THF ILLUMINATION OF ROOMS. 117 



suitable for halls, drawing-rooms, etc. For concentrating purposes a small shade or reflector of six inches 

 diameter, placed on a ceiling ten feet high, will, with a sixteen-candle-powcr lamp, throw downwards about 

 fifty candle-power; another design can be had to throw most of the light at an angle of, say, thirty 

 degrees ; another to give a combined reflecting and diffusing effect. Such shades or globes can be hung 

 on existing electroliers or brackets, and will often enable one to consume much less current. Where 

 concentration is more important than diffusion, the reflecting shades can still be surrounded by silk 

 hangings, so long as these are fairly translucent. For those, however, who wish to obtain effective 

 illumination by other means there are two methods open. The first is to employ fittings to suit the 

 furniture and decorations, using plenty of them, and avoiding naked lights by obscuring ; the second i&amp;gt; 

 to illuminate by means of concealed lamps, i.e., by indirect lighting only. Both these systems tend to 

 use more current than any where the lighting is direct and reflected ; but they may be made effective 

 as well as aesthetic where expense is not the first consideration. Assume that a Louis XVI. room is 

 to be lighted by means of brackets or electroliers of the same style. It is a ,s//h c/iui n/ni that the candle 

 lamps must be shaded, as otherwise the result will be painful to the eyes, because electric candles give 

 much more light than wax candles. Simple, small conical shades should be used, or small screens. There 

 must be plenty of lamps, and these should not be too high. The result should be a mellow, diffused light 

 with no obtrusive shadows or dark places. Where antique fittings are already available, these may easily 

 be converted for electric lighting by the addition of electric candles. An oak room affords another example. 

 The fittings lor such a situation should be of wrought iron or armour bright metal. &amp;lt; &amp;gt;ne form of fitting 

 is the lantern, which may be either attached to brackets on the walls or suspended by chains from the 

 ceiling. Naturally, the colour or finish of the glass panes is an important factor in the determination 

 of the number of lanterns required ; but if the bottom of the fitting be left open and a suitable invisible 

 reflector be titled in the top behind the lamp, the number need not be unduly increased, (ieorgian rooms 

 are difficult to light satisfactorily with due regard to their style. The lustre fitting may be a charming 

 thing if designed in the proper way for electric lamps, i.e., concealed within the lustres. A particularly 

 happy effect may also be obtained by concealing the lamps within a hemispherical bowl, constructed of 

 lustre beads wired together. Also, there are handsome (ieorgian brackets and electroliers for electric 

 candles in steel bronze. In this case it may be better not to place shades on the lamps, but to employ 

 frosted lamps, and to place the fittings fairly high. Rooms with recesses sometimes present a dilticult 

 problem if the recesses do not receive adequate light from the main rooms. Where such recesses cannot 

 have fittings of similar style to those in the main room, it is best to place one or more small frosted lamps 

 right against the ceiling in the centre of the panels, and to cover them, perhaps, with a bag of yellow silk. 

 This method gives an adequate illumination without clashing with the decorations. 



Lighting by concealed lamps, known as illumination by reflected light, is suitable for most styles 

 of decoration where the structural arrangements permit of concealing the lamps, and is the ideal 

 method where cost is not the first consideration; but l;ie shape and size of the room itself affect the 

 result considerably, and siuh an installation should not be attempted by an amateur, or the result will 

 probably be a failure. There are two main ways of doing this by throwing the light on the ceiling 

 from fittings with inverted shades, and by illuminating the ceiling by lamps hidden by a heavy cornice. 

 The latter is very effective, and can even be employed where there is an oak ceiling, if there is a big 

 whitened cove above the cornice. A large number of lamps has to be used, and they are generally of 

 tubular form, lying in trough-shaped reflectors. In some cases where this method can be used successfully 

 it need not be much more expensive than direct illumination, and when absence of eyestram is 

 considered it may be cheaper, as it enables those using the room to accomplish more work with less 

 effort. Another method is to transmit light through a translucent ceiling, as in the House of Commons. 

 This is also effective and pleasant, but necessitates a false ceiling fitted with obscured glass panels, and 

 can therefore only be employed in rooms with high ceilings. 



In conclusion, effective illumination is a greater factor of good health and contentment of mind 

 than many people appreciate. Poor lighting or dazzling rays are bad for people who have to use their 

 eyes much, and they produce headaches and eyestrain ; while to those who have no occupation they are 

 a source of annoyance and discomfort. V. ZINGLER. 



