When we go to the movie theater the lights go out as the movie starts, so why is lighting so important? Even at home we tend to dim the lights or turn them off altogether, so why bother with proper lighting?

Clever lighting can enhance the overall experience in a couple of ways. Firstly it can prevent you tripping over things when you’re moving around. Secondly it can prevent eye fatigue by providing a constant light source for the eyes to use.

Lighting is classified into three modes. Task, accent and ambient. Task lighting is for when you need to perform actions, a spotlight or small direct light that enables you to change channels or perform an action. Accent lighting is more artistic, it’s often used in the form of down lighters, up lighters or spots that highlight architectural features of a room. Ambient light is diffused light that can fill up the whole room.

All three of these need to be balanced in order for a lighting scheme to work. They also need to be controllable, depending on the situation. If you watch movies in a family room then the lighting should also be able to cater for daily use. If you have a home theater room, then the lighting can be designed around that alone.

Ideally all three lighting types would be able to be individually controlled so as to maximize the effect of whatever mood you want to invoke. Dimmers are ideal for ambient light so you can tailor it to your exact need. Task and accent don’t really need dimmers are they need more careful placement to work properly.

Next consideration is the type of light to use. The most popular types are incandescent, halogen and fluorescent. LED is becoming popular but has yet to gain a significant following, but that’s just a matter of time.

Incandescent light is similar to street lights. It’s generally warm with an orange overtone and ideal for creating a cozy, comfortable space. They make good ambient lighting when combined with a dimmer. Halogen provides sharper light, and are ideal for accent lighting. They are good for lighting artwork and architectural features because the bluish hue closely mimics daylight. Fluorescent light probably isn’t anybody’s first choice of lighting, but the technology has moved on a lot in recent years. It can now be used for ambient or accent lighting as it radiates well.

Using lighting in a home theater application is more about adding to the experience rather than revolutionizing it. It can add to the overall effect, mood and feeling of a room and is well worth considering in a dedicated home theater space. If used intelligently in a family room it can serve a dual purpose by completely changing it at movie time, and lighting it well during normal use.