News
Open-plan living: using light to define zones
Where kitchen, dining and living areas share one space, there are no walls, so light has to define the zones. The type of light for each zone, switching groups and a consistent look.
Lighting an attic room with a sloping ceiling
A sloping ceiling complicates pendants, downlights and even floor lamps. Lighting ideas that make use of the slopes and respect heat and insulation under the roof.
Bedside reading light: wall-mounted or table lamp?
A reading light in bed has to light the page well without disturbing the person next to you. Wall lights and bedside lamps compared, plus how to choose height and bulbs.
Hidden lighting: indirect light in coves and niches
Light hidden in a cove or niche washes the ceiling or wall softly while the source stays out of sight. Cove dimensions, choosing LED strip and the usual mistakes.
Cooker hood bulbs: types and how to replace them
A cooker hood bulb works in steam, grease and heat, and bulb types vary between models. How to identify the type, replace it safely and what to check when choosing LED.
Lighting for sewing, painting and crafts
Sewing, painting, knitting and model-making demand accurate sight of small details and colours. Light direction, colour quality and lamp choice for a hobby workspace.
Lighting a room with a low ceiling
A low ceiling feels even lower under a hanging chandelier and dark corners. Here is how to aim light at the ceiling and walls so the room reads taller.
Home lighting in winter: adapting to short days
In December it gets dark by five and artificial light covers half the day. Here is how to set up home lighting for winter mornings, working hours and evenings.
How to light paintings and photos on a wall
A painting disappears in dim light, and lit from the wrong angle its glass shows glare. We cover spot position, angle, beam width and colour quality step by step.
Big windows at night: stopping lamps reflecting in the glass
By day a large window opens up the view; after dark it becomes a black mirror repeating every lamp in the room. Here is why it happens and how to reduce it.
Bulbs for a crystal chandelier: clear or frosted?
How much a crystal sparkles depends on the size of the light source. We explain what clear, frosted and filament lamps do in a chandelier, and how to pick cap and shape.
Office lighting basics: panels, light levels and layout
Good office lighting is not just about brightness: desks, screens, windows and the ceiling have to be planned together. The key criteria and common mistakes.
Shop lighting: presenting products in the right light
In a shop, light guides the customer, shows the true colour of goods and makes shelves inviting. How to combine general, accent and shelf lighting.
Street-facing shop windows: lighting by day and by night
By day a shop window competes with the sun; at night it becomes the brightest spot on a dark street. How to set up and control light for both situations.
Warehouse lighting: racks, aisles and loading areas
In a warehouse, light is there to read labels, drive forklifts safely and pick orders without errors. Approaches for racking aisles, picking areas and the loading dock.
Street lighting basics: poles, spacing and light levels
Street lighting is more than lighting a road: drivers' and pedestrians' vision, pole height and spacing, glare and nearby homes all have to be considered.
Restaurant and café lighting: mood and the table
Light shapes the mood of a dining room, how the food looks and how comfortable guests feel. Here is how to build restaurant and café lighting in layers.
Hotel room lighting: what guests expect
Guests arrive at night, leave in a hurry and use the controls for the first time. Here is how to plan hotel room lighting that feels comfortable and obvious.
Lighting classrooms and kindergartens
Children spend much of the day in class, and poor light directly affects attention, eyes and mood. Here is how to choose lighting for classrooms and kindergartens.
Lighting clinics and treatment rooms: quality and hygiene
In a clinic, light affects what the doctor sees, how comfortable patients feel and how easily rooms stay clean. Here is what each zone needs.
Grocery lighting: fruit, meat and bakery displays
Shoppers judge freshness with their eyes, and what the eye sees depends on the light. Here is how to light fruit, meat and bakery displays properly.
Lighting for beauty salons and barbershops
Hair colour, make-up and a clean shave line only show accurately under the right light. Here is how to light workstations and the floor in salons and barbershops.
Gym lighting: bright but glare-free
Gym lighting has to be powerful and still easy on the eyes of someone training on their back. Here are the core principles for fitness and sports halls.
Lighting a production floor: precision work and safety
On the shop floor, light affects both product quality and worker safety. Here are the principles for setting up general, task and emergency lighting.