All we see is light.
Shape, texture, colour, volume and distance, we perceive them all visually in response to the interaction of light with the environment.
Natural light is constantly changing, depending on the season and the time of day. Sunlight is filtered by air, through moisture, by trees, then filtered through windows and coloured by curtains, then reflected or absorbed inside by the surfaces it encounters, so that you receive as a result a sum up of visual information, which they will give you a feeling – which we simply define as “interior design”.
Lighting fixtures are primarily designed to replace natural light, and their function as decorative elements, while important, remains secondary. You have to keep in mind that for a good biorhythm we need to feel the difference between day and night, so a good interior lighting should not be so strong as to completely replace the daylight. Lighting must be just-enough, and at the same time to create a soothing atmosphere, an evening “mood”.
Light has two main drivers – colour temperature and luminous flux – but also equally important additional factors such as CRI (colour rendering index), factors related to light quality… yes, there is “quality” even in the case of light, see car headlights, for example!
Architecture and interior design are based on two primary considerations: the position of the sun and the size of man (ergonomics).
A good interior designer needs to know how light behaves, and how light space responds, how to manage light in carrying out the intended project.
Materials and colours behave very differently depending on how they are illuminated. In the case of kitchens, we are talking, for example, about a large vertical surface that will absorb or reflect light. So when choosing the colour of vertical materials, for furniture doors for example, be sure to look at the sample in an upright position. If you keep the sample horizontal, it will look very different: it will receive more light, which will open its color a lot, and its texture will be less visible; therefore, you may be very surprised when you see the material in your home, vertically, over a large area.
When choosing a material, finish or colour, make sure you can see the sample in a light as close as possible to the one you will receive in your space. The most important factor is the colour temperature that can radically change the appearance of a material. Usually, the interior lighting of a house has a colour temperature of 3.000ºK (degrees Kelvin), but usually in showrooms a higher colour temperature is used, over 4.000ºK, which significantly changes the appearance of the finishes.
Be careful, never choose materials in front of the window or outside: sunlight will show all colors much lighter and cooler than they will eventually look inside.
Kitchen lighting involves a project in itself, to be developed in three parallel planes.
Ambient lighting
It means the functional lighting of the space as a whole, where the choice of lighting sources that provide a uniform and restful light must be followed, as well as the positioning of the lighting fixtures so as not to create shadows or light spots.
For ambient lighting it is preferable to use luminaries integrated in the ceiling (“trim less”), with a colour temperature of 3,000-3,300ºK, the designer remaining to calculate the light angle (cone) in relation to the height of the space, which will lead to uniform lighting.
Technical lighting
It consists of lighting systems integrated in furniture, which ensures optimal lighting of the countertop and work surfaces. It is preferable to use a high color temperature (4,200-5,000ºK), preferably with the possibility of adjusting it, and the lighting should be linear – evenly distributed over the entire work front.
Lighting inside kitchen furniture is also important; there are certain storage spaces that require good lighting, such as cutlery and utensil drawers, spice jars, the pantry or even a garbage bin.
Decorative lighting
It is the designer’s tool that will instill character to the project.
We can use a “design” lighting fixture, which plays a key role in the balance of the concept, or recessed, hidden lighting systems that provide only light backgrounds – illuminated display cases, for example.
You can also use indirect architectural lighting systems, which will emphasise the lines you want to highlight or, on the contrary, can hide volumes that are not desired in the evening lighting scene.
Lumina și proiectul de iluminat sunt așadar un subiect ce trebuie tratat prioritar. Noi îți recomandăm chiar ca lucrările de amenajare să nu înceapă până nu ai clarificate toate detaliile proiectului de iluminat.
PS: Choose materials carefully, in conjunction with lighting sources and do not rely exclusively on renderings!
