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3 weeks ago | 
greenbuildingadvisor.com | David K. Warfel |Brian Pontolilo
I have been a lighting geek for more years than I want to admit, but I started out more concerned with how the lighting looked than how many resources I consumed in the process. Early in my career I spent a decade teaching theatrical lighting design at a large state university and it was not unusual for me to design a show with 300,000 watts of lighting over the stage.
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Jan 13, 2025 | 
residentialsystems.com | David K. Warfel
Homeowners are humans, and humans, as a rule, fear change and go to extraordinary lengths to preserve the status quo. Sure, many will spring for an upgrade or an incremental improvement, but only a small percentage are ready to rip out the drywall, throw out all the expensive gear they bought last time, and start from scratch. We love fearless clients but deal with the other type every day, and that applies to every technology in the home, including lighting.
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Jan 13, 2025 | 
residentialsystems.com | David K. Warfel
Articles From This Author
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Nov 27, 2024 | 
cepro.com | David K. Warfel
For generations, task, ambient, and accent layers of light have led many, me included, toward a brighter future. But a lot has changed in lighting design. There is nothing inherently wrong with task, ambient, and accent layers of light. These three types of lighting sometimes go by other pseudonyms like “play of brilliants” or “sparkle,” but in any form they have held the hopes and dreams of lighting professionals, design pros, and clients for many years.
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Oct 15, 2024 | 
finehomebuilding.com | David K. Warfel |Abby Cote
While recessed downlights are not the best choices for places such as closets or garages, they can transform other areas of a house—if they are chosen wisely. In this article, lighting designer David Warfel explains what to look for in a downlight using four criteria: ceiling brightness, beam spread, color, and tilt. He profiles 14 specific downlights in five different price categories (from under $75 to over $750), evaluating them in terms of those four criteria.
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Jun 28, 2024 | 
cepro.com | David K. Warfel
Custom residential lighting design — the way it is normally done — can be the enemy of a builder’s desire to complete the project on time and on budget. Great lighting requires more planning (adding cost and time), better fixtures (adding cost and time), more of those fixtures (adding cost and time), and more complicated installs (adding cost and time). But what about the rest of the home? Do lighting designers just sit around and blame builders for fighting against our efforts?
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May 1, 2024 | 
cepro.com | David K. Warfel
It took me awhile to realize that zones of vision could directly guide us when we design lighting for human wellbeing. Our peripheral field of view, dominated by rod cells, is our more light-sensitive zone; therefore, it is also highly susceptible to glare. Our near field, by far the largest area of vision in our consciousness, also hates glare. But this zone can be very comfortable when it is filled with soft light.
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Mar 28, 2024 | 
cepro.com | David K. Warfel
For many years, nicer homes would have had a patio or deck behind the house to enjoy during the warmer months. Over time, we added areas for grilling out, screens to block bugs, and maybe a fire pit to extend the seasons. Today, it’s not uncommon for these areas to act as second living spaces, complete with a nearly complete kitchen, outdoor TVs, furniture, and more. And just like interior living spaces, lighting is something that will make or break the outdoor experience.
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Feb 23, 2024 | 
houzz.com | David K. Warfel |JWT Associates
Learn the mix of lighting types you can use to create a productive and comfortable workspaceDavid WarfelFebruary 23, 2024Houzz Contributor. Expert lighting design specialist. MoreIf you’re among the many people who work from home, it’s important to get your home office or workspace lighting right. Even if you use your home office for less frequent tasks, the right lighting can make you more efficient and effective.
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Feb 8, 2024 | 
freedownloadcad.com | David K. Warfel
A chandelier over a table is a classic start to a well-lit dining room, but if you want to create the most comfortable, functional and stylish environment, you will need to address all five layers of lighting. These layers include light for “doing,” “knowing,” “feeling,” “changing” and “telling your…Related
