AtHomeWithSarahBeenyAutumn2016 - 140

▲ SEE THE LIGHT MODERN lights A VOICE-ACTIVATED SWITCH WILL TURN THE LIGHTS ON AND OFF WITHOUT YOU GETTING OUT OF BED. TASK LIGHTING This is used to illuminate an area for a particular task such as cooking, reading or studying. As this light is more focused than background light, it should be bright enough to work by. Look out for lamps that allow you to adjust both the height and angle of the light for optimum eﬀect. ACCENT LIGHTING Usually for decorative purposes, accent lighting highlights a particular feature or item, such as ceiling beams or a picture on the wall. It gives texture, focus and shape to general lighting, with added depth and shade. Examples include tracks, table lamps, halogen, downlighters, uplighters and spotlights. Among the things you may want to highlight are: BOOKS: Clip a spotlight on the underside of the shelf or put wall washers into the ceiling. PICTURES AND PAINTINGS: To avoid glare and give an even distribution of light, use an eyeball light that can swivel, and set it to ﬂood (a broad beam). You could also mount an adjustable spotlight on a ceiling track and direct it at a focal point in the painting. PLANTS: Check whether the plant likes sunlight or needs to be kept out of it. For a large pot plant, put an uplighter or a spotlight recessed into the ﬂoor behind it. The light will bounce oﬀ the ﬂoor and ceiling and diﬀuse back into the plant foliage to create unusual shadows. 140 | OCTOBER 2016 SARAH SAYS 'There are lots of options to brighten up the corners of a room with strings of lights. If that's not to your taste, I would seriously consider standard lamps or side lamps as you can plug them into existing sockets and don't need messy rewiring.' LIGHT YOUR HOME HALLWAY: This busy area needs to be well-lit and welcoming. A combination of wall and ceiling lights works well with wall lights illuminating a dark corridor and showing the way to the stairs. LIVING ROOM: A mix of all three light types is ideal, as living rooms serve many purposes. Try diﬀerent bulbs and ﬁt dimmer switches so you can lower the light when required, to create a more relaxing space. BEDROOM: One lighting zone where you can go to town - there are even bedheads with integral lighting which are a feature in themselves. But bear in mind the bedroom is a place for relaxation and sleep, so avoid too much glare. Instead, go for layers of light, highlighting alcoves, backlighting sandblasted glass wardrobes or washing light on to a feature wall away from the bed. You need focused task lighting at a dressing table, so ensure this is on a separate switch. A dimmer switch is crucial for mood lighting, as are individual switches for bedside lamps. You can even get a voiceactivated switch to turn your lights on or oﬀ without getting out of bed. CHANGE Philips Hue (www.meethue. com) is your personal wireless lighting system, combining energy-efﬁcient LED light with the latest technology. Together, the light, the bridge and the smart controls will forever change the way you control and experience light. The LED bulbs deliver bright and beautiful light for your daily activities. They're practical, too. They dim. They ﬂash. They pulse. They do pretty much anything you want (available in different shapes and sizes). BATHROOM: You need two kinds of lighting in a bathroom: bright focused light near mirrors and a gentle, relaxed light for bathing. Many bathroom cupboards and mirrors now come with integral lighting so all you may need is a dimmer switch for the central light. Fibre optics are practical and safe around water and can look striking sunk into ﬂooring. Fix phased, interchangeable colour versions above a shower to suit your mood. Safety is the primary issue here - all electric ﬁttings need to be double insulated and encased with light switches outside or on a pull cord. KITCHEN: You need bright light, especially around work surfaces, sinks, ovens and hobs. Build in as many integral lights as possible, into cooker hoods and under wall cupboard units for example. Mini-ﬂuorescent strips don't get hot and send a diﬀuse, warm light on to surfaces below, but make sure it's below eye level to avoid glare. Directional lighting is more ﬂexible, or think about hanging two or three small pendant lights to give a glow over the whole area. If you have open shelving or glass-fronted display cupboards, make a feature by backlighting them. WORDS: KATHERINE NASH, IMAGES: GETTY IMAGES Bedroom fun Technology always pushes us further - you can now adjust and personalise your home's illumination to match what you need at different times of the day, such as waking up to 'dawn' rather than an alarm clock. http://www.meethue

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