Did you ever realize how big of a role home interior lighting plays in affecting our moods? According to various reliable researches, the expanse of lighting affects the regulation of emotions through our nervous and endocrine systems. Hence, when choosing lighting for your spaces, you need to consider how its positioning, placement and colour will affect you in the longer run. Whether you choose a valance or a pendant, there will always be a fixture required to the lighting, which we’ll discuss today. Here are a few types of architectural lighting fixtures that are incorporated in homes as well as in commercial venues:

The Architectural Lighting
The three most popular types of architectural lighting include cove, soffit and valance. All these different types are widely integrated into the spaces and each has a function of its own and brings a different appeal to their surroundings.

1) Cove Lighting:
The cove lighting is fitted either in the ledge, shelf or high up on the wall. In cove lighting, the light is bounded towards the ceiling to create a mesmerizing ambiance. If we take a look at the latest home construction in Lahore, we’ll find plenty of homes with cove lighting, especially in the drawing rooms, guest rooms and living rooms. This form of diffused light is useful if you want to keep a low-intense focus in a hall or within a room. If used with LEDs/SMDs, it is also becomes cost-efficient. You may add variety and character to your rooms by switching to warm lights or even coloured lights such as a red, blue and green. Low-powered cove lighting is ideal for night light when minimal visibility is required.
Cove Lighting
2) Soffit Lighting:
The soffit lighting is fitted either in soffit or near the ceiling. Unlike cove lighting, the soffit lighting has the light facing downward; washing the wall with light. This helps in highlighting texture and wall murals, if any. In fact, many interior decorators suggest installing wall murals or creating featured walls with textured wallpapers to make the best use of soffit lighting. In addition to these, you may also make if a focus wall by showcasing your best artwork to keep your guests awestruck. Many modern house designs in Pakistan feature a collection of best ethnic handicrafts on focus walls, especially areas where guests are entertained.
Soffit Lighting
3) Valance Lighting:
As the name suggests, this kind of lighting is fixed with a valance made out of wood, metal or glass. Valance is a horizontal shield mounted high on the wall or above a window. In this fixture, the light bounces upwards as well as downwards. Valance lighting is quite popular in homes across Pakistan’s urban cities. Most commonly, it is used in areas of interest as well as to highlight the exteriors. Valance lighting is preferred for commercial areas more than residential ones. Because of light being diffused in valance lighting, it is perfect for emphasizing a certain portion within or without the room. The valance itself may sometimes be used to create a signage which plays with contrast of light and shadows.
Valance Lighting
All the architectural lighting techniques discussed above include bouncing the light off walls and ceilings. We also call it the indirect lighting technique. Since it minimizes shadows and glare resulting in a comfortable ambience, this technique is practiced by a majority of interior decorators in Pakistan and around the globe. Apart from the architectural lighting fixtures discussed above, there are a few other types which are also used frequently for lighting up homes as well as commercial settings. These include recessed lighting, track lighting, under-cabinet lighting, pendants, and chandeliers, ceiling lighting, wall sconces and focused lighting.
Stay tuned to Amer Adnan Associates as we’ll soon be covering all these other types of lighting fixtures in detail.