The American Lighting Association identifies 3 types of interior lighting: Task lighting, ambient lighting, and accent lighting. I would add a fourth which falls into several categories, but I would call mood or stage lighting. I don’t mean dramatic stage lighting, I mean setting the stage in a home for a mood or an event. When my family eats dinner in our dining room, we light a large candelabra and it sets the mood for a fun dinner. The candles do provide ambient light, but the mood they create is more important than the light they provide.
When I walk into my kitchen first thing in the morning, I can’t get enough light. We have task lights under the cabinets, high hats in the ceiling, a decorative chandelier with 6 bulbs, and several sconces. As we get older we need more light to see well, and I am squarely in that camp. Whether you are chopping up an onion, with a sharp knife, or threading a line through your fly rod, bright, focused, task lighting is critical.
Mood lighting sets the stage for your life. It can be indirect lighting from the ceiling, candles on the table, or any other light that lives in the background but sets the mood of the moment. As long at the light enhances the space, I personally do not care which category it falls within. Most importantly, lighting should be beautiful and fun.
Photos by Rob Karosis Curated Brochure by Crisp Architects: Portfolio
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