Ten years ago I traveled to Haiti. The day began in the airport in Norfolk, Virginia around 4:00 a.m. By 5:00 p.m. I landed in Port-au-Prince. By 6:00 I had my bags and was making my way through customs. By 7:00 I boarded a bus as the sun began to set and slowly began to make my way to the other side of the island to Les Cayes. By 8:00 I found myself in complete darkness. I traveled through towns and villages of thousands and did not realize it. A trip that distance-wise should have taken several hours took 7 due to the limited visibility and road conditions. The absence of light began to unnerve me. I never realized how addicted to light I was. Upon my arrival in Les Cayes, I was met with more darkness. I was not prepared for the despair caused by the lack of light. Even Motel 6 leaves the light on for you! I had traveled for close to 24 hours and there was no beacon to welcome me. My 2 weeks spent in Haiti were filled with wonderful people, unrivaled experiences, beautiful scenery, wonderful food, more than generous hospitality (which was rather humbling), mosquitoes, 100% deet, and very dark nights.
I share this story because my experience in Haiti forever changed my perspective on light.
Ecclesiastes 11:7 says, "Light is sweet, and it is pleasant for the eyes to see the sun."
Light is sweet. Our bodies embrace it. Bringing light into a room is so much more than making sure a lamp is next to your favorite chair for the purpose of reading. Light not only illuminates (i.e. reveals color) in a room, it sets the mood. When designing a room for light, I tend to be a purist. Haiti gave me such an appreciation for natural light. Thomas Jefferson (who architecturally I hold as quite brilliant), at Monticello, maximizes the function of natural light by strategically orienting rooms and windows based on activities to take place in each given room. Now you may not be able to re-orient your space but I do believe that you can add or maximize the natural light the room receives and only add artificial light as a continuation where the natural light ends.
Natural lighting techniques would include: windows; skylights; glass partition walls; doors; fire (I think a real one is always best) and candles.
Artificial light would include: chandeliers; lamps; spots (especially on fabulous art or something else you love that you would want to dramatically highlight to make a statement); recess lights and sconces.
With artificial light it is necessary to use dimmers whenever possible so that the mood of the room can be easily adjusted for different tasks.
And finally, as Haiti taught me, don't forget that light is also a beacon. Design and use your outside lighting (every time) to welcome friends and family into the beautiful home you are creating. As always, I am here to assist you with any design needs you may have.
Elizabeth Kennis, LEED AP
Designer
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