Lighting Design Basics for Indian Homes

Three layers, not one bulb

• Ambient — general light: cove, downlights, or a well-shaded ceiling fixture.
• Task — where you do things: kitchen counter, reading, mirror, study.
• Accent — art, texture, plants, niches. This is what makes a room feel designed.

A room with only ambient light looks flat. A room with only accent light is unusable. You need all three, on separate switches.

Colour temperature by room

• Living, dining, bedrooms: 2700–3000K warm white.
• Kitchen, utility, study: 3500–4000K neutral.
• Bathrooms: 3000K ambient, 4000K at the mirror.

Keep temperature consistent within a room. Mixed colour is the most common and most visible mistake.

Numbers worth knowing

Aim for roughly 100–150 lux ambient in living areas, 300–500 lux on a kitchen counter or desk. Choose fixtures with CRI above 80 (above 90 where you dress or cook). Prefer dimmable drivers in living rooms and bedrooms.

Plan the circuits before plaster

1. Separate switches for each layer in every room.
2. Two-way switching at the bedroom door and bedside.
3. A dimmer on the living room ambient circuit.
4. Power above the window for motorised curtains, and under-cabinet supply in the kitchen.
5. One light per room on the inverter or UPS circuit.

Outdoor and safety

Warm, low-glare fixtures at the entry and balcony, a step light on any level change, and a night-level circuit for corridors.

Want a lighting plan?

Our interiors team issues a lighting layout with fixture schedule and circuit diagram alongside the electrical drawing.