Rental homes

Entry Lighting Design for Rental homes

Place light where people work or read faces. Layer task light over ambient light and test glare from occupied positions.

Explore the ideas
Living room seating group with a clear approach from the front of the room
Arrival inspiration: keep the first route into the room open.

Plan in this order

  1. Mark tasks, viewing angles and screen locations on the furniture plan before placing fittings.
  2. Separate regularly used tasks from the room's general lighting so each can be controlled independently.
  3. Test the proposed fitting and finish sample together. Glossy finishes can reflect a bright source directly into view.
Worked example

An entry mirror faces a bright exterior opening, making faces difficult to see after sunset.

Add diffuse vertical light at both sides of the mirror and a separate low-glare ceiling source. Check reflections from the doorway and from the position where shoes are changed.

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
Use a freestanding bench or narrow console outside the door swing.
Detail
Add a washable runner and portable hooks or a coat stand.
Trade-off
Freestanding pieces are reversible but use more floor area than wall-mounted storage.
  • Check building rules for corridor items
  • Test the door and circulation with storage in place
Entry corridor leading toward a dining area beside a glass-front cabinet
Entry inspiration: a clear approach and shallow landing storage.

The Elixir portfolio

Details worth a closer look

Photographs for design inspiration
Wood display partition between an entry-side passage and living room
Entry inspiration: a permeable divider that softens direct sightlines.
Living area with a glass partition beside a television wall
Entry inspiration: glazed separation that preserves borrowed light.

Related design guides

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