Wall washing is a form of accent lighting that involves illuminating a wall from top to bottom (or from bottom to top) in a smooth, graded wash of light. Wall wash lights create an even wide flood of light that bathes an entire wall in uniform light. A uniform distribution of illuminance across the entire wall eliminates shadows, hide imperfections in a wall, and therefore flattens the wall's visual appearance. Wall washers are placed on a line starting at the desired focal point and projected at 30 degrees from the wall. The luminaires are usually placed at a distance from the wall that is one-fourth the wall light. Wall washing can make an interior space spacious, articulate texture, and increase illuminances to enhance the perception of brightness. Wall washing can also be used to gently illuminate a building against the nocturnal environment to create a backdrop for the main focal points.
