How to light up your house

By Umar Nsubuga

One thing that can improve your house décor is good lights because they accentuate the interior.

David Kireli, a civil engineer with the education ministry, says lighting has types.

Task lighting

Kireli says this kind does a specific job, whether it is reading, working on a computer, cooking or sewing.

"It needs to be focused on the area you are using. If light seeps out, you are likely to get glare from other surfaces like the computer," he says.

Accent lighting

Kireli says this one emphasises an area of or object in a room.

"You can use it to highlight a collection of pictures or plants," he says. In case you decide to light your pictures, you are likely to have a problem of glare because of the reflection from the glass.

Abdu-Wahab Nyanzi, an architect, says it is better to have specific lights in your house. For example, the bathrooms are supposed to have natural light.

Living room lights

Rose Gitta, an interior designer, says because the living room represents the entire home, one can use table lamps, dotted around the edges of the room on shelves and tables. These will radiate light inwards, making the room feel spacious and cosy. A ceiling also looks a bit strange without a light on it.

Gitta also says one can mount wall lights beside immovable features.

Bedroom lights

Kireli says it would be better to differentiate the lights in your sitting room from those in the bedroom. Sometimes when in the bedroom, one may want to read, yet another person is sleeping. In such a case, a table lamp comes in handy.

Nyanzi says the right kind of light will help one get a good sleep.

Therefore, it is important to have a bedside lamp.

If you have a big mirror in the bedroom, instal a row of light bulbs around it. Gitta says these give good and even light from all sides.

Bathroom

According to Nyanzi, good lighting does not just happen, it comes with good planning. Natural lighting is the best for bathrooms because it brings in freshness and keeps the bathroom dry.

By the age of 60, the average person's eyes require twice as much light for clear vision as they did when they were 25.

Lights should be positioned to reveal thresholds, steps and areas that might be wet or slippery.

Lights above mirrors cast unflattering shadows on faces, if they are the only light sources in the area.

Providing additional light from the sides balances the light levels and reduces shadows. Mirrors can be used to bounce light around a room and multiply the light available in the room during the day.

Always make sure any electrical appliances in the bathroom are installed safely. Lights located above bathrooms or within shower enclosures should be vapour-proof and clearly approved for use in wet locations.

Children's bedroom

In case you have a children's room, you need low level lighting so that you can see during those frequent trips in the night to feed or comfort.

Kireli says it is important not to just think of decorating without thinking of the security of your baby. Ensure prying fingers cannot open the fittings or reach the hot bulb or electrical wiring.

"Use wall-mounted lights rather than free-standing lamps that can be knocked over easily. Dimmers work wonders because they help to prepare a child mentally for bedtime," Kireli says.