The Difference between Task and Ambient Lighting
When deciding on lighting for your home, there are many factors to take into consideration. If you're choosing lights for the interior of your house, deciding where to use task lighting and where to use ambient lighting is of vital importance. Having the right balance between the two can not only make your your home look better, but it can make it more functional and easier to use.
So, what is the difference between task and ambient lighting?
Ambient lighting is also known as general lighting, and it is used to provide light to an overall area, such as a room. To be most effective, it should be evenly distributed and bright without glare. The purpose of this is to provide overall light to a room, allowing people to get around safely. There are many ways to provide a room with ambient light, from a simple overhead light to a glittering chandelier to stylish wall-mounted lights. You may also want to think about whether you prefer warm light (ideal for a family living room) or more cool light, as would suit a bathroom or kitchen. This type of lighting is the most vital and fundamental thing to think of when considering how to light a room.
Task Lighting
Task lighting is lighting which is designed to help you accomplish a specific task. For example, in the kitchen you may want to illuminate the worktops in order to make cooking easier. In a bedroom you may choose to have a bedside light so you can read in bed, and in the bathroom you might want extra lights around the mirror to make getting ready easier. This kind of lighting contributes significantly to the overall look of the room, and makes certain tasks much easier to accomplish. Good task lighting should be bright enough to prevent eye strain and free of glare. It can be accomplished through the use of track lighting, spotlights or even table lamps.
In order to achieve the complete look that you want for your room , it is important to have the correct mix of these two types of lighting. Consider mixing ceiling lighting with wall lighting to create the best lighting effects.
But there is one question i am unable to find the answer to.
In a corridoor 7m long and 900mm wide. It has a ceiling height of 2.3m and white matt walls and white doors.
The floor slate grey polished concrete.
I want to install GU10 led spots with a narrow beam to create circular pools of light onto the floor as a feature while lighting the way for passage. The down lighters are spaced 1.4m apart down the centre of the corridor. What degree of beam do i require to achieve this please.
Is there a simple way of working this out?
I also have a 70m2 multifunctional room with a vaulted ceiling which i need to work out.
Kind regards
David
As you've already completed the most difficult part and got the downlights fitted at the appropriate spaces, you just need to consider the beam angle as you've mentioned and the brightness measured in lumens.
To calculate corridors you'd use the inverse square law as lighting design software isn't always accurate for narrow corridors.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/engineering/inverse-square-law
Ideally you want the edges of the beam angles to overlap each other. If the brightness is at 100% in the centre, you overlap 2 lights at 50%+50% to get you 100% at all areas. This gives you a high level of uniformity. You don't want anything too wide like 60 or anything too narrow like 25 degrees. This leaves you with 35 to 42 degrees which are the most popular beam angles.
This would be a good choice for a bright lighting effect, its 4.9W with 595 to 600 lumens and a 36 degree beam.
Link here
For the multifunctional room with a vaulted ceiling, please email [email protected] with the full dimensions and a drawing. We'd usually recommend adjustable downlights for vaulted ceilings as they off-set the sloped angle and emit light directly downwards. We can provide a proper lighting design for you using Relux.