Author: lightingbyjeffrey

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Aesthetic Lighting Help Technical Lighting Help

Too Much Light, or Not Enough?

A friend allowed me to borrow a book he thought would interest me. The 99% City (Mars & Kohlstedt) is described as “a field guide to the hidden world of everyday design” whereby it explores the important, but overlooked elements that make a city function. He knows my passion for better lighting and called my attention to sections on street lighting.

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Not Enough Light

“City of Light – Dissuasive Illumination,” explains that street light was an early way to make streets safer at night. They raised visibility and invited community. Street lights are certainly not new. Ancient Roman, Chinese and 15th century Europe all found value in better nighttime illumination and levels of use continued to increase, until, the book points out, there was pushback. Dark nights were good places for French Revolutionists. On the opposite side of the equation, people engaging in unseemly activities also preferred the dark.

Too Much Light

Another chapter, “Moonlight Towers” talks about the multi-story, arc-light towers that were constructed in Austin, Texas, among other US municipalities in the 1890s. Along with the required daily replacement of the electrodes, the noise, waste and intense glare caused push-back from residents. They were eventually removed in every city, except for the cash-strapped, Austin. The un-electrified towers remain as an indicator of the city’s historic past. Welder’s helmets, no longer required.

Like Austin, at that time, most of our cities are over-lit. Every alleyway has lighting, car lots are blasted with light all night and downtowns are bombarded with excess light that often does nothing but erase our ability to see the sky. Plants and animals are subsequently impact by excess nighttime lighting, effecting migratory patterns, nocturnal predators, adjoining aquatic life and a fairly large swath of conifer varietals, among other plants.

Just the Right Amount of Light

We are nearing a similar “good/bad, more/less light” position today. New research has been published recently that shows lower levels of light, but with better color properties is better for the user, pedestrian and worker in nighttime situations. Most of these measurements are substantially below government mandated levels. We all know that changing government regulations is akin to a “U” turn in an aircraft carrier, but the enticement of lower electric costs should make change inevitable.

Many people still believe more light is better and even higher levels of light are even better than that. Simply put, they are wrong. Our eyes function very well in extremely low levels of light and are slow to adjust to higher levels. Turn on the bedroom light in the middle of the night and you’ll know what I mean. This can be a difficult argument to win, however, especially when perceptions of safety are at stake.

Roadblocks!

Just as headway was being made in convincing people to reduce lumen amounts in outdoor residential applications, energy efficiency introduced better fluorescent, then new LED lamping. Light quantities popped back up. With integrated LED luminaires, the lumen output is staying high and a front porch light is often the last place you’ll find a dimmer. The use of color temperatures over 3000 doesn’t help either. In an effort to do the right thing, the unexpected consequence was the wrong thing. Sigh.

I have always recommended the lowest wattage possible for any surface mounted light on a home, especially if a professional landscape lighting solution has been installed. Anything higher will force visitors to squint as they approach the door. As we adjust to energy efficient product, find the LED lamp that delivers 200 to 400 lumens rather than the 800 lumens you got from a 60 watt incandescent lamp. If using an integrated luminaire, (bravo to you!) install a dimmer. Your guests, along with the birds and trees will thank you.

I do not expect lighting professionals to become Robespierre, shouting “À la lanterne!” if lower light levels are not heeded. (Lampposts served as impromptu gallows for hanging during la révolution française.) I hope some common sense is employed and a happy balance between no light and too much is found. Now, if we are going to argue over the effectiveness of the Jacobins or Cordelier factions as they relate to the French Revolution, a lamppost might be in order. On or off won’t make a difference.

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Assistance With Lighting

During a recent lecture with a large group of designers, “lighting brand recommendations” was the most popular request I received. Because there are so many brands, it is often difficult for designers, to say nothing of the typical consumer to wrap their arms around this broad category. Combine that with placement optimization and technology changes and the average consumer and professional designer is left with a challenge. So what do you do?

Lighting Designer

As lighting becomes more and more complicated, the need for a professional, well-versed in the practice is becoming more important. The percentage of projects that employ a designer to specifically address lighting is in the single digits. That must increase. LED has created “The Wild, Wild West” where new suppliers crop-up hourly, deliverables are knowingly, or unknowingly exaggerated and the foundation a conventional 60-watt light bulb provided has been shattered. People can’t intuitively relate to lumens. They don’t understand integrated installations and luminaire-control compatibility remains a mystery. We won’t even try to broch the subject of voice-controlled, smart systems.

While it could be a pipe dream, I have to think the employment of lighting designers will increase in the coming years. With Boomers and Gen X holding large percentages of wealth, residential projects should be increasing in value and a desire for a “better” lighting option should be inevitable. Insuring great lighting that saves money and performs more effectively will be worth the professional fees associated with the expertise delivered.

A Friend in the Biz

Weeding through the mass of decorative product is almost as daunting. One of the most popular requests I receive is for a curated list of lighting options. With selected furniture, floor-coverings, window dressings and wall-covering choices made, “What are the decorative lighting options?” if you talk to anyone who works in lighting, this is a common request. Showrooms display a thousand products. E-retailors fill websites with postage-stamp sized images of 36” diameter chandeliers. Both have pros and cons. An internet site allows you to shop in your PJs with no disturbance other than the incessant pop-ups. In the store size and scale is easier to imagine, if there weren’t so darned many other pieces encroaching on the vision. Mass retailers hang hundreds on wire racks, far overhead in a lovely warehouse setting. If that doesn’t get the creative juices flowing, I can’t imagine what will!

Having someone whittle the mass down to four or six options can be amazingly helpful for many people. Unfortunately, not everyone knows someone in lighting. That is why the next group is so valuable.

Lighting Sales People

You can’t buy a mattress without a salesperson. Try; it’s just too complicated. A salesman-free car buying experience could be a joy, unfortunately it is all but impossible, even via an online site. It is time to respect Lighting Salespeople more. Most are real pros. Most have multiple years of experience. A large quantity are ALA (American Lighting Association) Certified. While the average citizen buys a lighting product every seven years, these folks think about, discuss and learn about lighting daily. They are a great resource. What’s more, they are free! Talk to them online or in the retail establishment and they will provide a career of expertise.

Remember, many earn a commission. If you’ve received usable information, buy the luminaire from them! They worked. You learned. Respect that and allow them to earn money and help the next person. Didn’t get what you needed from the sales person? Ask for someone else or try another establishment. Perhaps the lighting store owner is trying to staff their place with minimum wage, junior-high school dropouts. They might be crappy employers and pros refuse to work for them. Taking your business elsewhere will help them understand their poor decisions. Just buy from a quality retailor with good salespeople.

HELP!

When each room in a home featured one light bulb in the center of each room, it was simpler. When each city had one retailer handling lighting and the internet was not yet imagined, it was simpler. Before LED, Smart Homes, Energy Efficiency and sustainability, it was simpler. Now, we need help to insure we are specifying, buying and using the best lighting options possible. Whether it is a Lighting Designer, a professional lighting salesperson or (if you’re lucky) a friend in the business, call them. You’ll be amazed at the difference they make. You’ll be amazed at the difference it will make in your home or business.

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Aesthetic Lighting Help Technical Lighting Help

Consider the Application

So often, aesthetics drive our lighting selection. We pick a luminaire with the idea that it blends well with the surroundings, is decoratively relevant and has spacial parameters that fit in the room. Often times, we overlook the use, or application. That can be a big mistake.

When I started to exercise at my current gym, three corners of the room were somewhat dimly lit. That was ok with me. One corner held bench press equipment and the other two are used for mat work (crunches, abs, etc.) A few years ago, someone must have walked through the place and noticed the inconsistency. The dark corners could easily be resolved with the addition of new lighting fixtures. In a day or two, three new, 2×24 fluorescent wrap-around fixtures were installed and the overall lumen intensity was much more balanced. Great, right? Not so much.

Whether on a mat or under a barbell, you are looking up at the ceiling. Now, instead of non-aggressive overflow lighting from the rest of the room, a glaring light pokes users in the eye as they attempt a crunch or a lift. I realized this a few months ago when the gym reopened after the COVID shutdown. The mats and benches were relocated to a space that features indirect light. Initially, I didn’t understand why I was enjoying my workout more (or, enjoying it as much as one can!) As I laid on the bench or the mat, glaring light was not aimed directly at my eyes. The soft, buffered light was doing its job, but not annoying me. The application of light was good for the user. What a wonderful idea!

Bathroom Lighting

Glistening clear glass has been a HOT lighting trend for almost ten years. While it is beginning to cool now, there are still hundreds of thousands of bathrooms illuminated with clear glass. They look great, but completely ignore the user. Undiffused light, aimed directly at your eyes while in the midst of personal grooming hinders more than helps. What’s more, most are located over the mirror, rather than along each side, making them even more difficult to process. Younger folks can get by with these excesses, but as we age, it becomes more and more of an annoyance. I have predicted for many years that thrift shops and Goodwill stores everywhere will be overwhelmed with these difficult units as soon as the trend is fully buried and gone. To be more helpful to the user, well diffused light will always be a better option, especially in this important area of the home.

Kitchen Island Lighting

The bottom of island pendants are best positioned 36” over the top of the countertop, which is 36” above the floor. That means the light source is typically 6’-0” to 7’-0” off the floor. This location is VERY similar to the over-mirror lights in the bathroom. This location works against the user in much the same way, when the pendants feature clear glass and exposed light bulbs. Rather than aiding in meal preparation, the light causes glare and distracts from the detailed work that occurs on the surface below.

Unshielded light aims directly at the user’s eyes, even when hung in the correct location, making food preparation more difficult that necessary.
Well shielded light does not interfere with function. Light application and the user interaction should be considered along with amount, placement, style and size.

Landscape Lighting

The backbone of good landscape lighting is the obfuscation of the light source in favor of the delivered light. I’m always amused when I see a landscape lighting accent light aimed at a beautiful front door. The house typically looks great. The door becomes a highpoint and visitors can easily find their way to the home’s threshold. Unfortunately, the problem comes when they leave. The light is now aimed directly at the departing guests who are temporarily blinded as they grope toward the unknown step edge. Bad lighting, not the nightcap is the more common cause of sprained ankles and family spats.

Think About the Application

In each instance, lighting was selected and positioned to complement the space, but little regard was given to the humans who will inhabit and use the end result. Sure, we want the place to look good. We need certain amounts of light to function once the sun sets. We also want lighting that physically fills the area. It is time to include one more parameter, the user. With all these points considered, proper lighting application can be achieved.

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Aesthetic Lighting Help

Trends Near The End

I was recently asked to provide thoughts on lighting a new space planned with a heavy vintage industrial motif. I expressed surprise, but was told the clients were very specific and could not be swayed away from their desire. It reminded me of a similar request for a Tuscan kitchen last year, “Well, at least you know you’ll be called back in a few years for a refresh!” I joked.

Determining when a style or finish trend begins to ebb can be tricky. Some wags jest that when it hits the “big box” stores, the end is nigh. That may be the case for high-end goods, but there is still a lot of life for manufacturers and consumers that exist on a tighter budget. For that reason, I believe aging styles should be monitored and employed at reduced levels, eventually disappearing into the history books. With that in mind, here is a list of trends I still see, but know are quickly reaching their expiration date.

Vintage Industrial

If unclear from the introduction, this trend remains viable only at the lowest cost levels. While I still see restaurant designers using it effectively, most everywhere else it is looking, tired, old and cheap. Connected at the hip with the Industrial look is Oil-Rubbed Bronze and Vintage Edison light bulbs. They had a good run. It is now time for vintage to be vintage again.

Farmhouse

At KBIS, probably a decade ago, the running joke was, “Tuscany called. They want their kitchens back!” Just that quickly, a trend, that was almost ubiquitous to the era, was gone. I think the Farmhouse look will suffer the same fate. We’ve all tired of bead board and sliding barn doors. Buckle your seatbelt. When this one dies, it’s going to be a quick one, like its Mediterranean cousin.

Black Finish

Black is a dense color and even in small quantities, commands a lot of attention. When black gained popularity in the past, its life was shorter that most trends, about six years. We are approaching that timeframe now. If I were a manufacturer, I’d be carefully monitoring sales of black products for any signs of slippage. If an iota of reduction is spotted, I’d quickly stop any new development. Because of its kinship to Farmhouse, they could exit together in a similar manner.

Brushed Nickel

Brushed Nickel emerged about twenty years ago. It is now the oldest continuously running finish currently maintaining a smattering of popularity. From higher to budget price points on a wide variety of products and hardware, Brushed Nickel is still widely used. Nonetheless, at the last Salone de Mobile in Milan, not a single luminaire was exhibited using Brushed Nickel. Admittedly, Europeans are not the same as Americans, but trends almost universally start there. While it may not be going tomorrow, expect a reversal of popularity soon. Unlike Farmhouse, this could be a long, drawn-out exodus, similar to what Polished Brass experienced at the end of the 1990s.

Other Likely Partings

There are a few other trends that are a touch farther behind these, but still worth mentioning. Mid-Century Modern, in its most pure expression is evaporating, but lighter, more playful versions are still enjoy success. Pared-down Traditional, so clean and simple you can use it as a plate, is still around, but the pendulum has completed its swing and headed back to traditional with more ornamentation. Still, these simple expressions of design could be slightly altered and easily slip into another style bucket. Bathroom lighting has not changed in over fifty years and that was a minor adjustment. I think a revolution is due. Stay tuned.

Styles continually change. That fact keeps manufactures of products from pants to lighting in business. Knowing when to make more or specify fewer is the reason design professionals have work, otherwise folks would be walking into their Harvest Gold kitchens wearing poodle skirts and Doc Martens, ready to prepare avocado toast.

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Lighting and Sustainability

I was recently asked to speak about sustainability and how it impacts lighting. I have to admit, this is a tough one. There are a lot of elements under the sustainability umbrella; only a handful relate to lighting.

Much effort has occurred over the last fifteen years centered on the reduction of energy consumed for illumination. Lighting, specifically designed to respect the “Dark Skies” (light pollution) and sea turtle habituate is now readily available. Pendants constructed of old, recycled wine bottles are available. (Desire for them is another thing.) Digging deeper into sustainability will require an almost complete rethinking of how we light our homes, in much the same way that commercial buildings are embracing daylight harvesting, site placement and advanced fenestration design.

In a recent post, I suggested the reduction of decorative lighting would be an inevitable aspect of the future of lighting. Sustainability is the main reason. Lighting as we see it now is a fashion business. Like necktie widths and hem lengths, lighting goes in and out of style. With long-lasting LED, the twelve year aesthetic cycle is anathema to lighting that could be functionally viable for thirty. This fissure can only be overcome with good lighting design and application that promote the appearance of light, not the look and form of the luminaire.

Another aspect of sustainability we have heretofore ignored will be reuse. Tossing a dated chandelier in the garbage is pretty common. Creative people will need to come up with adaptive reuse as we enter the sustainability era.

My wife and I took on our first rehab project when we moved into our second home in 1990. It was a great 1917 colonial with much of the original lighting still in-place. Despite an update on the entire living room, we kept the slightly gauche ceiling light in place. It was just too, “too” to remove!

When we redid the dining room, we wanted a chandelier over the table. The room was already equipped with a ceiling flush-mounted, gold plaster starburst with five light bulbs jutting out at a 45° angle. We simply could not remove it, so I turned the piece into an exaggerated, lighted ceiling canopy. I wired it into the chandelier and it remained proudly on the ceiling until we sold the house.

My circa 1990 dining room sketch with the original ceiling flush light serving as a canopy for the modern linear chandelier.

To the obvious benefit of Salvation Army and Goodwill stores everywhere, spray painting old Spanish Bronze and Faux Williamsburg chandeliers manufactured in the 1970’s has been a popular way to light kitschy boutiques and cutting-edge restaurants for years. Like all trends, that too will end and we will be left with hard sustainability decisions. With more lighting hidden in the structure and fewer decorative pieces, future generations will be left with usable lighting AND a more receptive planet.

Before creating your next room design, give a moment of thought to sustainability. Is there possible adaptive reuse of existing lighting? Would the room be better served with creatively applied utilitarian lighting that will last through the next two redesigns? Considering a sconce made of recycled 2-liter Mountain Dew bottles, might, however be a bridge too far.

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Circadian Supportive Lighting

In my last blog post about the future of lighting, I only mentioned circadian-supportive lighting in passing. I received a few comments that suggested I should be more-bullish on this type of light. Here’s why I stand by my opinion.

Over the last decade, I have attended countless lectures and panel discussions covering light, more specifically how light relates to health and our perception of color. Following the completion of the first session, I was immediately optimistic for the future. Initially, change seemed so easy. Unfortunately, the more I learned, the dumber I got.

Color wasn’t just CCT and Color Rendering. After each lecture, another wrinkle was added. Chromaticity, spectral power distribution, gamut, tri-stimulus values and metamerism all turned a simple solution into a complicated problem. What seemed like a “no-brainer” quickly turned into a much more complicated issue.

I remember attending an annual Energy Star conference. An open session on color damn-near turned into a bar fight between an audience member and the moderator. The topic was not a political fight, a sports-based disagreement or even a spurned lover. This was a harsh exchange about each person’s understanding of the color of light. Certainly not the typical argument you’re likely to overhear at Danny’s Tavern. (Feel free to insert the name of the local watering hole of your youth.)

Early on, the importance of circadian-based lighting in the future seemed obvious. Its increased use became my assumption, too. The more I learned and saw of the trajectory of LED, I began to pull back on the notion. LED is getting cheaper and with that, delivering poorer quality light. Why would I now expect a reverse of that trend? Will circadian sensitive lighting be the one thing that reverses our desire for cheap?

In one of the lectures, an audience member asked the speaker if he thought all light in the future would be circadian-regulated. He flatly stated, “No!” he gave his rationale. “We all know the typical office chair is bad for our body. Engineers have developed the quintessential solution to solve all of the problems that harm our musculoskeletal systems. How many people have purchased these chairs? Ten, twenty percent? If consumers will not purchase a more expensive chair to solve a known medical problem today, why would we think they will do so tomorrow?”

From my perspective, I want to believe lighting is much more important than a chair; but is it? I don’t suspect I’d get into a bar fight over it, but the evidence is not very compelling. Circadian lighting, like the Aeron Chain and GE Reveal lamps will appeal to a rarified population. They will be available, helpful and better, but because of the cost, ignored by the bulk of the population.

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The Future of Lighting

I was asked an intriguing question this week. “What do I think lighting will look like in the future?” With all of the changes that have occurred in lighting over the last decade, you might expect a period of rest or inaction, but I really don’t think that is likely. The cat is out of the bag. Users, creators, scientists and researchers are more aware of lighting then at any time since Edison. Lighting will remain a kinetic force in our lives.

Outside of the residence, there are going to be even more changes, but if I strictly concentrate on residential lighting, I (and my Magic 8 Ball) feel pretty comfortable with the following observations.

Less Decorative Lighting

Two-story foyers are gone (for the most part) dining rooms are disappearing, flex-space is growing and landscape lighting is a much more effective way to light an exterior of a home then a surface mounted porch light. Couple that with an increase in the amount of pre-fab or modular construction and lighting built into the fabricating structure of a home will be more and more commonplace.

Decorative lighting also carries with it a “style.” Whether contemporary or traditional, some portion of the population doesn’t like it. Style becomes an alienator, preventing a sale. If the core building is style-agnostic, it becomes easier for a future homeowner to imagine herself in the space. Removing decorative lighting, perhaps as slowly as bedroom lights and hallway light disappeared, appears to be a sure bet for the future.

Integrated LED

We are all lighting maintenance people. We don’t service washers, dryers or ovens, but lighting is different. As if it were a birthright, we feel compelled to change light bulbs. Our incandescent mentality causes us to worry about buying lighting that eliminates the need for re-lamping. We are suspicious, unbelieving and skeptical, this innate portion of our psyche being so powerful. Despite our overwhelming resistance, integrated LED lighting will overtake and replace lighting with replaceable light bulbs. It has quietly gobbled up lighting category after category. First landscape lighting, then recessed, linear architectural detail lighting, under-cabinet lighting, contemporary chandeliers and the table is set for bathroom lighting…and the world has not ended! There is life after light bulb replacement.

As we move into tomorrow, the shift will be further advanced by poorer quality (but cheap!) replacement light bulbs and a shifting aesthetic direction that will be more clearly borne out with integrated LED. Well-designed integrated LED lighting will operate in a residential setting for over twenty years. When the average redecoration of a home is every seven years, this is likely to exist through three remodels.

As the Gen Z and Alpha demographic will understand best of all, there will be much better things to do than change light bulbs!

Smart Lighting

Home automation is inevitable. Your great-grandmother couldn’t understand the need for a cloth dryer, your grandmother didn’t need an air conditioner and your mother doesn’t need a smart phone. Like the preponderance of dryers, AC and smart phones indicates, home automation is going to happen. A voice activated home will be de rigueur. The typical consumer has already linked an intelligent home to automatically turning on and off lighting. It is one of the first things people do with their new Alexa or Google voice system.

A few things could happen. The luminaire will include a smart “dongle” or, “dongles” will be wired between each luminaire and the house wires, but rest assured, the ability to configure it to a smart system will be there. That then leads to the next prediction.

The Elimination of the Light Switch

When a luminaire is intelligent, why does it need something as “dumb” as a light switch? When you remove the switch, you also eliminate the yards of wire that link it physically to the outlet box. The home becomes easier to wire, holes are removed from walls, backsplashes and panels. The cost savings alone might make this the first prediction to come to fruition.

For Better, or Worse

When LED was first introduced, the sky was the limit and lighting professionals felt, finally, we would have GREAT light. That optimism was unfortunately, a bit too much and too soon. To get prices down, many concessions were made. Those concessions resulted in lower quality products. One need look no farther than the surface-mounted, recessed can replacements. These are a poor light source that creates far too much glare. Take a look in a “big box” store, also. The 40,000 to 50,000 hour light bulbs are slowly being replaced with 10,000-15,000 hour models.  Yes, they are cheap, but….

I suspect that the future will re-find a place for better lighting. It will appeal to a select clientele who understands the value of good light. More effective, less glary cans, circadian adjusted light output and adjustable bathroom lighting are just around the corner, especially for those who appreciate the difference between good and poor lighting.

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Backlighting (Countertops, Wall Panels, Posters, etc.)

As with so many other types of lighting, including backlighting in a design has become far easier with LED. Just a few years ago, achieving decent backlighting required a lot of prep work and post-installation concessions needed for lamp replacement. Today, with LED on the market, backlighting can be achieved in a number of ways.

LED Tape

To arrive at a decent backlit surface, a frame is required. The object to be backlit is placed on the frame. LED Tape is then placed around the perimeter, aimed into the void of the frame. While the whole object is illuminated, the perimeter is brighter where the LED diodes are located. The middle, or point farthest from the light are a bit darker. Performance also varies with different materials. It isn’t always perfect, but far better and easier than what could be achieved in the past.

LED Panels

An inevitable byproduct of LED Tape is panels. Multiple rows of LED “dots” installed on a square or rectangular substrate deliver a consistent, even pool of light. “Stand-offs” positioned on the panel separate the object from the light. This is a definitive improvement. The surface illumination is free of dark areas. Because of the specific panel dimensions, there is still a possibility of inconsistency unless the countertop and panels are the exact same size. To solve that issue, some companies offer custom panels, but the advantages of inexpensive LED are then lost in customization fees.

LED Sheets

LED Sheets are now on the market. If you have not seen them, imagine LED Tape, placed side-by-side, row by row. The individual diode emits less light, but there are much, much more of them. In addition, the sheets of LED can be cut in almost any number of ways and connected to adjoining sheets for a consistent glow under almost any translucent material. If a countertop, for example, has a waterfall edge, the panels can even be bent to continue down the side. This is a very flexible option that now makes backlighting a very simple feat.

Next?

Is this the ultimate solution for backlighting surfaces or objects? For now. With solid state lighting, I have learned to eliminate absolutes. In the future, I think OLED panels will become the go-to answer for backlighting, but today, those panels are still too expensive, in limited sizes and therefore less available. Will laser advancements change my mind next week? What if we could safely illuminate the countertop with germicidal ultraviolet, thereby removing all the accumulated cooking germs each night? Coming soon. For now, take a look at the “cuttable” LED sheets. It is turning out to be the best bet, at least until the next cool invention arrives!

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Four and a Half Lighting Tips for Age In-Place Home Designs

America is now home to the largest-ever population of senior citizens. This group is retiring at a rate of 10,000 per day. By their own admission, they refuse to do so in the same way as their generational predecessors. That means, for the next twenty years, designers and architects will be creating living environments that support people who are getting older. Along with wheelchair accessible showers and easier to operate door handles, lighting alternatives must be considered.

As we age, a number of things occur in our eyes. Pupils begin to constrict. The lens begins to yellow and the cornea becomes more opaque. The muscles surrounding the eye become less responsive and we have an 80% change of developing cataracts. All of these issues can be ameliorated to some degree with more intelligently implemented lighting. While there are MANY ways to make lighting better for the aging eye, let’s start with the four most helpful.

#1 – Get Rid of the Long Bathroom Light Over the Mirror

If you do nothing else for the senior when designing or remodeling, at least avoid the long bar light over the top of the bathroom mirror. This is the single most egregious luminaire for the aged eye. As we tip our head upward for personal grooming, we are forcing our eyes to stare directly into the light. This introduces glare and that is difficult for the eye to process. Instead, use a light on each side of the mirror. Select those with good diffusion (No clear glass!) If possible, include one overhead light, such as a deep recessed can, on the ceiling. Light from three directions will ameliorate any shadows and reduce any glare.

#2 – Don’t Use Surface Mounted “Recessed” Lights

Surface mounted replacements for recessed cans are growing in popularity because they are inexpensive. They are also big, fat glare bombs. The glare created will distract and obfuscate sight for the senior. If recessed cans are planned, be certain to select those where the light source is pushed back into the plenum at least 2 ½” to 3”. Find those that deliver a beam of light at 60° or less. The concentrated beam emitted from a deep base will deliver a much more comfortable light for senior eyes.

#3 – Bedroom to Bathroom Lighting

For reasons best left to medical people, older adults visit the bathroom in the middle of the night more than younger people. These dark trips can easily result in a fall. Turning on bright lights can quickly disrupt melatonin replenishment. Night lighting, or motion activated lighting that delivers a clear path from bed to toilet should be included to avoid both problems. Consider adding LED Tape under the sink, under the bed or along the baseboards to assist in navigation. Be certain the switch is position within reach of the bed. If a nightlight is used, NEVER employ a blue color! Use a maximum of 2200K (Amber) or a red light. These colors will not disrupt sleep.

#4 – Illuminate Changes in Elevation

A simple fall can be life-altering for an older adult. Many household falls can be attributed to steps and stairs. Especially problematic are small changes in elevation, such as those found in sunken living rooms and multi-level architecture. Those can be exacerbated by treads and risers finished in the same color. As we age, we lose a portion of our ability to differentiate color. Misinterpreting where the tread begins causes improper foot placement resulting in a fall. Lucky, LED Tape is now inexpensive and readily available. Illuminating the underside of a tread, adding an illuminated tread channel at the edge of each step, or running an extrusion down the full flight can add much needed light. There are great step-lights and even handrails with light coming from the underside. With scores of step lighting solutions, this problem can easily be eliminated.

#4 ½ – Hallway Lighting

The loss of surefootedness will carry into the hallway, especially those with a consistent color such as hardwood or wall-to-wall carpet. Throw rugs are also dangerous. The lighting used on stairways and steps can be carried into the halls. Sconces and overhead lights can add to glare, but step lights designed to push light down onto the ground will provide helpful illumination, without the harmful glare. Navigating a hallway without tripping over the cat or the rumpled-up rug prevents falls.

…and More

Get rid of clear glass and decorative “Edison” vintage lamps, add indirect light over cabinets, at toekicks and inside cabinets, use aiming, opaque-shaded sconces on each side of the bed and place lamps to the side and behind reading chairs. If the elimination of glare, coupled with an increase of light is considered, solutions will immediately come to the fore. The older user needs different lighting. Remembering that will result in a successful age in-place design.

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Technical Lighting Help

Is There A Future For Undercabinet Lighting Fixtures?

I have been writing a speech about LED Tape for delivery to a group of Interior Designers and Architects. Midways through, I wondered if there was really any reason for the old under-cabinet lighting fixture. Has the need been replaced with LED Tape?

In the 1990s and early 2000s, undercabinet luminaires were flying off the shelf. It was as if people finally realized that more light on the countertop was going to help them see while cooking. Sure, the old, clunky fluorescent units were around forever, but they never made it into every home like the Halogen versions. Halogen was new and exciting. When Xenon eventually replace Halogen lamps and people realized they did not have to scorch the wood on their cabinets to get good light, popularity again jumped. A new home, or kitchen remodel simply wasn’t complete without lighting on the underside of the cabinet.

That was an important evolution in the understanding of Light Layering. Lighting, properly positioned for the specific intent of illuminating the area on which a task is performed, helped people understand the value of all light. Working in shadows wasn’t necessary. You did not need to “make due.” Lighting could be helpful. There were side benefits as well. Indirect illumination magnified the backsplash and made it look fabulous. It made the room pop. In a subtle way, it began a journey for homeowner’s appreciation of the third layer, Accent Lighting.

Accent lighting was however, expensive. The linear systems were complicated and the spotty light was provided by finicky festoon lamps. They were a pain to install and a bigger pain to keep functioning. When LED Tape arrived, the linear festoon systems disappeared like a truck at a David Copperfield show.

The original rationale for sticking with undercabinet luminaires was the large amount of light output. Like the Copperfield truck, that logic is also disappearing. To achieve lower costs, many of the available under-cabinet units are reducing their lumen output, thereby eliminating the one advantage they had. When cost is the only determining factor, LED Tape wins, hands-down. A one-foot section of LED Tape is substantially cheaper than a 12” undercabinet luminaire.

Under-cabinet luminaires do provide a very clean installation, with no unsightly wires (usually.) That installation is however dependent on a specific type of cabinet construction, which is also disappearing. [Insert reference to David Copperfield and a truck.] Finished bottom cabinets, European cabinets, the rise of “shelf only” upper storage and faux façade kitchens means that undercabinet luminaires are quickly turning into the millennial version of a buggy whip.

LED Tape has advantages, too. Light is cumulative. Adding a second strip will double the output. There are scores of channels and extrusions now on the market that will dress the LED Tape to make it more visually appealing. Angling the tape to put more impact on an expensive backsplash is likewise very easy. Cost, always a concern, remains very low.

There are things that are still needed. LED Tape could use a simple, clean and small transformer/driver that could be more easily hidden and connected to the 120V input. Rather than the “matchbox” shapes, is a flatter, wider, longer option more usable and less noticeable? Could it be hidden in a more decorative element? Like the rest of the kitchen before it, this utilitarian room with workaday equipment has been transformed into a highly desirable and aesthetically appealing space. We should expect LED Tape to follow suit.

New kitchens and kitchen remodels are evolving into LED lit environments. Recessed cans are now LED, toekick lighting, above cabinet lighting and inside cabinet lights are LED. Some of the most stunning new decorative designs feature LED. It is inevitable that all under-cabinet light will eventually switch to LED Tape encased in some sort of trim. When those 12”, 24” and 36” rectangular boxes of light are gone, you might think David Copperfield had something to do with it, but you’d be wrong. This time, it was the maturation of LED Tape.