Illuminate to Maximise!

INTRODUCTION

With an increase in land prices and many capital cities around the world struggling to house their populations various concepts have arisen to to accommodate dense populations into limited spaces. At Inspiral we are have seen and experienced first had the impact of large scale and rapid urbanization of green zones of our home island, Bali. We would like to encourage designers to consider how if designed thoughtfully smaller homes and spaces can still involve beauty and peace for the inhabitant. In order to increase appealing and the perception of their size, there is are a number of ways you can this with the lighting. From our architects studio in Bali, here are some of our tops tips to illuminate and elevate.

LIGHT COLORS FOR WALLS AND CEILINGS

Light colors and most preferably white color reflects light far better than any other shade. We prefer to work with natural materials and finishes such as rammed earth and bamboo with the contrast of adding some strong, dense material or color finish to the furthest wall to create depth.

USING MORE MIRRORS IN THE HOUSE

The age old trick of using mirrors as a tool to give an illusion of a bigger space is actually quite effective if employed strategically. In combination with good lighting (both artificial and natural), it can work miracles. However we always consider the Feng Shui and how they may affect not just lighting but energy flow also for the inhabitant. They work best can be attached to solid surfaces such as an empty wall or the door, facing the window – this would reflect light in the entire living space, making the place much more vibrant.

MAXIMIZING NATURAL LIGHT

Nothing works better than the natural light! Actually maximizing natural light isn’t that straight forward and especially in the tropics we must consider the oxymoron of heat and ventilation. With sustainability always at the forefront of our masterplanning we carefully consider overall house position, direction, and ventilation paths and flow within the home.

VERTICAL LIGHTING PATHS

The use of artificial eco friendly vertical lighting paths diverts the attention of the viewer from the narrow width up to its height. Thus the space feels elongated. Downward lighting could give your house quite the opposite effect, so use wisely.

BACKLIGHTING

Backlighting gives the sense of extra depth in the house despite only eliminating darkness behind the furniture. Also, it looks very elegant. These backlighting strips can be used behind the bed headboard, mirrors, TV screens or room separators.

LIGHTING UP SHELVES AND CLOSETS

Dark corners can also be found below kitchen cabinets or bookshelves. LED light strips can be used to overcome the darkness and artistically illuminate the shelves and the closet.

MULTIPLE SOURCES OF LIGHT

Instead of using just one light source such as a big tube light can be very boring. Instead, you could use multiple sources to illuminate the whole space – this achieving the illusion of depth and atmosphere.