Bathrooms

Small rooms may only need one ceiling light or a couple of down-lights, with one set over the bath, with a waterproof bulb. Lights should be fixed on either side of a mirror used for both make-up and shaving, or just above, if only for shaving. Unfortunately, too many bathrooms are wired for light just above the mirror, and it is often too much hassle to get the situation changed.

Kitchens

All kitchens should have good overall light, plus booster light for any precise activity like reading cookbooks, chopping, mixing, assembling ingredients, and washing dishes. Well-placed general diffusing lights, fixed flush to the ceiling, or inset spots, or a mixture of down-lights and angled spots make good background light, stepped up with strip lights concealed under high-level cupboards to shine down on the work surface.

Outdoor Lighting

Outdoor lighting fills an area with light when entertaining in the evening and helps indicate where railings, steps, level changes or other possible hazards might be. The most important factor to consider is the position of the lights. Use a combination of lighting techniques (down lighting and uplighting) to bring light to different parts of your deck.

When addressing the lighting needs in your home, remember to be practical yet try not to lose sight of the impact that varied lighting sources can have on the feel of a room, thus impacting the mood of those who are in the space.