How to plan or update lighting

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To fit a one gang switch plate, you will need...

Things to think about when planning or updating your lighting

If you cannot change your lighting fixtures, it is still possible to adapt your lighting to work better.
Create a lighting plan for a room and draw on arrows in the direction in which people will be facing to watch television, to work at a desk or to read by a window in a favourite chair.
For reading, older eyes require more light than younger eyes .
Think about practicalities like how you are going to change bulbs in ceiling fittings in very lofty rooms.
Good lighting can transform a dark room into a welcoming space. Consider all the ways in which your rooms are used through the day, so that at the flick of a switch you can transform a bright, vibrant living space into a relaxed place to spend the evening.
Consider each room separately, and remember that light should link rooms together and that it's not ideal for a person to move from a brightly lit room into the dark.
Our grey northern light means that we don't have to worry about screening strong sun, but daylight changes throughout the year and the quality of natural light in your room can be affected by the room's aspect and how and when the sun filters into it.
Natural light in a north-facing room is cold and clear, while in an east-facing room it will be bright in the early morning followed by long shadows and no sun in the late afternoon. For the best natural light, rooms in which you spend most time should face south for warm light all day long. West-facing rooms are sunniest at midday while in late afternoon shadows will lengthen and light will be softer.
Make the most of daylight by removing unnecessary curtains and replacing them with light-diffusing filmy voiles and muslins. Install a fanlight over your front door, glaze an inner door, cut back overshadowing greenery, turn a window into French doors, or install skylights to bring sunlight inside.
Mirrors reflect natural light, while light-reflective surfaces and pale carpets and furnishings give an impression of light.
Transform your house for a party with fairy lights and candles. Mirrors, mirror balls and festive glass baubles will all reflect light.
Lights outside can enhance your home too. Consider a patio heater, a chiminea or a wood burner and, even if your guests don't venture outside, decorate your garden with tea lights, spotlights and fibre-optics displays to create an inviting party mood.

How to plan lighting

Walk around your house and ask yourself who uses each room, when do they use it and for what reason? Next, draw a plan to help you decide how you can improve your lighting. It doesn't have to be to scale and you should take your lighting plan with you when you shop for suitable fixtures.
Ambient or background light is usually provided by central pendant lights, which are designed to replicate daylight.
For good directed light consider a fully adjustable cantilevered angle-poise lamp that can be angled and lowered and is tall enough to illuminate the task in hand without casting a shadow.
Task lighting is for specific jobs like reading, working at a computer and cooking. Task lights should be fitted with at least 60 watt tungsten, halogen or fluorescent bulbs and should be much brighter than other lights in the room.
In an area where you write, place a lamp opposite your writing hand so that you don't create a shadow.
Light should fall on your work area and be reflected on your computer screen.
Accent light is used to add variety and focus to background light. An array of halogen spotlights, downlighters and uplighters, tracks and table lamps and standard lights can create shadowy corners and bright pools of light where impact is required.
When the basic lighting requirements are in place, then you can highlight your favourite things. Illuminate glass shelves with low voltage halogen spotlights, or hidden fluorescent strips. Clip spotlights to the underside of shelves, or put wall washers in the ceiling to light books. Mount adjustable spotlights on a ceiling track and direct towards paintings; light them with 'eyeball' spotlights set to a broad flood beam.
Buy tiny 'spike' lights for houseplant pots, or light a large pot with a floor-mounted spotlight so that light bounces from floor to ceiling and through the foliage, making dramatic shadows.
Change to low energy bulbs. CFL stands for compact fluorescent lamp and is a small fluorescent light bulb that uses much less energy than a traditional bulb. Dimmable CFLs are available and if you want to use a CFL outside, check that it is rated for outside use. All CFLs can be recycled.
A CFL uses approximately a fifth of the wattage to produce the same light. A traditional 60 watt bulb can be replaced with an 11 watt CFL.
A lumen rating is the measure of light a bulb puts out. Buy CFLs with the same lumen rating as the bulbs you are replacing.
A large, high-ceilinged room will be cosier if small lamps are clustered to make low pools of light, or pierced lanterns and shades are arranged to shadow pattern on the walls and ceilings.
If you work from home, you will need good task lighting as well as plenty of natural light. Put your desk about 1m away from the window so that daylight is not too intense.
Place a light switch where it should ideally be. It is frustrating to fumble in the dark for a switch that doesn't exist or is badly placed.
How do you want to control your lighting? Do you want to control your lights with a single switch, or switch them individually, or do you want dimmer switches?
Whether building a new house or renovating your home, plan the lighting at the same time as the plumbing. Mark existing sockets and where you need more, as many houses simply don't have enough sockets, and overloading them with too many appliances should always be avoided.

How to update lighting

If you are in any doubt about working with electricity, seek professional advice from a qualified electrician. Any electrical work must comply with the Institution of electrical engineers (Iee) regulations (BS7671). Always follow the manufacturer's instructions when fitting a new light or switch.
Any electrical installation must comply with Building Regulations, specifically Part P, which came into effect on 1 January 2005, with the amended version coming into effect on 6 April 2006. We recommend you refer to these regulations before carrying out any electrical work. They are available to download on the internet at www.planningportal.gov.uk.
Replacing a switch is non-notifiable under Part P and therefore it is not necessary to have the work carried out by a qualified electrician, or to inform your local authority building inspector of the work, except in high-risk areas, which include kitchens, bathrooms and gardens. For a full list of high-risk areas refer to Part P. Part P states that for DIY installations, the installer may wish to employ a qualified electrician to inspect and test the work to make sure that it is safe. We recommend that you do this.
This sequence below shows fitting a metal one gang (one switch) switch plate onto a plastic flush mounting box, so the instructions only relate to plastic mounting boxes. If you have metal mounting boxes, earthing requirements may vary and you should refer to the manufacturer's guidelines.
Colours used in hard-wire installations (including cables supplying switches) have changed in recent years. The table on the pdf download shows the different colours for wires before and after April 2004. (See Chart on PDF version of this guide) This Guide shows post April 2004 wiring.
If you find earth wires are bare, you must sheathe them with some green and yellow sleeving.

Step by step guide to changing a one gang switch plate:

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Step 1: Before carrying out any work, turn off the mains electricity supply at the consumer unit. Unscrew the switch plate retaining screws.

Step 2: Gently ease the switch plate forward to reveal the wiring. Unscrew terminal screws to release all wires.

Step 3: Follow precisely the manufacturer's guidelines to connect all three wires to the new switch plate terminals, for a one-way connection.

Step 4: A section of copper core should be visible at the end of all three wires. Insert each wire into the correct terminal, as directed.

Step 5: Only insert bare wire into terminals and ensure no bare wire is visible. Tighten
screws securely onto cable cores.

Step 6: For a metal switch plate, you must connect the earth wire to the earth terminal on the switch plate.

Step 7: Reposition the switch plate ensuring that no wires are trapped between the switch plate and wall surface.

Step 8: Fix in place with retaining screws. Do not overtighten. Ensure the socket is level. Restore power and test.

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The expert practical advice contained in this leaflet assists you in carrying out your home improvement projects both safely and successfully.
If in doubt take professional advice and always follow manufacturers' instructions.