Let there be
perfect lights
By Harkiran
Sodhi
EVER since electricity became a part
of our daily lives, man has used it in numerous ways. The
most obvious usage has been to provide light. The more
ornamental role of lighting has been to pick up dark
spots, highlight special corners or objects and add a
touch of warmth to special rooms.
Just as the uses of lights
vary from person to person and room to room, so do the
varieties of lights that are available today. The variety
of styles, colours, designs, prices as well as the types
of light provided are mind-boggling.
The commonest and perhaps
the cheapest option available is the tube-light. Cheap on
both, the initial purchase cost as well as the electric
bill, tube-lights are not the best choice for any and
every room.
Best suited to for kitchen, bathrooms and
verandas tube lights tend to give a cold and dull
light to most rooms. They are certainly best avoided in
the sitting room, dining and even the bedroom if
possible. Many people tend to mix lighting options and
use hidden tube-lights which can be placed on top of
pelmets or in false ceilings, and keep warmer lighting
options like lamps outside .
The sitting room should
have lights that complement it in every way possible.
Firstly the choice of lighting does depend on the size of
the room. Larger rooms can easily take larger sized light
fittings and (if spacious enough) can easily accommodate
even a chandelier. The room theme should also be kept in
mind when you are selecting the lighting. Very western
styled rooms should have light fixtures that complement
the look while an ethnic room looks lovely with lamps,
which pick up the colours and mood of the room.
Lamps are multi-purpose
and can be used simply for reading, to fill in a dull
corner or then to add in soft pools of light in the
entire room. Lamps are available in varied sizes. Large
lamps look great placed on the floor, while the smaller
ones are best placed on a small side table.
Lamps can be in brass,
wood, chrome, coloured glass, and terracotta. Lamps of
stained glass and coloured glass are particularly popular
these days. These lamps have either the base of stained
glass or the shade and come in a variety of colours and
designs. Coloured lamps that are in vogue today are a
direct throwback to the glass lamps of olden days that
came in deep shades of cobalt blue and emerald green.
Lamps in both these styles add a lot of character as well
as warmth to the room they are placed in.
In places where the lamps
are sold without the lampshades, it is important to fit a
shade on to see the finished look before you buy it. The
shape and size of the shade must complement the look of
the lamp. Often the lamp base is too big and the shade
too small or vice versa. In both cases, the look will be
incongruent.
Shades for the lamps come
in a host of materials. Glass plain, coloured or
stained, cloth, raw silk and thick parchment style paper.
The material of the shade will depend on where you are
using the lamp. Lamps in the drawing room need shades
that look good and are easy to clean. Shades of raw silk
and glass are the best bets.
If you want to use a lamp
in the study then simple glass or parchment paper looks
great. Lampshades are also made to match your curtains or
upholstery in the room. This is particularly common in
the bedroom.
Dining-rooms need to be
lighted well. The soft, dim lighting that looks so
romantic in the sitting room is certainly out in this
room except for special occasions when you can treat
yourself to a romantic soft-lighted dinner (it
doesnt have to be candlelight).
Here again, keeping the
size of the room in mind, you can choose the size of your
lights. Wall brackets are often the best bet in this room
and the style of the wall brackets can be matched to the
rooms look. Another great option is a big, hanging
drop-light at the centre of the dining table. This
spreads the light out over the entire dining table but
keeps the glare out of the eyes. Droplights are available
in glass; stained glass, metal and even cloth options.
The prices vary according to the style selected.
Using up lighters can pick
up indirect lighting areas like the lobby or hallways and
some corners that need some soft lights. These come in
mounted as well as pedestal options. In this there is a
rim that prevents the light from spilling down and
instead it throws it up towards the ceiling. Indirect
lighting is great to fill in dark corners or used in
rooms like even the dining area where you want adequate
light without it being harsh.
For those on a shoestring
budget, Japanese style paper lanterns in different shapes
as well as sizes and colours make a great buy. These can
be hung up in almost any room and give you soft lighting
with a different look.
Apart from the choice of
the lights for each room, there is an equally puzzling
array of light bulbs that are presented to you. From
regular bulbs to spotlight bulbs and soft light bulbs,
its endless choice, though there are really no hard
and fast rules in these matters and just about anything
goes anywhere There are a few pointers that might help
when in a fix.
Try to use soft light
bulbs where there is no shade or a filmy shade on the
lamp. The spotlight bulbs are best used for table lamps
where you need a focused beam of light in one direction
or then these can be used in up lighters. The coloured
bulbs are a distinct no-no. In no way will they achieve
the look a coloured glass shade will give you.
Dimmers or switches that
control the amount of light you get are a good way to
play with the light to match your mood. While you are
looking at lighting options dont forget to keep an
eye on the style and look of the switches that you intend
to use. Nothing can mess up the look of that so expensive
chandelier you put up in the sitting room more than an
ugly, grubby-looking switch. You can match the style of
the light with some snazzy switches that are available
today.
Chandelier, lamp or
lantern nothing can warm up your room or pick up
your mood better than perfect lights for a perfect room.
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