Design Guide.

Start with intent, not fixtures

Every scheme begins with a written narrative: what should the space feel like when you walk into it at night? Only after that narrative is agreed does any fixture appear in the drawing.

Design in three layers

Ambient, accent, decorative. Every room needs all three. Establish base illuminance, sculpt the objects that matter, punctuate with visible fixtures — in that order.

• ·Ambient — 50–150 lx base, low glare, often indirect
• ·Accent — 3–5× ambient on features, warm high-CRI
• ·Decorative — visible fixture, atmospheric object

Match the technique to the surface

Smooth walls want washing. Textured walls want grazing. Objects want narrow accent. Rooms want wide ambient. Choosing the wrong technique produces the wrong result no matter how expensive the fixture.

Standardise colour temperature

One colour temperature per visual field. 2700 K is the default for warm residential and hospitality; 3000 K for galleries and mixed material palettes; 4000 K only for commercial or task spaces.

Never compromise on CRI

CRI ≥ 90 with R9 ≥ 80 is the minimum for any space where people, food, art or fine materials are seen. Low-CRI sources cannot be corrected later.

Aim, then dim

Correct aiming is worth ten specification revisions. Every adjustable fixture should be aimed on site by the designer or a trained contractor before the scene is committed to control.

Mock up on site

Every façade, feature wall or gallery scheme should be mocked up 1:1 before the fixture schedule is signed off. Renderings and calculations are directional; the room is the truth.