20
This room is both decorated and electrically equipped for good seeing. The walls and ceiling are white, which is further enhanced by an off- white carpet. Table standards using 100-watt lamps and a floor standard equipped with 150 watts provide adequate seeing conditions at every point where reading or sewing is likely to be done.
Hong Kong Builder
THE DRAWING ROOM
The chief aim of the lighting in this room should be to create a restful atmosphere and at the same time provide sufficient light at all points where sewing or reading is likely to be done. Many a delightful interior is marred by lighting which does not harmonise with the general design and colour scheme, and it is unfortunately no uncommon occurrence to see the whole character of a room spoiled by an inadequate silk or glass shade dangl- ing on a piece of flex.
General lighting can best be provided by pendant or flush ceiling fittings, wall brackets, or some form of built- in or architectural lighting. No fixed rule can be made because the lighting fittings should be regarded as part of the general furnishing and chosen accordingly, and they are thus bound to vary according to the occupier's taste.
Portable lamps for local lighting are absolutely necessary for this room; here, again, the colour of the shades should be chosen with the greatest care. Apart from their decorative value, portable lamps form the most convenient and economical method of obtaining good lighting; they can be moved about at will, and placed in such a position as to throw the light directly on to what-
ever task is being done. One of the most satisfactory portable lamps is known as the Study Lamp; employing a 100-watt pearl coiled lamp it provides the best possible solution for the householder who wishes to have a high standard of illumination. It is the only domestic lighting fitting to have a specified lighting performance, that is to say, that at a certain distance from the lamp a given number of foot-candles will be received on the book or sewing, or whatever task is being done. All the leading fittings manufacturers make these lamps to the exacting requirements of the British Standard Specification 710, and they have been designed by experts to ensure the extra illumination which eyesight preservation demands.
An otherwise dull or ordinary room can very often be enlivened by introducing one or two illuminated fea- tures, such as, luminous shelves on which ornaments can be displayed, an illuminated niche in the corner of the room, curtains with lighting concealed behind the pelmet, or a luminous ornament with a tinted lamp. In a room with a northern or dull aspect, dummy windows may be installed in the place of an existing window or disused cupboard and by using flame-sprayed lamps in reflectors it is possible to create the illusion that the window is flooded with sunlight.
10
The rings marked on the illustration at left indicate the distribution of light from a Study Lamp, at one foot away there are 25 foot-candles, and two feet away 10 foot-candles. The farther you move away from the lamp the less light you have. The rapidly falling illumination, even with this highly efficient fitting, is a clear indication of the wisdom of having a number of lamps in every
room.
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.