RESIDENTIAL
provide the right amount of light, where needed. If we leave off the more energy-intensive overhead lights for a few more hours each night, purposeful lighting in this zone can also reduce our energy usage.
Glare-Free Zone. Image by author.
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designing lighting
THE GLARE-FREE ZONE The final zone is directly above us in our peripheral vision and reaches the segment of our retinas with densely packed rod cells that allow us to perceive tiny changes in light (which indicate movement). We are sensitive to glare in every direction, but most subjected to it from above. It is common for us to see a ceiling with a solid grid of recessed downlights overpowering the room and filling our eyes, often subconsciously, with discomfort. We try to minimize overhead downlights, instead pushing them to the perimeter and bouncing light off vertical surfaces like cabinets, art, and wall finishes. Yes, sometimes a light directly overhead is the best solution, like above a kitchen island, but most spaces will be better served when we minimize point sources aimed at our heads. Our red velvet cake analogy (lighting should be in layers…) broke us out of the task-ambient-accent box, and the response of residential clients to our five promises of light was a key part of our secret recipe for success. That language of light is still relevant and functional, but most of our clients do not want a lecture on lighting theory. I am also a tinkerer with a short attention span, so I keep rewriting my language of light into something I hope will be simpler, easier, and more impactful for homeowners and clients. It is easier to demonstrate the Zone theory outlined above with images and diagrams, and easier for clients to understand.