1. Circuit Shorts - Design and create your perfect lighting planSubscribe Share Past Issues Translate RSSCreate your own lighting plan View this email in your browser90 mallinson roadlondon sw11 1bntel: 020 7924 1421mob: 07866 724718Design and create your perfect lighting planOur monthly email offering adviceon all things electrical around yourhome. To discuss any of the topicswe cover please contact us here.Click on the blue underlined linksfor more information. To see ourprevious mailings please clickhere.Steve BishopSteve Bishop is a qualifiedelectrician and a member ofNAPIT. To see his qualificationsclick here.As I've mentioned in Circuit Shorts many times before, the right lighting can transformany room, giving it a totally different atmosphere. The dullest of rooms can become

2. Circuit Shorts - Design and create your perfect lighting plantheatre-like, the starkest of rooms can appear cosy ... you can see where I'm going withthis. With a little strategic thinking, you can create your own lighting plan and make yourspace functional and right for you.What type of lighting?Before you create your own lighting plan, you should determine the kind of lighting yourequire:Ambient lighting is the general illumination of a room. It differs from task lighting in thatits purpose is to provide an even wash of light throughout a room as opposed toconcentrated light for a specific purpose. Lamps, ceiling lights, wall lights and recessedlights can be used for this effect.Task lighting is exactly what it says on the tin. It's there purely to serve a purpose, ie toincrease the illuminance of a desk or reading area. However just because it has a job itdoesn't mean it can't look attractive. Angled lamps, track lights and spotlights work well 3. Circuit Shorts - Design and create your perfect lighting planfor this.Accent lighting is an effective and simple way to highlight a room's specific features,artwork, paintings etc. Adjustable recessed lights, track lights and spotlights work best forthis.The term decorative lighting covers all the traditional kinds of lighting, floor lamps, tablelamps, chandeliers etc. The actual light fitting is there to be seen so the appearance isimportant.If you would like some ideas on the best lighting for making your small space look larger,please see our previous Circuit Shorts here.Once you've made your choices as to the type of lighting and fittings would best sort yourneeds, it's time to start creating your plan .... 4. Circuit Shorts - Design and create your perfect lighting planOnce you've made your choices as to the type of lighting and fittings would best sort yourneeds, it's time to start creating your plan ....What you needGrab the following:a pencil and rubber;a tape measure;a ruler; andgraph paper for drawing to scale. Don't worry don't have any, click here for somewe made earlier.Draft your floor plan 5. Circuit Shorts - Design and create your perfect lighting planStart by measuring your room and then rescale it and draw it onto the graph paper. Drawat the optimal scale of 1:50 so that every 1cm/inch of your floor plan represents50cm/inches of the actual space. Mark any immovable objects such as chimneys andwindows and then draw in your furniture.Design your lighting planAdd to your plan the different functions played out in each area of your room. Think of allthe possible uses this space offers. Keep in mind that some rooms have multiplefunctions, even at different times of the day. Think about which areas you will want tohighlight with accent lighting, ie architectural features you may want to display.Draw in the light zones and fixturesNow that youve set-up your floor plan, you can choose locations for each light source.Draw light circles in areas that you would like to illuminate, avoiding too manyoverlapping and dark zones. 6. Circuit Shorts - Design and create your perfect lighting planMake sure to place recessed lights approximately three feet away from the wall. Avoidcreating shadows in any corner, as this will have the visual effect of lowering theceiling. To determine how far apart to space your recessed lights, divide the height of theceiling by two. If a room has an 8 foot ceiling, you should space your recessed lightsapproximately 4 feet apart. If the ceiling is 10 feet, youll want to put about 5 feet ofspace in between each fixture.Click here for some ideas about lighting effects and our suggestions for symbols youmight want to use.What kind of switches?Mark light switches in convenient locations on your floor plan and remember to pair themup with corresponding fixtures. Dimmer switches add mood and atmosphere by adjustingthe light level to suit every occasion. 7. Circuit Shorts - Design and create your perfect lighting planAs most living rooms are multi-functional, if your space is limited, a great idea is to havea good hanging light above the dining table paired with a dimmer switch. Turn thedimmer up and the table becomes the ideal place for you to read the paper or for the kidsto do their homework. Turn the dimmer down, open a bottle of Prosecco, whack on someMichael Bubl and it becomes a relaxed and romantic dining experience once the kidsare in bed....All done!Your lighting plan is complete! Now you need to find your light fittings. Remember thatlight fittings with LED lamps will save you much more money in the long run. See ourprevious Circuit Shorts about the benefits of LEDs here.If you would like some advice on creating your lighting plan or if you would like to makean appointment for a free quotation on any of the services we provide (click here formore details about the electrical services we can provide for you) then please contactme.Next month: Create the right mood in your bathroom with our lighting ideas. 8. Circuit Shorts - Design and create your perfect lighting planMore to read:Save bundles with LED lampsRCDs save livesSmoke alarms - make sure there IS smoke without fire!Garden lighting - sex up your outdoor roomIn a nutshell - electrical reports and certificatesKeep your home safe with security lightingThrifty Shorts 1 - Save money with your electrical appliancesThrifty Shorts 2 - Save money with your PC & home entertainmentDIY electrical work - everything you need to knowCreate the illusion of space with clever lightingSteve BishopMob: 07866 724718steve@swbishop.co.ukwww.swbishop.co.ukDesigned byCopyright 2014 S W Bishop Electrical, All rights reserved.