Lamps at seat height, a light where you read, the ceiling on a dimmer.
One ceiling light flattens a room. Three layers make an evening.
The layers
Ambient is the dimmable ceiling light or a washed wall. Task is where you read, work, cook or get into bed. Accent is art, a plant or a textured wall. A living room or bedroom wants at least three lamps or sconces at different heights.
Where lamps go
Put a floor lamp in a corner or within 6 inches of a piece, such as the arm of a seat, the bed or a desk. Light three of a living room's four corners, with a lamp beside every seat where someone reads. The bottom of the shade sits at or just above seated eye level, 40 to 42 inches from the floor, so no bare bulb is in view.
Warm light
| Where | Colour temperature |
|---|---|
| Living room | 2700 to 3000 K |
| Bedroom and dining room | 2700 K |
| Kitchen counters | 3000 to 3500 K |
| Desk | 3000 to 3500 K |
Dimmers
Put every circuit on a dimmer and each lamp on its own switch. The overhead is for cleaning and cooking, and the lamps carry the evening. Over a dining table or island, hang pendants 30 to 36 inches above the surface.
Blank Space places lamps beside seats and the bed, never out in the middle of the room.