Architectural Lighting Effects

Lighting with Color

• When you think of color and light, you may literally think of colored lights. You can use colors to achieve festive and dramatic lighting effects, such as colored LED fixtures or lenses for other types of lamps.

  Also keep in mind that each type of lamp emits a different shade of white light. Incandescent fixtures glow warm and yellow, while LED lights are a much truer white—the closest to natural daylight. Fluorescent fixtures tend to look blue, while HID lamps are extremely orange. These colored lighting effects may be desirable in some situations, but in other cases you may want your lighting scheme to most closely simulate the effects of natural light.

Wall Washing

• Most architectural lighting schemes focus on lighting vertical services. Referred to as "wall washing," this lighting effect can be used to draw attention to a focal point of the design or highlight a surface's interesting texture.

  On the exterior, these vertical surfaces include entryways, exterior walls and architectural details, as well as garden walls and gates. Mount fixtures at the base or top of the surface you want to illuminate, and direct the fixture as appropriate. You may also choose to place a light farther away from the wall to achieve a softer glow. Interior wall washing effects are similar, and can be accomplished using track light heads or other fixtures that are aimed at the wall's surface. Mount them on the ceiling about a foot away from the wall's surface.

Daylighting

• With all of the special lighting effects that one can create, it's easy to forget about the original architectural lighting effect: daylighting. The concept of daylighting encompasses natural light and the ways that it illuminates and penetrates a structure.

  Your exterior lighting strategy should mimic that of natural light, adjusting from dusk to darkness to daybreak. Windows, skylights and other openings allow daylight to enter the interior of a structure. Spaces feel most comfortable when lit by indirect sunlight, so carefully consider the orientation of a wall when planning the location of openings. Avoid positioning openings where they will receive direct light for a large portion of the day, as this effect can greatly increase your cooling costs and may require the installation of blinds or other controls to mitigate the light.