Mark’s lighting notes
Mark On Spacing, Surfaces, Haze And Restraint
Uplighters are not fairy dust. They are small battery fixtures throwing a cone of light up a surface, so the surface matters. White plaster takes colour cleanly and makes 12 units look generous in a modest function room. Old brick eats light and gives it back warmer, which can be lovely, but it needs more thought. Dark timber can swallow a colour entirely unless the units are close enough to catch the texture.
Spacing is usually where a room starts to look professional or rushed. I would rather use 12 lights with good gaps, corners covered and a clean line behind the top table than throw 20 units around the skirting board with no pattern. If the walls have radiators, fire exits, photo booths or cake tables in front of them, the layout changes. The job is to make the room feel intentional while keeping exits, sockets and walkways clear.
Dance floor lighting is the same. Moving heads, wash lights and mirror-ball style effects can lift the first dance and make the last hour feel full, but sound-to-light mode all night is tiring. Haze can make beams visible, though some venues link smoke alarms to the same system that protects bedrooms and kitchens. If the venue says no haze, we do not use haze. If a guest has asked for no strobing, the night is run without strobe-heavy looks. Restraint is not less effort. It is the difference between a room people want to stay in and a room that feels like a shop demo.