Lighting And Colour

Lighting and Colour when Decorating a Home.

Natural or artificial light will affect the colour and the final look of freshly painted homes.
Colour in a space should not be chosen until the volume of lighting is examined. Where the light comes from makes a big difference. Natural light from a big south facing window is not the same as light from a small light bulb. Furthermore, a light fixture is more important than it’s main function of lighting up a space. It is one of the important elements that needs to look good in a decorated space.

When planning a project, a designer will consider issues such as energy efficiency and cost. A colour consultant will have other questions:

• What is the purpose of lighting in the space?
• Can existing light be used to highlight important decorating elements?
• Can colour be used to brighten up a room without changing any lighting?
• Is painting a large surface like a ceiling solve other lighting problems?
• Will a smart colour choice turn a previously plain wall into a focus wall?

The important thing to remember is that light itself is not visible. It helps us see other things. In the case of interior decorating, it helps us see things differently. In the last few years our painters must have painted hundreds of rooms in homes in Benjamin Moore’s “Chantilly Lace”. This is a very bright white that can instantly brighten up a space.

How to Choose Colour when faced with Different Lighting Situations

After spending hours, driving from paint store to paint store, sorting through hundreds of colour chips, you have finally made your choice. The paint is mixed and you are now ready to paint. You apply the colour, only to find out it is not the same as it was on that colour swatch in the paint store. Before you go back to the store and complain to the clerk, the culprit may be the light that your room is receiving.

• South facing rooms receive the most natural light. Walls across the windows can be painted with darker colours. Dark colour will absorb more light and can be used to dull the effect of a very bright room. For the same reason, a light colour can look almost white. It may be a good idea to use a shade darker than the intended colour.

• North facing rooms receive considerably less light. Using lighter and warmer colours will compensate for that. White can look grey, especially on the window walls. Using a creamier white can help “warm it up”. If a darker colour has to be used, it will have less of an effect when used on a window wall.
• A room facing east will look brighter during the day when it gets a lot of sunlight.
• A west facing room will look dull in the morning but warm and bright in the afternoon.
• The architecture of a home, will affect the influence natural light has on colour. A bright, open space home can take advantage of the effect that natural lighting has on a colour scheme. At the same time, smaller homes with small windows will rely more on artificial lighting.
• Different types of artificial lighting have a different colours and their interaction with the painted walls have to be carefully considered. Incandescent lights have a warmer yellow effect. Fluorescent light produces a slightly blue colour. Halogen lighting is the closest to natural and it looks white.

After narrowing your choice to two or three colours, it’s a good idea to buy a litre of each colour and paint some “test patches” in the areas that they will be used in. Test areas should be on two or three walls in each room for a more real representation of the final result. Make sure to check these colours during different times if you light source is a window. Your painting contractor should be able to provide sample service for a nominal charge.

To engage the services of a Colour Consultant in the Greater Toronto Area book a consultation with Ecopainting and we will connect you to an expert.

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