GENERAL LIGHTING: General lighting (ambient lighting) for social gatherings - conversation, watching television, listening to music - needs to be only 5-10 foot candles. Where you perform other visual tasks such as reading or hobbies, the ambient level should be at least 20-foot candles to balance the additional task lighting. Also remember to provide electric lighting to balance the interiors of deep, day lighted spaces.

RECESSED DOWN LIGHTING: Down lights place the most brightness on furniture and floor surfaces. Three-dimensional forms stand out; the lighting blends into the ceiling. Space down lights 4' to 6' apart for even illumination. Arrange the pattern so it relates to doorways and windows. You do not have to keep down lights in a single grid pattern. They can be clustered over conversation areas and spread out in between.

In low ceilings, use A lamps (or compact fluorescent where dimming is not a high priority). In high or sloped ceilings, use reflectorized lamps. If you cannot recess, mount track lights to beams. Today's track lighting is very adaptable, and when used right can be very aesthetically appealing.

WALL LIGHTING: Bright walls enhance the sense of spaciousness. You wash or graze the walls, light artwork, or build in fluorescent lights behind fascias and valances against the wall. For the most even wash, use track mounted or recessed wall washers installed 2' - 3' apart, and an equal distance from the wall.

UP LIGHTING: Up lighting makes the ceiling the brightest surface in the space and enhances the sense of volume. You need a high ceiling with a light finish for uplighting. Use wall brackets, torchieres, or indirect pendants for a decorative treatment. Mount fluorescent strips over cabinets or on beams (at least 18" below the ceiling) for built in lighting effects.

Perfectly even up lighting is very difficult to achieve. To avoid the most obvious hot spots on the ceiling, use fixtures with a broad distribution and space them around the room. Four 10 foot candles of indirect lighting, provide 1.5 - 2.5 W/SF of incandescent (generally halogen). Note that torchieres are more efficient than wall brackets and so require less wattage. With fluorescent, 1.15 - 1.5 W/SF will produce 20 footcandles.

PORTABLES: Portable lamps with diffusing shades provide a warm and friendly ambience. Their light fills in people's faces contributing to a comfortable and social environment. Portables can double as task light for reading and create intimate pools of brightness. And, of course, they are very flexible.