The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1916-07-27
NEW LIGHTING METHODS FOR THE
HOME.

For the past few years Illuminating
engineers have been devoting their at
tention to better home lighting methods
The result of their labors is to be found
in the new indirect and semi-direct
lighting plans, with special attention to
wall coverings and the location of the
lighting fixtures.
Lighting fixtures for the home have
always been considered from an artistic
standpoint first, and as serviceable units
last and least. The Illuminating en-
gineer has entirely reversed this process
of reasoning and seeks first to establish
perfect system of lighting, with due
regard for the eyes, and refuses to let
the manufacturer of lighting fixtures
sacrifice engineering principles for the
sake of what he calls Fart" And yet,
it is rot to be inferred that the new
lighting fixtures are not artistic. They
are really an ornament to any home,
even though they differ materially from
the old hanging chandeliers of glowing
bulbs, colored glass and dangling prisms.
There are three good methods of home
lighting, viz:
Direct
Semi-direct
Indirect.
By the first method the electric lamps
are located where most essential, and
suitable retlectors and shades are pro-
vided to distribute and direct the light
and to protect the eyes as much as pos
sible. This is the system in general use
today.
By the indirect system the sources of
light are ali carefully hidden from the
eye and the light rays are distributed
about the room by reflection and refrac-
tion from cleverly placed rejecting sur
faces, such as white ceiling and light
colored walls. Such an installation calls
for thorough knowledge of illuminants
and all kinds of light rejecting and alb
sorblng wall coverings. The indirect
system is most generally used in large
public buildings, in stores and occasion
ally in expensive homes.
The semi-direct lighting can be used
in any home with good results. In this
system, as the name implies, both the
direct rays of the light source, and the
rays reflected from the walls and CELL
ings, are used to produce we'll lighted
room. Take, for instance, the dining
room: The most common method of
lighting the dining room was to suspend
large ornamental dome directly over
on the white cloth and left the remain
der of the room in dense shadow. The
eye strain from the glazing, white cloth
was enormous. And if any one at the
table looked up the glazing lamps came
into view to add further discomforture
In the semi-direct Lighting plan the fix
ture is placed we'll up towards the CELL
ing, and the lamps are hidden from view
by an opalescent globe. The light is
also thrown upwards against the white
ceiling from which it is reflected to all
parts of the room. The result is soft
light for the entire room with flood of
glowing light for the table. There is no
eye strain and no alaring points of light.
High candle-power Mazda lamps are
used. which give clear white light and
consume only one-third as much current
per candle-power as the old fashioned
carbon lamps.
Semi-direct lighting fixtures of SINH
lar nature may be used in the other
rooms of the home, and especially in the
living rooms, halls and bedrooms.