The source of warmth and life, security and comfort, lighting is fundamentally important to us emotionally as well as in terms of physical convenience. Supplies of both daylight and artificial light dictate when we wake and sleep, and can affect our moods and our behavior.
Lighting in the Light
In the past, glassmaking was highly expensive and large windows could only be enjoyed by the wealthy, but the twentieth-century invention of plate glass has made the luxury of interiors flooded with daylight widely available. Today we are far more conscious of the benefits of natural light than our predecessors, and opening up interiors with extra windows is a significant design aspect in building conversions. The advent of the well-designed , non-leak skylight has meant that countless windowless attics have been pressed into good use.
The oriental science of feng shui lays great emphasis on the aspect of a building – with good reason, since the direction a building faces decrees the amount and quality of daylight it receives. Rooms that benefit especially from natural light are the kitchen and the study or home office, wehre daytime activity is pivotal. Desks and work surfaces should be situated by windows, to let in light while avoiding self-cast shadows and glare caused by reflections.
Reflecting the Light
Mirrors create their own virtual reality, giving the illusion of added dimensions. They also enhance daylight coming in through windows by reflecting the light back. This double illusion of increased light and space, together with the decorative effect of a find frame, makes them a valuable and graceful addition to many interiors.
According to exponents of feng shui, mirrors are powerful because they draw energy towards them, thus helping to capture, intensify, or deflect forces of positive or negative energy. This is perhaps only another way of expressing the fact that a mirror hung at the end of a dark hall seems to open and brighten it; the effect is even stronger if you install a light over the glass. A mirror placed opposite the windows of a small room makes the room seem bigger.
When choosing a mirror make sure the surface gives you an undistorted image before you buy. In the past, when large sheets of mirror glass were hugely expensive, smaller ones were hugh in groups to add to the effect of light and space, and this can still look good today. When candles or small lamps are placed in front of a mirror the light is redoubled.
Mirrors grouped together not only gives a good design element but also gives the illusion of a huge mirror.
