david k warfel
The Simple Gift of Light #7 The key benefits of light- gentle mornings, energetic days, relaxing evenings, and restful nights- come only when we consume the right light at the right time. But what makes some lighting good and other lighting bad? There are seemingly endless technical considerations that quickly get overwhelming and, honestly, few... Continue Reading →
Giving the Simple Gift of Light #8 Lighting design is at once quite simple and quite challenging, and the concept of viewing angle is a perfect example of this paradox. Simply put, light travels in a straight line and so does our vision, which makes predicting glare and comfort easy. Easy, that is, so long... Continue Reading →
One of the perennially difficult aspects of the role of lighting designer is the struggle over budget allocation. Lighting is most often viewed as a utility or commodity, something to be installed as cheaply as possible, but that too often robs the homeowners of comfort, relaxation, energy, and more. So how do we help homeowners... Continue Reading →
Giving the Simple Gift of Light #7 Here’s a tough truth of lighting design: most rooms will be better served with more lights than you might think. If you are sitting in your living room, look around. Count how many light fixtures (or ceiling fan lights) you have in your room. If it is less... Continue Reading →
The awesome team at Fine Homebuilding has done it again! This month's issue features an article I authored focused on landscape lighting essentials, and especially fixture recommendations. Each time I write for FHB I am impressed with the quality of their editorial team. From layout to shaping the story, they patiently guide me through the... Continue Reading →
The Simple Gift of Light #6 Light is an incredible gift, a powerful tool and beautiful natural phenomenon we can both use and enjoy. As I lighting design professional, I spend most of my working hours figuring out how to help people enjoy the benefits of light but seldom invest much energy (no pun intended)... Continue Reading →
Giving the Simple Gift of Light #6 Welcome to the capital city of relaxation, also known as your Living Room. In my own home, the living room is notable as the location of The Couch. Yes, I capitalized it and no, I do not really refer to our couch that way. In fact, it is... Continue Reading →
Think Light Series A few weeks ago, I had the privilege to attend a presentation by Prem Kumar at the IES Maritime Annual Conference on Prince Edward Island. As is the case with good presentations on lighting, Prem got me thinking. If you have lighting on the outside of your home (or business), you are... Continue Reading →
Giving the Simple Gift of Light #5 “Yes, but…” Back when I was a teenager, my dad regularly teased me by saying, before I could, “yes, but....” Apparently, I had developed quite the habit of contradicting him, so he went on the offensive. Of course, as a fifteen-year-old, I did have all the answers to... Continue Reading →
The Simple Gift of Light #4 You can skip reading this post if the stress of the workday falls off your shoulders and you find relaxation easily when you return home. This post is for the rest of us. Perhaps you work at home or away and juggle responsibilities or push your body physically all... Continue Reading →
the language of light 