Ask an Expert: Lighting Edition
Looking for your renovation light-bulb moment? Sometimes all you need is a little inspiration to spark your next great idea. When it comes to unlocking a fresh, new perspective, we love to ask the experts!
This week, we’re taking a deep dive into one of the most important parts of any space—the lighting. Light sets the mood. It enables us to use our spaces to their fullest potential and can even affect how we feel. Who better to teach us the best ways to brighten our spaces than luminous nw lighting designer Nathanael Washam!
Nathanael generously shared his time-tested expertise and perspective with us. This interview is a must-read if you’re bringing new light fixtures into your space. It’s also a wonderful conversation about the importance of how our design choices make an impact on our daily life. As you move forward on your renovation checklist, make time to ask yourself how does this design make me feel?
We are so grateful to share Nathanael’s wisdom with you—we hope you enjoy reading Ask The Expert: Lighting Edition!
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Photography by Emily Keeney; Lighting Design by Nathanael Washman
Meet Nathanael, our lighting expert!
Sami: Let’s kick things off with an introduction! How would you describe the work that you do?
Nathanael: I started out in theater lighting and really enjoyed it. I was fascinated by the developments in research about how light affects humans, not just psychologically and kind of artistically, but also physiologically—like how it actually affects our bodies. Ultimately I decided to switch to architectural lighting so that I could help people's lives be better because of light.
That has really been a driving force for me and for luminous nw. Light is extremely powerful in how it affects humans. How can we help people take full advantage of what light can do to help their lives and their bodies holistically? I think that might be a good way to put it. Light can affect our lives positively or negatively, and I wanted to help people do that positively.
The selection and decision making process
Sami: What do you think is the first step for homeowners who are planning a design project that involves new lighting?
Nathanael: Lighting is not just about brightness but how it makes the space feel. For example, just getting a light that is bright and putting it in one of your spaces, well, it might make it bright, but it's also going to do lots of other things that may or may not affect that space positively.
I think the first thing to do is look at the fixture. Because a light fixture is not just what it looks like—it’s also how it puts out light or emits light. And that is what is going to affect your space. So the brightness is kind of a separate thing. For example, a recessed can is going to shine light down, right underneath it. A pendant is going to glow light everywhere and be suspended in a space. A sconce is going to be on a wall. The first step is to ask: Where do I want the light to go? Where do I need the light? Then make sure the light fixture is actually going to give me that light.
“Lighting is not just about brightness but how it makes the space feel.”
Sami: You touched on this a little bit, but maybe you could explain a little bit more about the different types of lighting fixtures and help our readers know how to choose one.
Nathanael: What are you doing in the space, and how do you want it to feel? That will then tell you what kind of light fixture you want. For example, if you want task lighting in the spaces where you work, like countertops, tables, and so on, a recessed can is going to put light down over that space.
Big pendants, ceiling-mounted light fixtures, and anything else that sends light out sideways is great for social spaces— living rooms, family rooms, bedrooms— the places where you're typically not doing a lot of tasks. These are the rooms where you are watching TV, you’re reading a book, and you're looking at other people. Your gaze is out, not down.
Unlike social spaces, a task space—like a bathroom, for example, has different needs. You're shaving, you're applying makeup, and you're looking at your hair. Having really good light on your face is important. And that's why, for example, sconces on either side of a mirror, as long as they're bright enough, are going to give you much better light and fewer shadows than a bar fixture or a vanity light bar. Those do okay, but they don't light as well because they're further away and they're just from above. The worst kind of lighting for there would be a recess can because that's going to put light on top of your head, make really dark shadows, and you're not going to like what that looks like in the mirror.
If you want your lighting to center a space, I recommend a pendant. Wherever you have a pendant, it says there's an important spot underneath here. So for a living room, over a dining room table, over an island, in an entryway, right as you walk in, it says, hey, strand right underneath me or come gather underneath me. You're going to feel really comfortable and relaxed, and like you're in the right spot.
Sconces are another major light fixture. They can be used as task lights in the bathroom. In other spaces, they're kind of like floor lamps or table lamps—but just attached to a wall. Sconces are going to give a little bit of ambient light to the space, but they're not going to be as bright as something that's on the ceiling.
Another light fixture people use is disc lights, also known as puck lights. They're very low profile, maybe less than an inch tall. They're very bright, small, and inexpensive. A lot of electricians and contractors love them because they're cheap, they're easy to put in, and they're bright. The problem with them is that they don't put out light like a recess can.
A recess can focuses all the light down, and that bright light is recessed up in the ceiling, so you don't really see it. With these disc lights, it's all right there for you to see, especially if you have a bunch of them. You have these really bright glowing circles on your ceiling, which are very distracting to your eye. They can be bright, but they're not putting a lot of bright light underneath them. They're kind of spreading it everywhere.
Sami: Thank you for breaking those down. I'm a renter, and I was thinking about the lighting in my bathroom. It's not the most flattering!
Nathanael: Lighting is extremely powerful, but it's almost always in subtle ways. If you have good lighting around your dining room table, you're going to want to eat there more. You're going to want to have people around you more. People are going to look better. You're going to be able to focus on your food and the people more, which means you're going to have better conversations. You're going to laugh more. There are all these really subtle things.
In a bathroom, if you look better when you look at yourself in the mirror, that's going to do something to your self-confidence that is then going to carry over into the entire rest of your day. Lighting can have a really strong positive influence on things that aren't even in your home once you've left your home.
Sami: How can homeowners prepare for their lighting consultation? What are three questions you think that someone should ask before planning for lighting or before coming to a consultation?
Nathanael: At luminous nw, we've really tried hard to make what we do very accessible. You don't really need to plan much. What is important for us is that we're able to see what the space is like. So drawing plans or photos of your space is really helpful.
The other things that are not necessary but are helpful are knowing your furniture layout and knowing where things are going to be—like your couch, your bed, your tables, and so on. Always ask, what are you going to do in this space?
And then, finally, have a sense of the tones of the materials. So we don't need to know the exact species of wood floor. We just need to know if your colors at home are light, medium, or dark. That allows us to understand what the palette or the canvas is, if you will, for the space and how the light is going to react once we put it in there.
Another thing to think about are the windows in your home. Especially here in the Pacific Northwest, where nine months out of the year, it's dark after 4:00 pm. So you need to think about your room at night and ask: what do I want it to look like and feel like? How do I use this room at night? Because that can make a really big difference sometimes.
Common challenges (and how to avoid them!)
Sami: So, moving into challenges, inconveniences, and stumbling blocks, what do you think are some of the most challenging types of lights to shop for and even to install?
Nathanael: I think people's biggest challenge is the fact that there are different types of lights, and they don't really know which one to use. There are just so many different kinds of lights to choose from. I think people get overwhelmed very easily by the options.
I usually send clients to places like Lumens.com specifically because they have filters. That is going to allow someone to really narrow down what they're looking for. So they already know that they need a flush-mounted ceiling fixture. Okay, what is the style that they're looking for?
Another tip, I really try to go with fixtures that take screw-in light bulbs. You can choose how bright you want them to be based on the light bulb. If the light bulb goes out, or if you pick the wrong one, all you have to do is change the light bulb.
Regarding installation, the one thing I would say is that if you're doing a remodel with entirely new construction, you have to put the recessed can lighting in before you do everything else. So that's a little trickier.
And I will say those disc lights that I mentioned earlier are really easy to install. That's part of the reason that people like them. But that being said, you're going to have to live in the light assumingly for quite a while. So while having ease of installation is a legitimate concern, it’s probably not the major part to be thinking about when you're selecting a fixture.
Tips and tricks
Sami: What are some tips for choosing the right light temperature?
Nathanael: Integrated LED usually comes in 3000 Kelvin (K), while an incandescent light bulb is 2700 K. And that's what most people are used to in their homes. It is warmer, cozier—I won't say more comfortable, but it's warmer, and it's more intimate.
Here in the Pacific Northwest, your lights will probably be on in the evening, and we tend to want that warmer, cozier light. Not always, but in general, it makes woods look better as well. It also gets our bodies ready for bed.
So most of the time, we recommend lights at 2700 K. The only time that we specify 3000 K is if someone really wants a light that is crisper, more energetic, and almost a little bit business-like in the energy. It's not harsh, it's not blue, but it definitely has more of an urban loft feel, if you will. It's not as cozy.
I would say go to a place where you can see what it looks like and see the difference. Because it's very much something that if you can experience it with your own eyes and see the difference, most people kind of get what they want. We're never doing anything above 3000 K unless it's for a garage or a utility space.
Sami: Is there anything else you’d like to share with homeowners that you think will help them on their journey?
Nathanael: A suggestion I have is to look at the lighting wherever you are— whether it's in your home, someone else's home, or outside in a restaurant. What are the feelings that you have? Don’t just look at the brightness. Think about those more emotional feelings. How do I feel here? And that can be good or bad.
Maybe a space doesn’t make you feel great. It might be that the lighting is the wrong color temperature. It might be that there's too much glare. It might be that it's not bright enough or too bright. I feel like stepping back and asking yourself those questions is a really helpful way to get started in this process and feels very accessible.
Rising design trends and inspiration
Sami: Can you tell us about a recent project or trend that you’re excited about?
Nathanael: There’s a big trend in clear glass shades or exposed light bulb fixtures. Unfortunately, I mostly caution against that because if you need that fixture to be bright, then that means you have to look directly at the light bulb. Those just have so much glare, so they're only really for decorative purposes.
Another trend is LED strip lighting. I usually caution against using bare LED tape lighting just because you see all the little dots, and it doesn't look very good. However, they’re great as under-cabinet lighting, and they're fantastic for putting on top of cabinets. One of the trends that we're really trying to push is putting a strip of that underneath your vanity that's on a motion sensor. So as soon as you walk into your bathroom, it pops on. It’s basically an automatic night light, and it just turns off on its own.
Schedule for success!
Sami: When is the best time of year to shop for and install new lighting?
Nathanael: What I would say is that once summer is over, a lot of homeowners realize how dark their home gets at night. A lot of spaces that are older or, unfortunately, even newer condos and apartments don't have any overhead lighting in the living room or main areas. So, I would say that Fall is a popular time to shop for lighting to prepare for the darker months.
Budgets, costs, and more, oh my!
Sami: So, breaking down the budget, what are the typical low, medium, and high budget ranges a homeowner could expect if they were installing new lights? And do you have any tips for homeowners on a budget as well?
Nathanael: Yeah, so it's a little tricky to answer just because it depends on the scope. And I think with lighting, more so than other things, there's a really big variation in scope. Sometimes people are trying to replace a lighting fixture they don’t like. Others are in the middle of a big renovation.
I think what I will say about budget is that what we suggest to our clients is to think about the light value that you're going to get from that fixture. We define light value as how often you are going to see it. How important is it to the lighting of the space and how it feels? If it's a space that you spend a lot of time in, then it has high lighting value. Find a fixture that you really like, even if it is a little bit above your budget. Those are going to be worth it over and over again because you see them all the time.
Make a priority chart you can then adjust. If it turns out you spent more for your dining room chandelier because you found one that you loved, then you can take that budget away from those lower fixtures that don't have as much lighting value.
I would also say lighting sometimes gets saved until the end. This is why I think a lot of people end up getting the disc lights. I would suggest going online and doing a search for the type of fixture you know you're going to need and look and see what prices are.
Recessed cans are probably going to cost you around $60 in total. A ceiling fixture is going to be anywhere from $40 at Home Depot or even anywhere from $100 to $300. Pendants are going to be more expensive. You can find pendants that are around $100. But for nicer pendants, you're starting to look at $100 and up to $500. And if you're wanting a nicer chandelier or a really nice pendant, you're probably looking at $1,000 or more.
If you've got a big, great room, you can't put in a 24-inch diameter pendant. You're going to have to get a 36-inch or something like that. And prices go up the larger the fixture is. Especially for decorative fixtures, make sure you're taking into account how big that fixture is going to need to be.
I want to give a big thanks to Nathanael for taking the time to share his expertise and experiences with us! Visit https://luminousnw.com/ if you’re ready to begin a conversation with a lighting expert.
