Do You Know How To Choose The Right Lighting for Reading?

admin — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 17:05:53 +0000

There are a number of factors to take into consideration when deciding on the best kind of lighting for reading. Although more and more individuals are deciding to gather information about the world we live in by means other than reading a book, a significant part of the world’s population continues to read traditional, printed material in the form of books, magazines, etc.

The younger reader experiences fewer problems with poor illumination while reading. For example, some research concludes that we need only half the light at age 30 to have adequate reading illumination as compared to what we need at age 60 to read the same material. Age 40 seems to be the beginning of diminishing eyesight for most. The older we get, the more we are prone to eyestrain, blurring vision and headaches as a result of inadequate lighting while reading.

So, the first and primary consideration is selecting a fixture that will provide the right amount of illumination.

The rooms in your home where you do most of your reading should have lighting that illuminates the area in a general way that makes the room feel attractive and inviting. Where possible, combine general light with directed or task lighting. The lighting selected for reading should be considered supplemental and an addition to the general lighting used in the room.

A number of writers on this subject offer a variety of suggestions and options with respect to the type of lighting fixtures to use for reading. I am a strong believer in the use of what is called full spectrum lighting. This type of lighting is also known as natural lighting and was originally used for providing simulated natural sunlight to help with the growth of indoor plants. This natural lighting is easy on the eyes, brings out the true colors of what it illuminates, and relieves eyestrain.

The most common type of full spectrum light is the incandescent bulb, although full spectrum lights are also available as fluorescent fixtures. Several years ago, these natural lighting fixtures were hard to find and fairly expensive when compared to more conventional lighting sources, but they are currently available in nearly all home centers and in many grocery and discount department stores.

The life expectancy of natural light fixtures is comparable to that of traditional light fixtures and well worth the extra few dollars.

The best type of directed lighting unit to buy for purposes of reading are by and far the gooseneck lamp. While a table lamp may be more attractive, it has the disadvantages of not being able to direct the light to where it is needed and in general is not adjustable. Lighting manufacturers have gotten savvy to the need for designing and manufacturing stylish and attractive gooseneck lamps and you can find one to meet your own particular decorating tastes with very little trouble.

Directed or task lighting provided by a gooseneck lamp should be positioned behind your reading chair or couch. The lamp should be positioned behind you according to whether you are left or right handed to avoid overshadowing as you read. Right-handed individuals should position the lamp behind their left shoulder while left-handed persons should do the opposite. If you have a mixture of “handedness” in your home, everyone should be advised about this positioning.

Using a white of lightly colored shade will help with the illumination of the material while darker colored shades absorb rather than reflect the illumination.

Glare is another major consideration when using a reading light. With a gooseneck lamp, position the bottom of the shade at eye level to avoid glare. The gooseneck lamp makes it easy to adjust the height of the light source depending on the size of the person using it.

Indirect lighting has become popular over the years and provides a concealed light source, which diffuses the light and eliminates glare, which can be a real problem in causing eyestrain and a number of other vision-related problems.

Installing dimmer switches will allow you to regulate the intensity of the light generated and serves the purpose of making one fixture useable for both older and younger readers.

For the serious reader, a light stand can be a real boon. The stand can be positioned to keep the material at the best distance and angle for optimum reading as well as helping keep it in focus and reduce the strain of holding a book while you are reading. Reading stands are particularly useful for the older reader and those with medical conditions that make it more difficult to hold a book steady for any length of time.

Let common sense and an awareness of your particular comfort level be an important guide in setting up your areas for reading. If you find some of my suggestions just don’t seem to work for you, try to discover why and make adjustments accordingly.

A lot of people find it restful and relaxing to read before or as a prelude to falling asleep. There are some special considerations to keep in mind if you are one of these people.

Many sleeping areas use overhead lighting fixtures as their primary source of illumination. First, overhead lighting in the bedroom usually doesn’t provide enough brightness to read comfortably and second, overhead lighting provides too much overall room lighting for anyone getting ready to go to sleep. This is a particular problem if you are sharing a room with someone who is not a “snooze-reader”.

Here are some other ways to light the sleeping area for the reader. Use a small table lamp positioned on your side of the bed making sure that the shade is low enough to avoid glare, use lamps that are attached to a mechanism that can be swung into just the right position over the reader (a variation on the gooseneck lamp), use a floor lamp with three-way bulbs to decrease the intensity of the illumination and finally, position a fixture on the wall directly above the reader that will cast only enough light to illuminate the book or other reading material.

If you don’t sleep alone, your goal is to keep the non-reader in the dark while you are reading. Some strange individuals (self-included) sleep soundly with the lights on or off. If this doesn’t cause a problem for your partner, consider whatever lighting works best and even consider a timer that can be reached easily if it shuts the lights off as you are just getting to the part of the book that reveals whodunit.

A few individuals find portable book lights handy. These LED light sources never burn out and generally last up to 20 hours on a set of batteries.

While not a complete or comprehensive guide to lighting for reading, I hope that this brief overview will provide you with some basics to consider.

By: Chuck Lunsford

Wall Sconce Lighting – Versatile Illumination

admin — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 05:24:04 +0000

It’s been a hectic and stressful day! I rise early and from the moment I awaken there doesn’t seem to be one minute of me time. I work full time at my job and at home my work is never ending. You’re probably thinking that this sounds just like you. Do not despair. I have found a place to unwind from the day and I do not have go anywhere.

You see, with a little creativity you too can be blessed with a relaxing atmosphere to let your troubles and worries melt around you. This wonderful place that lets me mellow out is my luxurious bathroom. It did not always provide me with this magical feeling. I had to use my imagination and do a little research to make it into my special place or sanctuary.

It was always in my immediate reach. I was just unaware how lighting can change your mood and make your entire self relax. By placing wall sconce lighting in certain areas around my vanity and a hypnotic sconce on the wall overlooking my bath, this room has developed into a spa like atmosphere. It gives off a halo or shadow that surrounds me with a comforting and pleasing feeling. These special effects have given me the energy that is well deserved and needed at the end of the day.

Wall sconce lighting is a functional and decorative piece that attaches to a wall and holds either a candle or a bulb. We can track its history to before the 1400s. It was just a half circle made out of wood or metal and held a small candle. It was only used during these times for functional purposes. Today they are much more complex and decorative.

It can be an elegant addition to any room of your home. It is also a perfect solution for any dark areas in your lighting scheme. Wall sconce lighting looks beautiful wherever they are placed, since they do not have cumbersome cords attached to them. It manufactures versatile illumination with a decorative flair. It bounces its beams of light off the walls and ceilings which provides a subtle glow through translucent covers.

These fixtures are ideal for rooms where floor space is limited and scarce. If placed properly your room will look larger than it is. It can provide a soft background of illumination, highlight focal areas of interest or as a directional track lighting system.

The style that you choose will depend on your personal preference and decor. You should coordinate the fixture with the other furnishings in the room. This is all possible with the many designs, patterns and sizes that are available.

Wall sconce lighting comes in an abundance of styles like art deco, casual, classic, contemporary, traditional, tiffany and rustic. You will also find these wall sconces are constructed in a large variety of materials. Some examples are wrought iron, crystal, glass, ceramic, wood, brass, pewter, copper and stainless steel.

Some wall sconce lighting fixtures can also boost safety. Placing them in dark hallways or along staircases and over your front door gives you protection from injury and potential intruders. They are also safe to have in homes where there are children. These are normally hung out of reach so accidents do not occur.

The light source inside your wall sconce fixture can be either incandescent or fluorescent. You may want to experiment with the different bulbs to judge which is the most effective for the particular location you wish to hang your wall sconce. Most people today are choosing the fluorescent bulbs for its eco friendly nature. Initially they may be more expensive to purchase, but in the long run these light bulbs will last longer and actually save you money on your electric bill. You can also purchase an LED wireless wall sconces. This design is battery operated and is so easy to install a child could do it. You just push a single button to activate and instantly you have light. Other fixtures may need a professional to make certain it is installed securely and properly.
For an inexpensive way to transform an entire look and feel to a room, this is an excellent option that awaits you. You will be able to create a passionate, romantic, relaxing and casual ambience by hanging this dramatic addition.

Realize with wall sconce lighting that in just a matter of moments my end of the day ritual can be yours too!

By: Barbara Tobiasz

Interior Lighting » Fixt

Do You Know How To Choose The Right Lighting for Reading?

Wall Sconce Lighting – Versatile Illumination