Multigenerational homes
Study space Lighting Design for Multigenerational homes
Place light where people work or read faces. Layer task light over ambient light and test glare from occupied positions.
Explore the ideas
Plan in this order
- Mark tasks, viewing angles and screen locations on the furniture plan before placing fittings.
- Separate regularly used tasks from the room's general lighting so each can be controlled independently.
- Test the proposed fitting and finish sample together. Glossy finishes can reflect a bright source directly into view.
Worked example
Imagine a learner whose desk faces a window, causing screen glare in the afternoon and shadows across handwriting in the evening.
Reorient the work surface to receive daylight from the side and place task light opposite the writing hand. Check both paper and screen from the learner's normal seat, adding a controllable blind if needed.
How to test it
Check the space in daylight and after dark. Stand and sit where people actually use it, and check controls from the entry.
Apply it to this space
- Layout
- Provide separate work surfaces or staggered orientations to limit distraction and screen visibility.
- Detail
- Use adjustable task lights, closed supply storage and durable writable surfaces.
- Trade-off
- A shared study encourages help but can make focused work harder.
- Test homework and reading at once
- Check power, chair fit and lighting
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