Introduction
Light is an essential attribute of human life in the sense that most human activities happen during the daytime when people can see clearly. With advancements in electric technology, working with low lighting can no longer be a problem. However, to perform high-precision tasks, there also has to be proper illumination. Leisure can also be light-dependent as our eyes become weary easily and the right placement of lighting fixture, the amount of light, its color, and other properties can be of importance. It is vital to note, however, that there is no universal solution in terms of lighting. Therefore, there is a need to research various types of lighting to be able to choose a perfect illumination type for various purposes.
General Lighting
General lighting fixtures include all the appliances that illuminate a vast space (American Lighting Association, n.d.). General lighting is also called ambient or natural lighting for its ability to imitate daylight. Indoors general lighting provides an average level of illumination to navigate around an unoccupied space. It allows noticing and identifying all objects of furniture, small items, and other things that the space contains. However, working with small objects, writing at an office table, cooking, and other activities can be obstructed due to the fact that a human body can block the source of the light that is usually placed above, the ceiling. Thus, general lighting needs to be supplemented with additional light sources. It is generally considered the main source of illumination that defines the mood of a whole room and affects the person’s perception of a space. Depending on the brightness, color, and placement of the lighting fixtures the room can either become comfortable and inviting or provoke the feeling of uneasiness, or even fear. Therefore, general lighting can be considered one of the primary tools of interior design.
Types of general lighting equipment could be primarily differentiated by the place of mounting. One of the most widespread is the lighting fixtures mounted on the ceiling. These light sources successfully eliminate shadows and add a warm touch to a space. Judging by the place of installation, they may account for the closest analog to the natural light emitted by the sun during the daytime. Ceiling-mounted fixtures are subdivided into flush and semi-flush equipment. Other types of general lighting include wall-mounted and stationary fixtures. Wall-mounted lighting is generally used in halls and corridors but can also be utilized in living rooms and bedrooms. Stationary lighting can serve mostly as a decorative element that can be easily added and removed. The level of illumination can be easily adjusted with this type of lighting, however, it requires additional space and may not fit into smaller rooms.
Task Lighting
Task lighting is another source of electrical light that is aimed at helping people perform specific actions that require concentration, attention to detail, and clear vision (American Lighting Association, n.d.). Those tasks could range from writing, typing, drawing, assembly and disassembly of various items, washing dishes, chopping, and many more activities. They all require light to directly illuminate the objects under handling without shadows that may obstruct vision. Therefore, general lighting could not be applied. Various tasks require different degrees of illumination. It is noteworthy to mention that task lighting should generally be brighter to be able to assist the activity such as studying (Sleegers et al., 2013).
Types of task lighting are composed of movable, semi-movable, and unmovable lighting fixtures with more or less directed light. Unmovable ones feature flush-mounted cabinet lamps, vanity lights, pendants, and more. They are generally installed onto the ceiling or walls and provide less light than general lighting fixtures. Instead, they enlighten a specific area in the room ensuring that a user is able to perform a certain action such as applying make-up before the mirror, cooking a particular dish on a kitchen table, or writing a text message at an office desk. Semi-movable task lighting fixtures have the same application but can be adjusted to a certain degree. The user can change the direction or the intensity of the light. Such fixtures provide better freedom as juxtaposed to unmovable ones but are less likely to serve as decorative elements. The most flexible task lighting fixtures are desk lamps that can be both moved from place to place and adjusted in a variety of manners. A possible downside to that sub-type of lighting equipment is that they can be easily fall off the horizontal surfaces because of an accident.
Decorative Lighting
Any of the above-mentioned types of lighting can become decorative if they fit into the overall style of an interior (American Lighting Association, n.d.). Their decorative function could be amplified if they are intricately designed. Some of the lighting fixtures such as chandeliers or sconces can be pieces of art by themselves and even serve as central details, around which the whole interior design is based. A decorative function could also be embedded into the placement of the lighting fixtures around the room.
There seems to be no major division of lighting fixtures with decorative function by type as any of the above can serve as an element of décor. However, some units of the lighting equipment are utilized more often than others. Chandeliers and sconces mentioned above can be named one of the most frequent fixtures used as design elements. Pendants can also be used for the same purposes especially if their bowls are elaborately crafted.
References
American Lighting Association. (n.d.) Basic types of lighting. Web.
Sleegers, P. J. C., Moolenaar, N. M., Galetzka, M., Pruyn, A., Sarroukh, B. E., & Van der Zande, B. (2013). Lighting affects students’ concentration positively: Findings from three Dutch studies. Lighting research & technology, 45(2), 159-175.