areas of a space

for the performance of visual tasks or activities .

• The light sources are usually placed close to the task

surface, enabling the available wattage to be used more
efficiently than with ambient lighting

• It accentuates the lighting provided by Ambient lighting in

the focal area with surrounding areas illuminated at a lower
level

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INTERIOR DESIGN

INTERIOR LIGHTING:

AMBIENT, TASK AND ACCENT LIGHTING :

TASK OR FOCAL LIGHTING :

• As a disadvantage, it often results in uneven lighting

patterns at the working plane level

• To minimize the same, Task lighting is often combined

with ambient lighting

• Focal lighting can also create variety and interest, divide a

space into a number of areas, encompass a furniture
grouping or reinforce the social character of a room

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INTERIOR DESIGN

INTERIOR LIGHTING:

AMBIENT, TASK AND ACCENT LIGHTING :

ACCENT LIGHTING :

• Accent lighting, also called highlighting, emphasizes

objects by focusing light directly on them

• Some times used to create rhythmic patterns of light and

dark within a space

• Accent lighting can be used to relieve the monotony of

ambient lighting

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INTERIOR DESIGN

INTERIOR LIGHTING:

AMBIENT, TASK AND ACCENT LIGHTING :

ACCENT LIGHTING :

• Also to emphasize a room’s features or Highlight art

objects or prized possessions

• However, overuse can create a space that appears to be

disorganized or cluttered

• To add drama and effectively draw the eye, accent lighting

should direct at least three times as much light towards the
focal point compared to the rest of the room

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INTERIOR DESIGN

INTERIOR LIGHTING:

AMBIENT, TASK AND ACCENT LIGHTING :

Task Lighting, Accent Lighting, Mood Lighting,

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INTERIOR DESIGN

INTERIOR LIGHTING:

WARM & COOL LIGHTING :

: WARM LIGHTING :

• Used when it is desired to enhance intimate scale and

avoid a feeling of neutrality in the interior scheme

• Useful in accentuating some design features

• Also used to provide a special character to a space such

as Office Reception- to convey a corporate image

• However, Warm colors are often perceived as “not bright

enough”, as we are more accustomed to white light

• As part of our natural human circadian rhythm, warm light

seems to relax us and help us wind down for the day, and
get ready for sleep
E content developed by REVA University, Bangalore. Valid for August-December 2020-21 only.
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