Color and Light in Interior Design
Understanding how light and color coexist in the architecture and interior realm is essential to creating successful designs that fit the needs of their users. They are some of the building blocks of design and have their own positions within the design elements. Knowing the importance of these elements on their own is quite important, however I would like to discuss how they work together and how lighting specifically can drastically alter how certain colors look.
Natural vs Artificial
Have you ever noticed that an object could look as if it has a different color when it's under a lamp verse sitting next to a window? This is because natural light is fundamentally different than artificial light. Natural light is a full spectrum that contains all of the colors of the rainbow, including colors we can't even see like infra-red and ultraviolet. Unlike natural light, artificial light is not a full spectrum and can even vary depending on what kind of light is being used; fluorescent, LED, incandescent. (Konrad, 2017).
Shown below are two images of the same sketch under natural verses artificial light. You can see how the vibrancy of the colors are much stronger under the natural light verses the artificial light. When rendering sketches, it is important to have the correct lighting for the client to see the actual vision you have for them.
Differences in Natural Lighting
When discussing natural lighting, it is important to understand that this kind of lighting is dynamic and can change from season to season, day to day, and even hour to hour. A building in Japan will even look different than a building in Italy even if it is the same time of day. "The same building will look quite different in color on a sunny day and on a dull one. Its aspect will vary when seen against a blue summer sky as compared with a dark sky of winter" (Faulkner, 1972). It is important to understand how colors will look depending on these factors and how to adjust artificial lighting around them to maintain the desired look.
Shown below are two images of Baltimore at night verses during the day. You can see how different the buildings look and how the hues have different shades and tints depending on the time of day.
Baltimore, Maryland Day vs Night (Saniem, 2009)
Differences in Artificial Lighting
One benefit of artificial lighting is that there is a large variety of difference colors you can purchase to change how a space looks. For example, if a space is colored with red lights, it would feel intimate and intense while a blue or green light may invoke productivity and joy. The colors produced from the lights themselves will alter how the colors of the space look. It's like a double whammy of color!
Shown below are two images of the same room under a harsh overhead light verses red and purples low lights. You can see how the overhead light is likely used for more work-oriented activities due to its brightness while the darker low light is used to relax and rejuvenate after a long day.
Bedroom Lighting photo by Warner
Why is this important?
Knowing how different light will affect how a color appears is crucial in design. It can change the entire outcome of a project and influence how a space is perceived and will be used. Color and lighting are powerful design elements and should exist in harmony to produce beautiful and functional designs. In your next design project, consider what would happen if you added an extra window or switched out a lightbulb. What would happen?
Citations
Faulkner, W. (1972). Architecture and color. Wiley-Interscience.
Konrad. (2017, September 22). Natural light is fundamentally different than artificial light. Sunlight Inside. https://www.sunlightinside.com/light-and-health/natural-light-is-fundamentally-different-than-artificial-light/
Saniem. (2009, November 22). Day vs. Night. Deviant Art. https://www.deviantart.com/saniem/art/Day-vs-Night-144476994
I appreciate how you focused on the difference between natural and artificial light. It is vital in designs to account for the way materials will react with light and colors, and I think you've exhibited your knowledge of that well.
ReplyDeleteYour visuals are really helpful for this blog post! I really like how you tied your discussion into your rendering processes and how lighting can impact how designers work. I feel as though this is especially true for deciding which materials will be going into a space, as a designer must consider what lighting may look like for the finished concept.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed your thoughts on the differences in the lighting. I also loved the samples that you gave, it really makes you see just how much lighting can matter in your designs.
ReplyDeleteI love that you included how different things can look under natural vs artificial lighting. It just shows how different our sketches can look from the real thing after created under natural lighting.
ReplyDelete