In my most recent post, I wrote about layers of light. Think of it as a lighting outfit for your room, house, etc. What I mean by that is general lighting is the clothing you’re wearing, minus accessories. Accessories like belts, scarves, shoes, glasses, even a hat are the task lighting, and jewelry is the accent lighting.
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Speaking the Language of LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes)
Once you have a sense of the overall outfit, or in the case of lighting, how you want your space to look with the updated lighting and the location of fixtures, then what?
A decorative fixture can look great on its own, but if you’re not getting the light that you expected from it, then what? When we replace lightbulbs, there are so many options for what to buy; often fixtures don’t come with bulbs and if you are using LEDs what do you need to know? If you are doing a project with an electrician, how do you speak their language?
Lumens, Color Temperature, and CRI – what are those?
There arethree main attributes to consider when lighting with LEDs, which most of us use throughout our homes: Lumens, Color Temperature and CRI.
First, let’s start with Lumens, or how bright the light is that a bulb produces. If you look at the bulb packaging shown below, you will see brightness on the bottom right of the box, above energy cost (450 lumens).
Secondly, Color Temperature, which is the color of the light (from warm to cool) that a bulb produces, and it’s on the bottom left of the packaging below, next to wattage (2700K).
And finally, the Color Rendering Index (CRI) measurement, or how well the light emitting from a bulb shows the true color of an object that it’s focused on, and this is to the right and above the image of the bulbs on the packaging below (90 CRI).
And these three are referenced on just about any LED lightbulb package you buy, but what do they mean and why are they important?
Do you want to become a lighting geek? Then read on…to decode more about LED bulbs.
What happens when you are buying a new fixture?
What if you are buying a new fixture? When you review the details of any fixture, there are quite a number of specifications, for example; look at the list for the fixture below, and see four categories just devoted to bulbs; often fixtures’ specifications only list maximum wattage. How do you translate that to lumens? And what does bulb base mean?
When selecting bulbs for a fixture, look at the fixture specification for bulb base type or bulb type, as well as wattage, typically referring to an incandescent bulb (even though LED bulbs are measured in lumens); you can find the equivalent brightness for LED bulbs and it is much less wattage than for incandescent bulbs that produce the same number of lumens. Talk to whomever you are ordering the light fixture from for confirmation.
Wattage v. Lumens
Wattage is a measure of the energy a lightbulb uses, instead of lumens, which, again, is how much light output there is from any lightbulb. So if a specification lists 100 watts for a light bulb, what kind of LED bulb could you choose?
A 100 watt incandescent provides about 1600 lumens; and the LED equivalent uses only 25-28 watts. The chart below shows how lumens translate to both incandescent and LED wattage, and you can see how much lower the energy use is for LEDs.
For the bulb’s base type, talk with your lighting company; “E” (Edison) type bulbs are most common, as they are screwed into the socket and the most common size of those is “E26” with the 26 the width of the base in millimeters. Too much information? See the chart below for shapes, base types and more (and on our packaging above, the bulb type is “A19” with and Edison base). There are also fixtures that come with integrated LEDs, these are typically strips of diodes, and they cannot be replaced without replacing the fixture.
Dimming
Dimming is also a way to control bulb light output and I recommend it for just about every fixture! LED sources need different dimmers than incandescents, so talk with your electrician or lighting company about your best options.
Secondly, Color Temperature is the color of the light emitted from a light source; this selection is up to you and it’s about how warm or cool you want the light to be in your room and/or home, because that affects how objects (walls, floors, furniture, accessories) appear to you.
What you need to know about the color temperature of LED bulbs is at 2000K to 3000K (K stands for Kelvin, which is the scale used for measuring thermodynamic temperature) a light bulb emits a warm glow, similar to incandescent bulbs. As you move up the Kelvin scale, the warm or orange glow moves into the bright white color ranges (6000K for example) with 9000K to 10,000K emitting a blue light. Daylight for example, as you can see on the chart below, is from 4800K to 6000K or so. In residential settings, most LED bulbs are in the 2700K to 3000K warm range (with whiter light being better for task areas like kitchens and baths – up to 4000K depending on client preference).
How does my space look with lighting depending on color temperature?
Why is the color temperature important when choosing LED bulbs? Color temperature emitted from a light source can change how we perceive the color of what the light is focused on.
What if you are repainting a room, for example? How does color temperature affect that?
For example, if you are repainting a room, something to consider when choosing colors is that warmer paint colors are enhanced by warmer lighting conditions (red, orange and yellow), while cooler ones, like blue and green colors are enhanced by cooler lighting conditions. If you choose an LED bulb with a color temperature of 2700K (which is warm, and very similar to incandescent bulbs) it will enhance red, orange and yellow colors in the room, with the blue and green range appearing muted; if you move toward the natural light range to 4000K (4800K to 6000K is the range for natural light), blue and green colors will be enhanced and the warmer colors will appear duller. It is important to test out how you perceive the different color temperatures, particularly if you are making a change.
If you like how your current room looks with your existing fixtures with their current bulbs, choose the same color temperature bulb for any new fixture. If you want a change, try out some new bulbs in different color temperatures! You probably already have noticed changes in how your interiors look going from natural daylight into artificial light. And if you are adding lighting to areas where you perform tasks, like kitchens and baths, the general recommendation is to select color temperatures from 3000K to 4000K. See the image below for moving from warmer light on the left, to cooler light on the right.
CRI – the Color Rendering Index – Higher on the scale is better.
And finally, the Color Rendering Index (CRI) measurement tells us how colors look under an artificial light source, when compared to being in natural sunlight. Colors look most vibrant when they are seen in natural light, across the full color spectrum. LED bulbs can produce better (or worse!) color rendering.
CRI is on a scale of 1-100, 100 being what you would see under natural light conditions, showing the color of whatever is being lit at its most vibrant. What should you look for in CRI measurements?
A CRI measurement of less than 80, is not considered good, colors can be drab, and it may be difficult to distinguish similar colors from one another. A CRI of 80-90 is better, and often okay for commercial settings. A CRI above 90 is very good, with good color rendering, providing depth in the colors and is what you want for residential applications. (As you get closer to 100, the CRI becomes even better, providing more depth of color, etc.). The apple all the way to the right is the best rendered!
By understanding the details of LEDs, not only can you replace bulbs in an informed way, you can buy the bulbs that will work in your space without multiple trips back to the store for new or existing fixtures!
Thinking about the lighting in your home? Do you find that you have a dark area or two in a room and you want to update your lighting? Evaluate what changes you’d like to see and decide if you want portable lighting to address the problem, or if it’s time to bring in an electrician, to add fixtures and update switching. If you are planning a renovation project, consider lighting from the very beginning!
Layers of Light
One of the rules of thumb with lighting, is to provide multiple layers of light. What this means is to create general, ambient light, along with task (directed) lighting, and accent (directed) lighting.
In a living room, for example, you may have sconces, light fixtures on the walls, which wash the wall and perhaps also light the ceiling above them; these provide general, ambient light.
Providing general lighting was the goal in the different areas of this living room using sconces, as you can see in these two photos; this was a renovation project of an 1850s farmhouse and wiring was a challenge! Corey Fitzgerald Photography
Floor and table lamps can provide task lighting, for reading, and recessed lighting with a directional component can be specifically directed at art work. However, recessed lighting, installed as a series of fixtures can provide general lighting. Confusing?? Read on…
Since recessed lights are installed in the ceiling, there is no decorative component, as there would be with a fixture that sits on the ceiling. The light that comes from a recessed fixture has a limited beam spread, (think pool of light on the floor below the fixture) and to provide general lighting in a room with recessed lighting means to make sure that the beam spread of each of a series of fixtures overlaps, so there are no dark areas in-between the fixtures.
In this Arts and Crafts bungalow, our lighting decisions included recessed lighting in the ceiling coffers to provide ambient and focused (on art work) lighting, along with table and floor lamps for task lighting. – Corey Fitzgerald Photography
Be aware that there can be overlap in the function of lighting! Floor and table lamps, if placed in different areas of a room, can also provide ambient as well as task lighting. Torchieres, which are floor lamps that direct light above them to the ceiling, can also provide ambient light, and are available in many styles.
If you don’t want a lot of recessed fixtures, and prefer to keep the number of ceiling openings to a minimum, track lighting has made something of a comeback, and with one opening for wiring, you can place a track on your ceiling, with multiple track-heads aimed at a number of locations.
A ceiling pendant over the small dining table provides both task and ambient lighting and a track with track-heads (just visible) in the middle of the room, focuses both on a counter area and toward a pantry that’s opposite, made sense in this 1964 ranch kitchen renovation. Corey Fitzgerald Photography
Ceiling lights (installed on the ceiling) are great way to provide ambient light; they can be flush to the ceiling, semi-flush, which allows for the light to bounce off the ceiling, or pendants which hang down from the ceiling. And there are many decorative options, for pretty much any home style. Pendants and chandeliers (typically a larger fixture, with a number of bulbs) which hang from cords or rods from the ceiling may be used in hallways or entryways for general lighting and are available is many sizes, styles and lumens. Of course, pendants can also be used for general room lighting as well as task lighting over tables, bars, etc.
In the dining room of the Arts and Crafts bungalow, we used two large pendants to create a chandelier effect over the large dining table, along with recessed lighting in the ceiling and sconces on the wall. Rosemary Fletcher Photography
And in a kitchen, providing task lighting for food preparation most often takes the form of under-cabinet lighting (LED strip lighting or fixtures) directly over counters, perhaps with the support of recessed fixtures over the countertops. Pendants or ceiling fixtures can light the sink area, and provide visual interest.
In these two photos, pendants above the sink area in the 1850s Farmhouse renovation were hand-created; under-cabinet LED lighting and recessed lighting over the countertops where possible, (not possible everywhere due to wiring challenges) helped to create a well-lit space. Corey Fitzgerald Photography
My favorite options for a bathroom are to provide recessed fixtures over the shower or tub area, with sconces flanking the mirror over the sink (often supported by a recessed light over each sink), and a decorative ceiling fixture, for the center of the room. A large bathroom may require more ceiling and recessed fixtures.
These two photos show the bath renovation from a 1990s home; two separate baths, that shared a wall were combined to create a new primary bath. The sconces flanking the mirror echo the style of the ceiling fixture; two recessed lights over the shower illuminate what was originally a dark tub area. Amy Crosby Photography
Next up, a discussion of LEDs, plus the meaning and measurement of lumens, color temperature and CRI.
What about accessories – and what do those include? Art…which can provide color, texture and connections to other areas of your home; in the photo below from New England Home, the framed prints which create a gallery wall, provide texture, as well as keeping with the overall neutral palette, and drawing the eye up the stairs. Their scale keeps the space intimate.
Or perhaps one colorful painting to draw your eye?
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/140806232277865/
Mirrors – you can place a mirror over a console table or cabinet, but how about a large mirror in a Mid-Century entryway, anchors the space over a bench?
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/3377768462818168/
In a small, narrow entryway, how about multiple mirrors on hooks?
Lighting is extremely important in any interior; for an entryway, there is typically some kind of overhead fixture, that will allow you to see where you are going!
What if you only have a recessed fixture?? There are kits that allow you to convert the recessed light to one that will accept other types of fixtures.Amazon, Home Depot and other retailers carry these conversion kits. You can then add a flush or semi-flush fixture, or depending on ceiling height, even a pendant or chandelier. Or you may already have a ceiling mounted fixture, but it’s time for an upgrade. How do you decide what type and size of fixture?
Ceiling fixture size...width.
Let’s start with how to determine the correct ceiling fixture size: one rule of thumb is to take the entryway width and add that number in feet to the height (also in feet) which will give you the diameter of the fixture in inches. If you have a small entryway, and your width measurement is 4 feet, and your ceiling height is 8 feet, you would select a fixture with a 12 inch diameter.
This is by no means a hard rule; think of it as a guideline. For this space, if you were to find a great 14 inch diameter fixture, go for it! If you prefer oversize fixtures, there is no problem with going larger, but be aware of both the diameter and the height of any fixture.
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What about ceiling fixture height?? If you have a lower ceiling, a flush or semi-flush fixture may make the most sense, but with a taller ceiling, the height of the fixture can increase with an increase in ceiling height; pendants and chandeliers are a great choice for higher ceilings.
A rule of thumb for taller ceilings is 2-3 inches of height for every foot of ceiling height. For a 12 foot ceiling, you could select a 24-36 inch fixture height. In a larger entryway, you may be able to also add sconces, particularly if there is a table or chest against one wall.
Make sure that you pick a ceiling fixture with adequate lighting for the area (at least 800 lumens, but ideally more, 1100 lumens) and put it on a dimmer.Also, I don’t recommend table or floor lamps in small entryways, since they are easy to knock over; they are fine in larger entryways, where table or floor lamps are not in danger of being bumped.
Color temperature is also something to be aware of, for any room; what is it? It’s how cool or warm the light being emitted from a fixture is. On the chart below, going from left to right,, warmer light that makes us and our surroundings (living rooms, bedrooms, etc.) warmer is typically in the high 2000’s (measured in degrees Kelvin), second from the far left. I would recommend 2700K for entryways.
For task areas, like kitchens and baths, slightly cooler warm light (measured in degrees Kelvin) is usually a good choice (like 3000K). And some lighting experts recommend even cooler light, in the 4000K range for task work in offices, garages, etc., with commercial applications approaching daylight, at over 6000K.
It is best to match the color temperature of all the light fixtures in one area, so if you have multiple fixtures in your entryway, select light bulbs or integral LED fixtures in the same color temperature. And you can find color temperature information on any light bulb packaging; if a fixture comes with an integrated LED, the color temperature will be specified in the fixture details.
As always, select a fixture (just like other details…) that makes a connection to the rest of your home!
When you are deciding what color makes sense in your entryway, wall color is the foundation; it provides a backdrop for any furniture and accessories you may include.
Considering wall color, it can coordinate with other wall colors in your home, or strike out on its own, and could be a color that you feature in accessories in an adjacent area; and what about wallpaper??
A continuation and connection to nearby areas….
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A contrast that still coordinates…
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Something that’s bright and welcoming, from the Gropius House in Lincoln, MA, that coordinates with the cork flooring on the stairs;
In the grand and historic homes of the past, entryways, typically called foyers, were large and welcoming; stairways were often part of the entryways.It was important to have a transition area from the exterior to the interior, where guests could be greeted, and guests and residents could remove their coats, boots and more.Some of the foyers were more about guests…and making a statement about your home as they entered. This is still true, particularly in the larger and more formal homes of today.
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And foyers did and do more…they provided a glimpse of the rest of the house; a starting point for the personality of the house.
What about the rest of us who live in smaller homes, particularly those built after WWII? My own 1960s ranch style home has a small entry that opens into the living room. We have a closet, but no space for furniture or shelving. What can you do??
Start by thinking about about connecting the entryway to other areas of your home; what style and period is your home from and what colors predominate? And let’s start with a small piece of furniture or two! Let’s assume that you have storage for coats, and other outerwear and shoes, but your entry way is lacking style.
If you have room to move in your entryway, you might want to add a credenza, or small table; not only as a design element, but somewhere to put mail, keys and other items temporarily; what else do you need to access, on your way out? Do you also need storage for small items, like spare keys, pens, etc.? The important thing is to make sure you can flow through the space easily, regardless of the season and your added outerwear; measure any new furniture item first, and make sure it doesn’t prevent access to any doors or interior openings.
Eclectic with a nod to the past… www.housebeautiful.com
A traditional gate-leg table and mirror… www.bhg.com
What about furniture with clean lines, with a nod to Mid-Century or Shaker?
This mid-century buffet/console is in the entry of the Field Farm Bed and Breakfast in Williamstown, MA KDZ Designs Photo
