a greyscale CAD sketch of a bedroom with lighting fixtures throughout

Less is … Less.

“Do we really need all those lights?”

If you ask me to help lay out lighting for your living room (or kitchen, or bedroom, or bathroom…), the probability of me increasing the quantity of light fixtures is about a million to one.

Increasing the quantity of lights does not mean there will be more light, it just means there will be all the right kinds of light in the right places.  Picture a bedroom with only a ceiling fan for light.

A photograph of a bedroom lit by three lightbulbs on a ceiling fan

Doesn’t that look relaxing?  This is advanced CFLS.  Let’s bring in a lighting designer.

A photograph of a bedroom lit by two lamps by the bed and a third lamp on a dresser

I simply added two bedside lamps and an accent lamp on a dresser.  Sure, I added three lamps, but I used the same number of bulbs as the ceiling fan. Of course, I think the room also needs some recessed lights to highlight art (light for feeling and story) and perhaps an indirect cove to introduce a little more light for knowing.

You see what I mean?  I will almost always suggest more. It is hard to get all five promises out of light from a single source.  Red Velvet lighting takes layers.

“Yeah…but do we really need all those lights?”

Okay, I can see I have failed to convince you.   Let me try another tactic.

A photograph of a kitchen with a long countertop for diners. All the lights in the kitchen are on

Here’s a nice place to host a party.   See the beautiful crown molding?

A photograph of a kitchen with a long countertop for diners. All the lights, except for the ceiling cove light, are on.

You probably don’t need the light on the crown molding.  Speaking of luxuries, is that light under the bar top really necessary?

A photograph of a kitchen with a long countertop for diners. The only lights on are the pendants over the counter, the cabinet lights, and the ceiling lights.

Nah. We can save money by taking it out.   And those pendants do almost nothing to light the countertop or the room….

A photograph of a kitchen with a long countertop for diners. The only lights on are the ceiling lights and the lights underneath the cabinets. It looks very dark.

So let’s turn them off.  Wait, do I see lights inside the cabinets?  Seriously?

A photograph of a kitchen with a long countertop for diners. The only lights on are the ones underneath the cabinets.

Glad we took those out.  Looks like the only “extra” left is the under cabinet light.

A photograph of a kitchen with a long countertop for diners. All is dark save for the lights illuminating the items in the display cabinet.

Ah, this is a room lit with just recessed downlights.  Much easier to install.

You’re right, you don’t need all those other lights.

 

(Unless you want to see better, know better, feel better, adapt better, and tell a better story.  Unless you want more out of the gift.)

Light Can Help You