Let there be light!
Alair Clemson’s Project Managers Illuminate Us on Lighting
Recently, we sat down with our astute team of Project Managers to ask them about one of the most important features of building a home: the lighting. Lighting can, I think we all will agree, make or break the tone and feeling of a space. Whether interior or exterior, though lighting accounts for only a fraction of the overall cost of building a custom home, “it’s typically the area clients splurge the most.” If you are currently building or remodeling your home, this information should be helpful to you.
Q: When building or remodeling a home, what should we take into consideration when it comes to lighting?
It helps tremendously if homeowners have a good sense of their end goal at the beginning of the building process. Pre-wiring, for example, takes place much earlier than the installation of fixtures, so one recommendation for those thinking about building a home is to “think ahead.” Create a vision board for your spaces and certain focal points of the home. This will allow the architect, project manager, and electrician to plan effectively, which always is preferable, in time and resources, to switching direction later.
Lighting serves both aesthetic and functional purposes. From an aesthetic perspective, lighting is hugely personal and reflects the mood and style of the homeowner. It’s typically an area homeowners are very involved in. Since “design fads come and go, it’s important that your base lighting be done well.” Too, be sure to think through the upkeep of your selections. “A beautiful fixture can quickly become an eyesore if the bulbs aren’t easily accessible or the fixture is hard to keep clean.” Ask yourself, “Is the fixture serviceable?”
From a functional standpoint, the lighting in a given space must achieve what will happen within that space. Task lighting, for example, is important in areas like the kitchen, home office, or art studio. A special piece of artwork will need to be spotlit. Lamps keep a space cozy yet allow for reading. Special attention should be paid to shadows cast in the home and how to address those areas with proper illumination. A walkthrough with your Project Manager and the electrician should note the requirements for each room.
Q: What trends are you seeing in residential lighting right now?
The biggest trend is owner control… that is, the ability for homeowners to control the amount of light in a given space. Forward-thinking lighting companies like Lutron are innovating more ways for us to tune in and also automate our fixtures, beyond the traditional dimming mechanisms, offering such things as night light rings on recessed lights, toe-kick lights, and automated adaptation to different levels of natural light. In our area, and especially on the lake, “the rustic modern style is huge” with its blend of accenting the natural environment with technologically advanced materials.
Q: What are some tips for choosing light fixtures?
Size matters. “Select sizes that best fit the room,” being cautious not to overpower a smaller space with a fixture that is
best suited for a larger room. When choosing signature lighting, “be mindful of your limits, but at the same time, make a statement. A certain light fixture can make or break the whole room.” Consider lighting that’s hidden or inconspicuously placed to provide added illumination – for example, under cabinet lighting for kitchen counters.
Some choices work better in theory than in practice. Review each space, how much light is needed, and spread that out using the fixtures planned for the room based on the lumens (units of light) each fixture will provide. Certain spaces can look “cleaner” with white light bulbs, whereas cozier spaces may benefit from warm or candle light bulbs. Think about how those fixtures will create, change, or detract from the spaces they’re meant to illuminate. For example, it’s not recommended to have fans with lights built in above the blades. When both are used simultaneously, a strobe effect can happen, so – while efficient – it’s better to space these out and save everyone the headache (literally).
Q: Locally, where’s your go-to for great lighting selections?
“Lighting can be an overwhelming experience,” as it turns out, but two stores have won our Project Managers’ respect and our homeowners’ hearts: Classic Lighting & Design in Seneca, SC, and Gallery of Lighting in Greenville, SC. “I really enjoy taking our clients to Classic Lighting. Kim is very personable and is great with them, especially if they’re undecided about what they want.” Greenville’s Gallery of Lighting is in its fifth decade of serving residential customers and has a staff of experts for navigating decisions, budget, and all the other questions and concerns a homeowner might have when it’s time for selections.