Lighting Is Key
Lighting is essential in making a space feel larger. When spaces are dark it can make a room feel cramped and small; The light does not reflect off / between furniture which can also give the sensation that it is placed too closely together and give a claustrophobic feel. However, with the help of good and sufficient lighting a room can feel voluptuous and spacious. Natural light generally looks better in a space since it tends to reflect colors much nicer than artificial light. For this reason, at pulse, we are very keen on the demolishing walls and opening up spaces that do not have sufficient light so that we can borrow light from other areas.
Evidently, lighting serves a huge purpose (not just to waste electricity). The reason we use chandeliers in large spaces is not only for the aesthetic and for a statement piece but it also provides a huge amount of light, needed in a large space (such as a hallway).
Nonetheless, there are times in which this is not possible due to structure or layout of the space. This is when we have to be very picky about the artificial lights that we use. A rule that we always stick to here at Pulse is that we must avoid “canteen lighting”. What does this mean? - You may ask. “Canteen lighting” is how we refer to extremely cool coloured down lights that give the sensation that you are in a school canteen or a hospital (and it really does give off that feel!!). Evidently this is not a warm and cosy feeling or a space that people tend to feel comfortable in and not a feeling you want people to experience when they visit your home or office. Therefore we ensure that the lights that we install are of a warm tone, to implement a homely and welcoming feel.
As previously mentioned, lighting is key in making a space feel larger. A way this is done is by using lights of the walls rather than over head. The reason for which this is effective in widening a room is because the light comes out to in and highlights the entirety of the room. When the light is just in the centre however, only the middle of the room is highlighted and it can be difficult to take into account the focal points surroundings.
