You have likely noticed that lighting substantially alters the
appearance of colours, making them lighter or darker. For example,
a wall will look darker at night under incandescent lighting than
during the day in bright sunlight. Lighting also affects colour
saturation a hue will appear more saturated under natural light
from the south. Finally, lighting has an effect on hues
themselves.You may have lived the experience yourself if you have
bought a piece of clothing under the fluorescent lighting of a shop
only to find it looks green when you take it home. This phenomenon
is called metamerism.
Whether you are dealing in clothing or in paint, you must take
into account the different influences lighting can have on
particular colours before making your choices. Compensating for the
effects of different types of lighting.
Artificial Lighting
Artificial lighting interacts differently with colours. In fact,
it is the colour of light that influences the colours of decorative
objects and walls. You need to consider that interaction if you are
to take advantage of it or compensate for it, depending on the
situation.
Halogen lighting = nearly white light (closest to natural light
at noon)
Fluorescent lighting = bluish light (some fluorescent lighting
gives off a light band that is closer to daylight)
Incandescent lighting = yellowish light
Natural Lighting
Two factors affect daylight. The positioning of windows
determines the origin (orientation) of light that enters a room,
while the position of the sun determines its intensity depending,
on the time of day and the season.
Thus, a room that faces east will only get indirect light in the
morning but will bask in orange beams in the late afternoon in
winter, or early evening in summer.
Northern Light
Light from the north is the strongest. Generally, colours that
are exposed to the intensity of northen light seem lighter and more
saturated. Warm, light and saturated colours draw extra life out of
northern light and create a stimulating effect.
Dark and unsaturated colours absorb more light and can help
balance the effect of light in rooms that enjoy a lot of sunlight.
Such colours can be used on walls that face windows.
Cold colours, as long as they are not too light, soften the
effects of intense lighting. Very light colours appear to be nearly
white in intense lighting. To compensate for this, choose a hue
that is a touch darker on the colour chart.
Southern Light
Southern light is the most diffused.
Warm colours can bestow south-facing rooms a warmer ambience.
Warm, light and saturated colours reflect light and can help
compensate for shortages of light, especially when used on the wall
that faces the windows.
Dark and unsaturated colours absorb light. If you use them in a
south-facing room, you should use them on window walls where they
will have less effect on light.
In general, colours that are exposed to indirect southern light
seem darker and/or more unsaturated. You can compensate for this by
choosing a hue that is a touch lighter or a touch more saturated on
the colour chart.
Choosing the final hue
Before making your choice,the least you can do is to bring home
some colour swatches and look at them carefully in the lighting of
the room you are planning to paint and this, during a complete
day/night cycle.
The best way to ensure your satisfaction is to buy a Taubmans
sample Pot or Test Tube of the paint you want and test it over
different areas of the room you wish to paint. More so if the
lighting in the room comes from different sources.
Again, be sure to look at the swatches during a complete
day/night cycle. This is a lot of work, but it guarantees your
final choice will be the best.