Lighting is one of the most important elements in interior design. Lighting concepts produce moods that influence us immediately. Light sources transform a larger room and create smaller more intimate spaces. Lamps have considerable influence on our impression of a room and on the physical comfort of the people in it. Lamps also set important creative statements as decoration objects.
If lighting concepts, apart from the creative orchestration of the design, also should be healthy and sustainable, they have to be strong in three areas. Namely regarding:
- The lighting quality of the concept and the used lamps
- The eco-compatible production of the lamps and the choice of materials
- The energy efficiency of the light bulbs
Lighting quality – Producing the greatest possible well-being while protecting the eyes
When looking for a suiting lamp, one must keep this question in mind:
What kind of lighting mood am I looking to produce?
A good rule of thumb is to plan one light source pro purpose and function in the room. The bigger the room the more light sources will be needed.
The illuminated surface should be kept in mind in the light planning and the selection of lamps. It´s advisable to make a preselection of lamps that are most likely to meet the lighting requirements.
A common mistake is to place a single brightly shining lamp at the center of the room as general lighting. The idea is to illuminate the whole room with the push of one button. What follows from too bright light is an exhaustion of the eyes. When the contrast between light source and room is too big, we get blinded. Our eyes must work overtime when dealing with sharp contrasts.
Not just that: even though the light is bright, it actually makes the room look smaller, because the walls are not directly illuminated. One single central light source is okay for a garage or storage room. But if one really want it for a living room it is advisable to make sure that light is not too bright.
The room seems more lively and atmospheric if one works with light distribution. To produce atmospheric light, promote physical comfort and protect the eyes we should illuminate selected spots.
Eco-compatible production and material selection of the designer lamp
The materials are the most important part of the design in the development of a lamp. Sustainable and thus especially eco-friendly and non venomous materials in lamp designs are for example paper, bamboo, recycled materials or wood from sustainable forestry, free from chemical additives, like paints and varnishes.
Floor lamp Moolin made of bamboo. The surface is oiled and thus free from chemical additives.
Recycled materials
Lamp „Satellite“ by Dirk vanderKoij made from 100 % recycled plastic waste in a 3D-printer.
Knotted with just one single long piece of rope.
Made of timber veneer from sustainable forestry
Energy efficiency – As little energy consumption as possible during the use of the lamp.
Lamps are in use in all kinds of interior spaces. Lighting makes for circa ten percent of a households total electricity costs. By using energy efficient light bulbs one can lower the power consumption with about 85 percent.
Today consumers can choose from a large selection of new energy efficient light bulbs. Economic bulb types are for example LEDs, halogen lights or energy saving-bulbs. These modern lights are considerably more economical than their predecessors, the incandescent lamps, which was withdrawn from the European market in 2009.
Furthermore, new interesting lighting concepts are emerging, like the Trap Lantern. This unusual lamp pledges a radical new approach in the field of light design. By using photoluminiscent pigments to catch outgoing light the lantern captures waste energy and transforms it into visible light.
Photoluminiscence is a process in which energy is absorbed from a substance and released as light. The addition of pigments gives every hand blown lamp a unique pattern.
A radical new approach to light design:
How economical a lamp really is, can be determined by a quick look at the EU-energy label on the packaging, which divides lamps into energy efficiency classes.
Have we sparked your interest?
You can find stylish and unusual lamps for a special ambience here. Floor lamps, pendant lamps or ceiling lights – special moods require special designer lamps. All of our lamps are certain to hold the highest standards regarding sustainable and a nonvenomous interior design.
