Let there be light !
A clever play of light and shade and an astute blend of bulbs and fixtures.
Successful lighting isbased on a play of light and shade and an appropriate blend of bulbs and fixtures. Let's try to see more clearly…
And even ring the changes ! But above all, let's keep a level head. Depending on whether you're reading, dining or applying make-up, you don't need the same amount of light. Here again, the choice is wide. Generally speaking, we use artificial light about 3 hours a day 365 days a year. Which gives each light-bulb a clearly-defined life-cycle. The classic incandescent bulb is the most familiar model, with a filament usually made of tungsten. Cheap and easy to use, it exists in different colours and shapes (spherical, flame-shaped…). Its main disadvantage is that it gets hot and must therefore be kept at a distance from inflammable materials. As for its intensity, it is relatively mediocre. Then come fluo-compact bulbs and fluorescent strip lighting. The former are very economical with a life expectancy eight to ten times higher than that of the incandescent bulb. Their only weak point is that they take a certain amount of time to reach maximum power. Fluorescent tubes provide strong light which is evenly distributed. But to give a living-room a warm and cosy atmosphere, opt for halogen. With a reflector, an halogen lamp is perfect for reading. And a very low voltage model is ideal for spotlights, closets, kitchens and bathrooms.
Direct or indirect ?
While nothing replaces or even equals natural daylight, artificial light is indispensable. Which doesn't mean that one has to switch on the light without asking at least one or two questions. On the stairs, in a cellar, garage or attic, a time switch helps to make substantial savings. With a two-way system, you can turn the light on or off from two different points : practical in a bedroom, for instance. Even more sophist-icated, a tele-control device operates light fixtures from several different points. Very basic nowadays, the dimmer has become part of our daily lives. Less common is the remote control, which is used just like the one for the television. And in the age of the so-called “smart home”, Lutron Electronics Co. Inc, world leader in the design and production of dimmers and control systems, now only improves on products that already exist. Winner of the Innovation Grand Prix in 1999, “Homeworks Interactive” is still considered a reliable device with which one can operate various lighting systems as well as electronic equipment. More recently, the partnership between Lutron and Bang&Olufsen has produced new Bang&Olufsen keyboards dedicated to the “Homeworks” light control system. With the “Beo4” remote control, you can raise or reduce the intensity of the light, select pre-regulated ambiances, set the position of your shutters and even the curtains…
Outdoor lighting
We sometimes forget that the property's immediate surroundings and the garden also deserve a little stage-setting. For practical reasons, the entrance should be fitted with a properly focussed light. And in the interest of security, an infra-red device will switch on the lights as soon as it detects anyone's presence, then switch off automatically. These detectors become operational as soon as it gets dark and work with a timer so that everything switches off at the appropriate time. The “nec plus ultra” is quite defin-itely the “Omizzy“ pack (from Legrand), an all-in-one system with an “Omizzy” Internet server panel, TRC or ADSL modem, hub, eight Sagane computer connections, Netcam camera and a Scénario Sagane switch. With “Omizzy”, the user can activate the lighting in his home in real time or program its activation room by room or throughout the entire house (“Omizzy” pack from 2,600 €).
By Cécile Olivéro - photos : E. Andreotta - press.
