Many thanks 'The Lighting Company' - I agree lighting is so important. I look foward to checking out your blogs.

There are quite a few interesting articles on lighting on Houzz in the Stories section, here's a link to a good bunch:- Lighting

Hi Louise,

Does this extend to natural light needs?

One huge part of the interior and exterior design is the impact or loss of natural light, whether this is through Velux roof systems or more modern roof lanterns within flat roofing.

All of our design work will have this in mind. Once the natural light is dealt with then we look to light the rooms of a night time. This can sometimes mean moving or altering the overall size of the roof lanterns etc.

Once the natural light is dealt with then we look to light the rooms of a night time. This can sometimes mean moving or altering the overall size of the roof lanterns etc. to light kitchen worktop space of an evening.

Hope this helps!

James Collinson

New World Designers Ltd.

Hi again,

Thanks Man about the House and New world Designers for your help and inspiration.

Yes my project definitely does extend to natural lighting - I like the use of LEDs around the roof lantern in the second picture - it looks amazing and very effective especially for the evenings when there isn't really any outside light coming in.

In a velux room, do you think that it is best to have LEDs on the ceiling or wall lights like the attatched picture? or both? any other ideas?

Desert of white sands · More Info

Louise Oliver

hello louise :D

I think that the most appropriate lighting depends on the use of the room- a kitchen, for example is a high-energy sort of room and you need to be able to see very exactly so strongish lighting that is more cool than warm coloured is most appropriate....but in a bedroom soft ambience through various sources of light is more desirable....basically the brightness and how flat or layered the lighting is should link with what you do in the room...

I've sort of got my words muddled up but hope you know what I mean!!!

Regarding natural lighting, mirrors can play an important part in lighting a room, by being placed strategically a room with small windows can be made much brighter. Also for many parts of poorly lit houses in daytime, sunpipes can be use to conduct light into darker areas or as is the case in many modern houses , into toilets and bathrooms that have no windows.

LEDs have made lighting in general amazingly flexible in terms of colour,temperature and indirect lighting, they can be fitted almost anywhere using mains, solar or battery power.

Using RGB lighting can give almost infinite variations of mood, particularly when used in combinations of types and circuits.

i'm not exactly a professional on lighting but personally i think that using coloured LED lighting majorly effects the atmosphere in the room....it makes it seem more cosy and atmospheric.

on the other hand, lots of natural lighting gives an airy and open atmosphere, although the colour of the paint in the room can also affect this.

hope that makes sense!

One thing i learnt at a lighting workshop with Lighting By Plum recently is the importance of reflected light.

A lot of time planning locations from floor, mid to high, as well as what fittings, is often the focus for the 'delivery' of light but they demonstrated how natural light is when reflected off of surfaces...

This led to using coving/plaster finishes to hold strip-lighting that reflected off the ceiling, or fittings that wash down walls and room features to still give a great amount of light - but less intrusive and lacking the detailed shadows of direct light.

This has a direct impact on the atmosphere of any given room.

Hope that's useful :)

Wow thanks everyone for your comments - I certainly am learning a lot and getting loads of new points to research! :)

I like your post Chris Goodchild - I have to admit sun pipes are new to me so having now done some research into them, it will be definitely be useful in my project!

Thank you 'AVINU lifestyle technology' your post is very interesting and useful - it gives me a brilliant starting point to research more on reflected light and the link to 'Lighting By Plum' is very inspirational! I love the projects they've done! I've seen the plaster finishes with strip-lighting round in photos and other peoples houses and I do think they are a fab way of bringing a cosy feel to a modern room as it's more subtle than spot lights - especially if they are on a dimmer.

Thanks again everyone - your input is great :)

Louise Oliver