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Indirect and direct lighting
Combined lighting concepts for optimum room designA good lighting concept in the home consists of a balanced mix of indirect lighting and direct light. We show you how to give structure to living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens and other rooms, create a cozy atmosphere and set soft accents.
What is the difference between direct and indirect lighting?
Indirect light first hits a surface such as a wall or ceiling. From there it is reflected into the room. The advantage of indirect lighting is that it is glare-free and does not cast any shadows. Direct light creates a cone of light that is directed onto an area. This creates clear contrasts of light and shadow. However, the advantage of direct lighting is that certain areas receive more brightness. However, there is a risk of glare from the light source - for example, with a wall light in the living room where the light source is directly visible. A balanced lighting concept utilizes the advantages of both types of lighting.
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Direct lighting
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Indirect lighting
Which luminaires provide indirect lighting?
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When ceiling lamps provide indirect lighting, the light is diffused softly and glare-free into the room.
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Indirect pendant luminaires provide indirect ceiling light that is distributed around the room instead of directly illuminating the table top.
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Indirectly illuminated wall lamps shine upwards, downwards or to the sides. This provides pleasant light.
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Ceiling washlights are a prime example of indirect light. The light shines towards the ceiling and is distributed throughout the room from there.
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Cozy additional light and stylish room accessory: Indirectly lit table lamps belong in every living room.
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The head of the lamp is opaque and mirrored in the case of reflector lamps. The light is reflected back.
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LED strips highlight pieces of furniture or give suspended ceilings or skirting boards a frame of light that completely transforms a room.
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From globe lamps to illuminated drinks coolers: decorative lights generally have a pleasant indirect light that makes the object all the more interesting.
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There are indirect wall luminaires for outside, for example, but no other reflective surfaces apart from the façade. Therefore, the effect remains limited to glare-free.
Is there a luminaire that provides both indirect and direct light?
The ceiling washlight with additional reading light is a prime example of the combination of indirect ceiling lighting and direct light. While the floodlight at the head of the floor lamp shines towards the ceiling and the light from there is distributed indirectly in the room, the reading arm is aimed at books and the like, providing additional brightness for reading.
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Ceiling washlight with indirect and direct light component.
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Indirect ceiling light for soft, glare-free room lighting.
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Direct light for additional brightness, for example when reading.
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Indirect light for the living room
In addition to indirect ceiling lamps, LED strips are used to create indirect light in the living room. A suspended ceiling with LED strips gives the living room a modern touch. They can also be stuck behind skirting boards or pieces of furniture to create a soft ring of light in various colors. In particular, smart LED strips with RGB function, changeable light color (adjustment of different white tones, see Kelvin) and dimmable brightness offer a wide range of modern applications. Indirectly lit floor lamps are recommended as a complement.
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Indirect light in the bedroom
In the bedroom, LED strips on the edge of the bed provide discreet orientation light that does not disturb sleep. LED strips are also used to illuminate the closet, which otherwise receives very little light. An indirect ceiling light provides soft light in the bedroom, which does not cause glare even when you are lying in bed. A modern idea ffor indirect lighting in the bedroom is an indirect wall light next to the bed, which provides additional reading light.
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Indirect lighting in the kitchen
In the kitchen, indirectly illuminated Stripes provide modern accents and, if required, sufficient task lighting - models with a higher brightness are ideal for this. For orientation and a soft lighting ambience, indirect wall lights are the perfect complement to the central pendant light, which focuses on the dining table with its direct beam of light. If you want to design sideboards & co. with indirect light, you will find a wide selection of table lamps with glare-free, stylish light.
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Ideas for indirect light in the bathroom
Soft, glare-free light is particularly important for relaxing in the bathroom when taking a bath, for example. This is why bathroom ceiling lights never shine directly, but are glare-free with a diffuser. Wall lights with indirect light can also contribute to a greater sense of well-being in the bathroom. It is important to consider the correct IP protection class in all of this.
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Tips for indirect light in the hallway
LED strips ensure safety in corridors and on stairs. Highlighting individual steps with LED strips provides optimum visibility and orientation. They are also a real highlight in terms of staging! LED skirting boards are ideal for hallways in particular, as they discreetly illuminate the room and provide orientation at the same time. Passive lighting in the form of indirect distribution wall luminaires offers the advantage that no glare occurs - an essential criterion for corridor and staircase lighting.
Using direct light correctly
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Individual spotlights and spotlights illuminate the bedside table or chest of drawers, for example. The light is aimed directly at the area that matters. Objects can also be staged in this way, e.g. a figure.
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Multi-flame ceiling spotlights are used to provide comprehensive ambient lighting in the room. It is important to align the spots correctly in order to achieve uniform illumination.
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The reading light on the arm of a ceiling washlight is also a direct light source that is used to illuminate a specific area - in this case the book or newspaper.
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The cone of light from pendant luminaires surrounds the dining table and the adjacent chairs. This creates a cozy ambience and gently blocks out the surroundings.
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Office free-standing luminaires often have a direct light component that illuminates the desk and an indirect light component that shines towards the ceiling and provides soft room lighting.
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They are the perfect example of area lighting with direct light: desk lamps. They illuminate documents and books and thus reduce eye strain.
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Path lighting is a classic application for direct light in outdoor areas. The light beams of the path lights interlock and ensure a well-lit path.
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Permanently installed floor spotlights are ideal for staging the façade. A rough façade appears smooth when illuminated from the front. A flat angle, on the other hand, emphasizes the structure of a stone or wooden façade, for example.
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Flexible ground spike spotlights are ideal for the garden and its changing vegetation. They set the scene for flowerbeds and shrubs by illuminating them from below. This creates interesting light and shadow effects.
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Large outdoor areas are illuminated with outdoor wall spotlights with motion detectors. They provide optimum light for driving or walking on and, thanks to the sensor, are only in operation when they are needed.
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The work surfaces under kitchen cabinets are an example of an area that is often too dark and needs an additional light source. One solution is furniture lights.
To prevent glare when shaving, applying make-up, brushing your teeth or washing your face, mirror lights have a diffuser that reduces glare from the light source.
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Kai Krzyzelewski _Editor and lighting expert at {{STORENAME}}
Expert tip: When is which type of light suitable?
"Interior design is all about the ideal combination of direct and indirect light.
We use indirect lighting to create a cozy and relaxed atmosphere. The use of direct light is about more than just creating structure: certain areas need additional light so that we can carry out exactly the activities we want there. After all, what would a cozy reading chair be without the direct light of a table lamp or ceiling floodlight/reading light combination?
If you know quite well what you want to do in your living spaces, you have created a good basis for starting to plan direct and indirect light."
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