Lighting: A Design Source Book [Hardcover]

Elizabeth Wilhide (Author), Ray Main (Photographer)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 2001

From the welcoming porch light to the reassuring night light, this invaluable book discussing all aspects of choosing and using lighting sources, bulbs, and fittings. The book provides a wealth of bright ideas for creative lighting from planning a new lighting scheme to choosing a new bulb. 300 color photos.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Lighting is as integral a factor in any interior design plan as color, objects, and arrangement. Wilhide understands that lighting is more than simply what we see; it's also how we feel. Lighting is a central factor in how any space influences our moods. This big, lavish book provides practical help on positioning and installing light sources throughout every room of the home. Dramatically and beautifully illustrated with more than 300 color photographs, it also includes source lists for the specific fixtures and lamps shown. A casual perusal of the lively photographs alone will give the reader inspiration and fire the imagination for creative use of light for dramatic effect, to soothe or relax, to warm a room, or to cool it down visually. This book is not only fun to look at, but also practical and useful for any would-be decorator, beginner or professional. --Mark A. Hetts --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

Elizabeth Wilhide is the author and co-author of a number of successful books on interior design. She has contributed to Terence Conran's Essential House Book, Conran on Design, and Tricia Guild on Color. Her own books include Traditional Country Style, Bohemian Style, Natural Decorating, Living with Modern Classics : The Light, and Living with Modern Classics : The Chair.

Ray Main trained as an architectural photographer but now specializes in interiors photography. His work is regularly featured in leading interiors magazines, including House and Garden and French Elle, and in lifestyle supplements to newspapers such as The Times and The Sunday Times, and he was the photographer for the book Recycled Spaces.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 192 pages
• Publisher: Ryland Peters & Small; Updated edition (October 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1841722286
• ISBN-13: 978-1841722283
• Product Dimensions: 11.8 x 9.8 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.9 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,336,142 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #96 in Books > Crafts, Hobbies & Home > Interior Design > Lighting

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

39 of 40 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautifully done, easily understood reference., December 16, 1999

By A Customer

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Lighting: A Design Source Book (Hardcover)

This was money well spent! Eloquent author who had me using the search engine at Amazon in hopes of finding more of her books. It covers all aspects of home lighting. I came away with an extensive understanding of light fixtures and appropriate applications for each, different types of bulbs, and an appreciation for the use of dimmers on fixtures, and glorious light just for the extra touches it brings to your living environment. As a result of this reading, I've purchased interesting fixtures that will add so much more to my home. Thank you, Ms. Wilhide, for sharing your expertise with me!

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars I sent this book back, August 6, 2002

By 

George N. Lawrence (Woodland, WA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Lighting: A Design Source Book (Hardcover)

First book I ever returned to Amazon because it was of unacceptable quality. The book should be titled "Pictures of pretty lighting fixtures" as the photographs are quite well done, but I found no useful information on the design of lighting. There is nothing on the subject of how to illuminate a room. Indeed you will see some examples of incredibly underlit rooms. They look good in the pictures because the photographer, Ray Main, has added what looks like a couple of thousand watts of bounce flash. You will see some kitchens where the people will need flashlights to cook their food. I did not see any room that looked adequately lit by the actual fixtures.

The discussion of fluorsecent lights is very disappointing. In the age of energy conservations the fact that fluorescent lights emit about 5 times more lumens per watt than incandescent lights makes them definitely worth considering. I had hoped to see some artistic ideas for using these interesting but awkward light sources, but there was very little and what there was was disappointing.

Kudos to Ray Main for beautiful photographs. Look somewhere else if you want "A Design Source Book".

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Introduction to lighting, July 21, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Lighting: A Design Source Book (Hardcover)

On top of helpful tips and information about different types of lighting and lamps, the books lean heavily on lighting for more modern interiors. It does talk about universal applications in period styles, but I feel the author's interest is more on the modern side. Most of the photos and examples are taken from modern interiors. If you like contemporary and modern flavor, this is a book to miss! Definitely a keeper!