Lighting a room in three layers

A room lit from one point looks flat by day and gloomy by night. Three layers of light fix both.

The three layers

1. Ambient: the general light, from cove strips or ceiling downlights.

2. Task: focused light where work happens, such as the counter or the desk.

3. Accent: light that picks out a wall, a shelf, or a piece of art.

Pendant, cove, and wall light in a Dhanmondi dining room.

A simple plan by room

Colour temperature

Use warm white (around 3000K) in homes and neutral white (around 4000K) in offices. Mixing both in one room looks patchy.

Put every layer on its own switch. The room should change with the hour.

See lighting in finished rooms in the portfolio.