Shed some light on the situation - Choosing the right lighting for your home
Lighting can make or break your room scheme. Lighting can diminish minor surface imperfections present on walls and ceilings when used carefully. A hastily planned lighting scheme can have the opposite result accentuating the same imperfections that you are trying to hide. For example, light striking the surface of a wall at a low angle (such as side lighting from surface mounted light fixtures) exaggerates surface imperfections. In contrast, light striking the wall at more or less right angles minimises surface imperfections. Harsh lighting can be minimised through carefully planning your lighting requirements at the start of your project.

There are no right or wrong answers, but it pays to keep the following in mind as you work through your lighting plan...

	Placement
	Intensity
	Quantity
	Room size
	Natural lighting

To minimise the appearance of surface irregularities the following is recommended:

	Recessed lighting in place of spotlights to avoid creating hot spots on wall and ceiling surfaces;
	Low wattage incandescent lighting is preferable to bright halogen or fluorescent lighting;
	Install variable control switches to enable lighting to be adjusted to suit the various uses of each room.

Wash lighting accentuates specific colours, making them appear richer. Recessed lighting fixtures placed correctly will wash over a wall creating dramatic light and shadow effects. Use spotlights sparingly. A spotlight focussed on a fixed point on the surface creates a hot spot and distorts the finish colour. Softer diffused lighting can be achieved through the use of tinted glass, net curtains, blinds, well chosen lightshades and soft tone lightbulbs.

Selecting lighting for areas of your home:

• Bathrooms
• Bedrooms
  
• Dining rooms
• Hallways and stairs
• Home offices and study areas
• Kitchens
• Living rooms
  
• Outside

See the Lighting Plus look book for ideas on how to combine lighting with your favourite Resene paints, wallpapers and curtains.