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Glare

In order to avoid glare from windows you need to reduce the contrast between light entering the room from the sky and the interior lighting of the room. If you light the room from two or more directions you will almost certainly reduce glare, as will making the walls near windows as bright as possible and increasing the amount of reflected light by using light-toned decoration, carpet, and furnishing. Another approach to the problem of internal glare from windows is to reduce the amount of light entering in the first place. To do this you can use shading devices (such as those listed on the left) on the outside or, on the inside, splayed window reveals or net curtains.

Artificial light

Although the principal aim in a natural home should be to rely as much as possible on daylight, and thus reduce the use of artificial light, you will inevitably be forced to use supplementary light at night and probably also during some daylight hours in winter. But despite the importance of the correct type and level of artificial illumination for your home, in terms both of health and safety and mood and atmosphere, it is surprising just how little attention most people pay to this subject.

The type of artificial light source you choose and where you position light fittings have a very considerable impact on the wellbeing of all the members of your household. The object of good artificial lighting is not simply to avoid any health problems, such as headaches and eyestrain, it should also contribute in a major way toward a supportive mood and atmosphere within the home. Here, you need to consider the colour rendering of thespectrum produced by different types of light source, as well as the colours cast by lampshades. And leading on from this, lighting colour will then affect the colour of walls, ceiling, and furnishings and you need to take this into account when planning decorative colour schemes.

The lighting design itself should be as natural looking as possible (in other words, simulate the effects of daylight), and in this respect it is best to arrange lights in such a way that not too many of the actual fittings are visible. Naked bulbs or bright light sources need shading or they immediately draw the eye and can become unwanted and stressful focal points in a room.

It is not easy to lay down hard-and-fast rules concerning the placement of light fittings — so much depends on the individual characteristics of each room, the amount and placement of furniture, and the style of decoration. But you should be able to use the information here as at least a starting point to help you relate the principles of good, healthy lighting to your particular environment. You will probably find that the ideal arrangement is arrived at only by a process of trial and error — place lights where you think they might work best, live with them for a while, and then make any necessary modifications before fixing them permanently.

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