TIPS FOR BETTER LIGHTING:
Part Four – Living Rooms:
Better lighting can be the key to seeing well. For ageing eyes, or for people with
sight loss, small changes to lighting can make a big difference to people’s vision. In
our Good Practice Guide*, Thomas Pocklington Trust shows how professionals
working with older people can improve lives with lighting. Here are some top tips for
Living Rooms.
In the living room lampshades and blinds, multiple light sources and portable lighting
are the keys to good lighting. As in other rooms, lighting should be:
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EVEN: So eyes aren’t constantly having to readjust.
FLEXIBLE: So that lights can be repositioned and varied in intensity,
perhaps with dimmer switches.
FREE OF GLARE: Glare is a particular problem for people with ageing
eyes and sight loss. Cataracts, for example, scatter light in the eye so
even indirect glare, created by light bouncing off bright patches on walls or
ceilings, can make seeing more difficult. Lampshades are essential. They
should prevent a direct view of the light source and spread light evenly
over a wider area.
In living rooms, where we spend many hours relaxing, doing hobbies, watching TV or
chatting to friends and family, it’s important to have a mix of lighting - general lighting
across the room and specific lights to focus on chosen tasks.
General Lighting:
Ceiling lights are most popular but may not be enough to light the entire room.
Consider extra lighting from wall lights or lights fitted over pictures. Illuminate dark
corners with freestanding uplighters. Lighting from multiple sources is usually more
effective than from a single point.
Daylight might be good in a living room, so place the furniture to make the most of it.
An armchair with its back to the window allows natural light to fall over a person’s
shoulder onto a book, for example. However, direct sunlight can create harsh
shadows and glare so this should be controlled with adjustable horizontal or vertical
window blinds.
Additional task lights are essential:
There are different forms of task lighting to suit all kinds of eye conditions and
preferences. Wall, ceiling, cupboard or under-unit lighting can all be positioned to
target light on an activity. A freestanding lamp can be placed next to an armchair
and adjustable table lamps or desk lamps are useful for directing light onto the task
in hand. Again, all of these should be shaded to avoid glare.
Portable lights are perhaps the most flexible. Lamps can run on mains or battery
power and are easy to adjust. They can be tried out with minimum disruption and
are often cheaper than fixed lighting.
Also consider lighting controls. On/off switches and dimmer switches should be easy
to use and as conspicuous as possible. Brightly coloured or textured cover plates
make them more visible.
In the next newsletter: Lighting for Bedrooms.
*Good Practice Guide no. 5 - A practical guide to improving lighting in existing homes is
available from www.pocklington-trust.org.uk
Thomas Pocklington Trust provides housing and support to people with sight loss and funds
research and development into sight loss issues.
Reproducing this document