Design Aesthetics: Wall Lighting Techniques

Below are great ways to feature specialty walls, architecture, and specific areas. It is not suggested to use this technique to illuminate a space.

Wall Washing

Wall Washing is a light source that illuminates a wall evenly, from top to bottom and side to side.

Advantages:

• Helps hide imperfections the wall might have
• Great for gypsum wall boards

• If the wall is textured, it will look flattened
• Masonry wall applications like brick or stone will seem painted on
• If the wall has a glossy or shiny finish, avoid this type of illumination because it will create a reflection from the light source that is uncomfortable

Wall Grazing

This is an illumination method that helps highlight a textured or special finished wall.
Wall grazing is a technique that distributes light evenly, but if your wall or the area that is being illuminated has imperfections, they will be shown.

Slot Outlining

This type of technique distributes an uneven light source at the joint of a wall and ceiling.
It will cast a bright indirect light source. Slot Outlining also helps emphasize the architecture because of the sharp edge it creates with the wall and ceiling. Remember that this technique should not be applied to illuminate artwork or murals.