Lighting design
A room needs more than one kind of light
Most rooms in Victoria have a single fixture in the middle of the ceiling. We plan four layers instead, and put each one on its own switch or dimmer.
The four layers we plan
Ambient
The soft general light you walk into. Usually recessed or flush fixtures, always on a dimmer.
Task
Light where your hands are: under-cabinet strips, a pendant over the island, a lamp by the reading chair.
Accent
Picture lights, shelf lighting, a wash down a brick or plaster wall. What makes a room feel finished at night.
Decorative
The fixture you chose because you love it. We place it so it glows without blinding anyone at the table.
A single hidden strip along a wall: accent light that does more than any ceiling fixture could.
What the plan includes
- An evening walk-through of the rooms in the plan
- A scaled drawing with every fixture position
- Switching and dimmer layout, including three-way switches
- Colour temperature for each room, so nothing clashes
- A fixture list with sizes and a few options at different budgets
- Under-cabinet and stair lighting details where they apply
- A fixed-price quote for the electrical work
- The plan is yours to keep, even if someone else does the wiring
Fixed fees
What a plan costs
Prices are in Canadian dollars, plus GST. If we also do the electrical, $250 comes off the electrical invoice.
Ask for a walk-through| One roomA kitchen, a living room or a primary bedroom | $480 |
|---|---|
| Main floorUp to four connected rooms, hallways included | $890 |
| Whole homeEvery floor, for a full renovation | $1,450 |
| Garden and exteriorPaths, steps, trees, entry and deck | $560 |
Questions people ask
Can you plan the lighting if another electrician does the work?
Yes. The drawing and fixture list are yours. We just ask that any changes on site are checked against the plan so the switching still makes sense.
Do you supply the fixtures?
We can order them, or you can buy your own. Many clients pick the decorative pieces themselves and let us source the recessed and under-cabinet lights.
What if the room is still a shell?
That is the best time. We walk it at dusk with the cabinet or furniture plan in hand and mark fixture positions on the floor.
Do you do garden lighting?
Yes: low-voltage path and tree lighting, step lights and entry lighting, planned on the same evening walk-through.