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FROM THE LOFT by Warren Wolf

Rustic Lighting

Light is possibly the most critical of all the design elements. It seems like almost every week we hear about another scientific study that underscores the effect light has on our lives. We can expect to run into an assortment of challenges when lighting the rustic environment.

To begin with, natural light may be diminished by the shadow cast by a nearby mountain or trees. Sometimes the natural light may be further decreased due to the projection of the eaves or a covered porch and our retreat may have fewer and smaller windows in the interest of saving fuel during the winter.

"...a rustic home is unique, and this means that the solution to having adequate lighting is also unique,..."

Once we step inside, many of the surfaces found in a rustic home or cabin are poor light reflectors. Log walls and wooden paneling and floors absorb a tremendous amount of light. A high cathedral ceiling can cause surface mounted fixtures to appear ineffective or produce glares. To sum it up, a rustic home is unique, and this means that the solution to having adequate lighting is also unique, so be prepared to experiment a little.

To get more natural light into the home consider using skylights and dormers. Some architectural styles might suggest the use of clerestory
"Bright lighting will appear harsh and will often fragment architectural space."		windows. You can, however, reflect more sunlight into the home by the use of high-reflectance materials on the ground adjacent to the windows. Now let’s consider our options for using artificial lighting. Since the typical rustic home often has less natural light, we want to avoid fixtures with high levels of
brightness. Bright lighting will appear harsh and will often fragment architectural space.

A high or cathedral ceiling gives us an opportunity to use soft, indirect lighting. This lighting is created when a hidden light source throws light onto the ceiling and the ceiling reflects some of the light back into the room. A high ceiling is also an occasions to use a rustic chandelier to illuminate an entry, main room, or dining area.


A sconce is a wall-mounted fixture that reflects light onto the wall. Use the sconce fixture when you want to illuminate the wall or something hung on the wall. Sconces can produce a dramatic lighting effect when used to illuminate a hallway or indoor balcony.

The fun thing about rustic lighting is almost anything can become a lamp. Think about turning those collectibles you’ve been acquiring into functional decorations. Keep in mind that your objective is to provide adequate light where you need it most without creating "hot" spots or glare. If you’re building a new retreat, you might want to set aside part of your construction budget for hiring a qualified lighting consultant. Recently there have been significant breakthroughs in lamping technology and hiring a lighting expert that can explain the features and benefits of this new technology could mean real energy savings down the road.

Warren Wolf grew up in Oklahoma and graduated from OSU with an interior design degree. He's had a long career in the commercial furniture industry (design, marketing, and manufacturing). In 1990 he began focusing his attention on supplying hospitality clients (resorts, lodges, restaurants) with rustic furnishings. He and his wife own KABIN FEVER, a rustic furniture and lighting business in Fort Worth, TX. Warren is the creator of the "From The Loft"column and a regular contributor to Log Homes NetZine® [LHNZ]

          


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