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Good lighting is that which isn't noticed. It's difficult to provide an overall response in respect of particular products, because there are so many of them, and yet at
the same time, there are so many of them just won't work for you. For example, it's generally not recommended to use any products where the light sources are visible, like a number of little dichroic
spot lights where the bulbs haven't been occluded. The same thing applies to cable lighting, which works well only in specific circumstances. So there's no universal response to the question. You
only need to open your eyes and it's clear enough to see if the product blinds your eyes or not. So it's important not to rely just on design, but to consider the usage as well.
What are the technical innovations provided by lighting designers for household usage?
Fibre optics offer a profound technical advance in the art of lighting. As decorative materials, for
example, they offer a lot more flexibility than neon. With fibre optics, anyone can write what they wish in the colour of their choice. So far there aren't a lot of fibre optic options for the
private individual, as it is still a costly product to manufacture, but so many marvellous creations can be made, like a fibre optic lighting curtain for example; you don't see the light source, and
you don't see the generator. If you're looking to make decorative lighting items that are a little High tech, fibre optics offer the ideal medium.
There are two kinds of fibre optics. There
are conductive optical fibres, which are used to provide light at the end of the fibre. These make it possible to light locations where it's not possible to install a lamp, like illuminating small
display cases in a museum, or for illuminating small objects, sometimes even outside. The second type of fibre optic has the fibre treated so that the light is interrupted along the fibre path,
making the fibre glow along its entire length. This is the kind of fibre used for signs, writing, drawings and similar decorations.
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The lighting designer is a specialist business, which after having revolutionised public street lighting, is today now starting to take a stronger interest in lighting in
the work place, bringing new ideas and recently hard-won experience to the field. It works much like the other design professions: meetings, project outlines, design, quote, implementation and follow
up on the works accomplished.
Lighting design for businesses and stores is an enormous growth market, one already well developed in German and the United States in particular. In fact, the
commercial impact of lighting (correct or deliberately skewed colour rendition, highlighting products, etc.) is starting to become better understood as a science. And that's without even considering
the regulatory aspects which can not be overlooked (lighting safety). Up until recently, lighting in these areas has been treated more or less lightly or haphazardly by decorators, planners and
interior designers.
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