Experts share their lighting solutions

Lighting is an essential element of interior design, the finishing flourish that creates magic at night. We asked the experts how to get it right. 

How do you light a compact living room? Simplicity works well in smaller spaces; ensure furniture such as sofas or armchairs are in scale and lit with a simple floor lamp or wall sconce to create a calm, inviting vignette. Using shadow well can make a space feel bigger. Darkness tends to fade away, whereas heavy lighting makes the limited extent of the space more apparent. Claire Burrell, BoConcept 

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I’m having the kitchen redesigned. What should I consider? You need to cover task, general and accent lighting. Task lighting is to create shadow-free work spaces that are brighter than surrounding areas. This is usually achieved with recessed downlights over the bench, hanging pendant fixtures or LED strips integrated into cabinetry over bench spaces. General lighting should be less bright, but not dramatically so; try recessed downlights or buttons. Depending on ceiling height and aesthetics, pendants can be considered. Accent lighting ties it together and often isn’t necessarily a different fixture. It is the lighting that complements the design features and is a low level of light, perfect for getting refreshments without turning the main light on – no one wants the dirty dishes spotlit. It’s often achieved by dimming of pendants over an island, or using LED strips in toe kicks under the island or cabinets. Nial Larsen, The Lighting Centre

READ MORE:
* How to get lighting right
* How smart lighting can help
* Top tips for outdoor lighting

I have a very high kitchen ceiling. Recessed lighting won’t reach far enough. What are my options? Suspended fixtures are the logical solution either on a cord or by stems with a swivel base for any sloped ceilings. Pay attention to the size of the fitting – a larger, vertical one accentuates and complements the ceiling height and occupies the space appropriately. The Harrow collection from Feiss (above) is a great example: the large size fills a space, but the use of clear glass prevents the fitting from feeling too dominant. In addition to suspended fixtures, a high ceiling should encourage more careful use of lighting within the cabinetry which will be an important source of lighting in this situation. Nial Larsen, The Lighting Centre 

What lighting do you recommend for a sloped ceiling? This presents a challenge because ceiling cavities are often restricted; the easy way out is with track lighting, but this can be stark and industrial. Our American brands include clever swivel mounts so that even solid rod pendants can be fitted to create atmosphere. Wall lighting can be used to layer light levels and create even light without glare. Mark McCluskey, Bardsleys Lighting & Design

A trio of pendants over my kitchen island seems expensive. What’s the alternative? Pendants are popular but they can obstruct the view – and sometimes the conversation – and it’s a real art to hang them exactly evenly. An LED bar suspended by thin cables is a better bet. Look for an example such as Slim by Light Point (above) which is like an invisible line in the air. Bill Carrig, Design Denmark   

What difference does uplighting and downlighting make? Downlighting or direct light is used more for task or general lighting; this is usually brighter. Uplighting or indirect lighting usually creates a more relaxed sense of space, reflecting light from surrounding surfaces and reducing the light output for a soft atmosphere. Joseph Romano, King Living

I’d like a sensor light in my bathroom. Do I need to get it wired in? If you already have the PDL Iconic socket range installed you can easily convert one to a sensor and socket. Clip off the electrically safe cover and clip on the Night Walk – no electrician needed. With two modes, the Night Walk can be used as a night light, where a dimmed light will turn on at night and remain on until morning, increasing in brightness if motion is detected, or as a sensor light that stays on for two minutes once detected. Robert Knight, PDL by Schneider Electric  

I want to invest in a statement lighting piece. What’s on trend? At the 2019 Milan Furniture Fair, patterns and geometric shapes doubled as sculpture. Metals were still in the spotlight in softer tones like gold and brass. The sculptural Bardot lamp (above) and the patterned and unusual Doppler wall sconce (below), both by Italian design company Bonaldo, are examples that will start a conversation. Lauren Hunter, Bradfords Interiors  

It’s often tricky to find the light switch in the dark. You can use paint to create a huge “light switch”. Resene Smart Touch is a conductive base coat that you paint on your wall and connect into a switch plate. Then you can paint or wallpaper over it like normal. Simply tap the wall to turn the lights on and off. You can decide the size and shape of the touch area (up to about 2m) and can paint the area a different colour to see where it is or paint the whole wall to make it invisible. It’s especially handy in dark areas such as hallways or stairwells, or where there are mobility issues. Karen Warman, Resene  

How do I create a romantic bathroom with lighting? A chandelier or decorative pendant over the bath is a lovely way to add luxury and romance. The addition of this soft, ambient lighting creates an element of warmth and comfort. Just ask your electrician to ensure the light complies with wet area regulations. Chelsea Wilson, Coco Republic

I installed an LED bulb but when I dim it, it flickers. Why? Check that your LED lamp is dimmable. If your LED is dimmable and flickering is still an issue it may be that your dimmer is not compatible with LED lighting, or that your dimmer is not set to work with the small wattage load of LED bulbs. Ask a registered electrician about the best dimming system. Kat Lowry, Mr Ralph

How high above a dining table should I hang a pendant? New Zealanders tend to hang pendants far too high, guaranteed to destroy the ambience of a dinner party – and who wants to be looking up into the bulb? The Danish, who have winters where it’s dark by 3.30pm, know to hang pendants between 550mm and 710mm above the top of the table. When you’re seated the bottom of the pendant should be just above eye-level so if you’re tall, take this into account. Bill Carrig, Design Denmark  

What’s the best sort of lighting for working from home at night? If possible, have dimmable ceiling lighting installed to soften the light for working late into the night – ideally with bulbs in a warm white. Don’t let the computer be the only source of lighting; have another source like a table lamp to avoid headaches and eye strain. A couple of task lights such as a table lamp or floor lamp are ideal if the main lights are not dimmable. Jamie Durant, Freedom  

I’ve heard of outdoor solar lights but is the technology up to scratch? It has come a long way in recent years and, depending on the brand, takes into account people’s lifestyles with solar or powered recharging options. Multicolours, dimmability and on/off settings using a phone via a bluetooth connection are new features. There are different models for various environments, whether you want to float solar lights in your pool, hang them from trees, place them around furniture or use them as lanterns to carry off on an adventure. Scott Fisk, Dawson & Co  

How do I light an outdoor area? The key is subtlety and using lots of small light sources rather than one or two powerful ones. Our eyes adapt well to low light levels and even a weak light source like a candle is very noticeable in contrast to the dark night. For landscaping, think about areas you want to see and those you don’t. Pick out trees, flower beds or water features with dedicated lighting and don’t worry about how much light you “need”. The multiple light sources will combine to give a pleasant light level. For outdoor living, pick out key areas – a table or loungers – but don’t overdo it. Lighting should be relaxing and low-glare, so positioning is more important than output. Reflected light from fittings such as up/down wall lights  is superior to exposed light sources such as bulkheads and lanterns. Joe Harrison, Lightplan  

How can lights enhance the security of my property? Outdoor lighting makes it easy to spot hazards, while bright lights illuminate dark corners where burglars can hide. For security lighting, use energy-efficient LED floodlights in areas like the back of the house. Sunset switches trigger the lights to turn on to ensure a safe welcome home and deter would-be intruders. Sensor lights detect heat and movement and have an adjustable time-delay function where the lights switch off after a pre-set period. Choose one that is weather-protected. Indoors there’s the option to automate and set timers on lights in different rooms while you’re away. This no longer requires timers with 24 hour pins – the PDL Iconic range comes with a bluetooth option so you can set up to 16 timers to turn on and off throughout the day. Robert Knight, PDL by Schneider Electric

What’s the best way to light a driveway and path? Give the entrance of your home minimal but well thought out lighting. You need to show the space, not the driveway. Instead, light your front garden to welcome the driver home. On walkways, use a minimum of light to avoid accidents, applying luminaires to achieve vertical illumination. This way you know who is arriving once out of the car and who is welcoming once out of the home. Ardy Phillips, Targetti