When it comes to event lighting, a lot of attention is placed on lighting the main areas, including the reception and the stage area. And while this is essential for capturing attention and creating the right atmosphere, the general ambient light should not be forgotten. From supporting your design theme and colour scheme, to providing comfortable amounts of lighting, ambient event lighting is equally as important. However, creating the right ambient event lighting for optimum eye comfort can be more difficult than you might think. And this is just one of the reasons why you should work with a professional event lighting design expert, like us here at Light Design Ltd. As leading event lighting professionals, we have produced this guide to everything you should know about eye comfort and ambient lighting.
What is ambient lighting?
First of all, what exactly does ambient light refer to? Well, this is typically known as the base amount of light in a room. In a home, this is provided by the ceiling lights, and any lamps. But for an event, this ambient lighting can be more than that. This could include colour wash lighting, used to transform the colour and ambience of a room, or uplighting positioned along hallways or corridors.
Lighting and eye comfort
The right type of lighting will not cause the eye any distress or problems. But when you have too little light in a space, or too much, you risk causing eye damage and strain to the people using the room. So how much is too much?
Ambient event lighting for optimum eye comfort
To make sure you get the right level of lighting for your venue, you should consider:
- The activities in the room- reading and paperwork are two types of activity that rely heavily on stronger lighting, while relaxing and dining will be better suited to lower levels of light. Choose your lighting level by the activity expected of your guests.
- Avoiding high levels of contrast- if you have a well lit, bright stage area, you can create contrast by using lower light levels in other areas. However, you should be careful to ensure that the rest of the space is not too dark in comparison, as this high level of contrast can be visually uncomfortable.
- Using the right lighting colour- different lighting colours can also be easier on the eye than others, especially when used as low intensity ambient lighting. For example, deep pinks and dark blues can be a better option that bright red or sky blue. Of course the lighting colour will depend on the theme and the design scheme, but choose a darker, richer, colour tone for effective ambient lighting.
Ambient event lighting ideas
For many events, ambient event lighting can include:
- architectural uplighting- this is a type of uplihghting directed towards visual features and architectural features at the top of the room, or the ceiling.
- Ceiling projections- using gobo projection to illuminate a pattern on the ceiling can be a stunning addition to any event.
- Colour wash lighting- illuminating a whole wall, or wall segment with a colour can be very effective. Just choose a deep, rich tone for the best possible results.
For more information or advice about ambient event lighting, get in touch with the team today, here at Light Design.