LIGHTING FIXTURES

Whether it is for decorative purposes, provide focused, task oriented illumination or ambience with warmth, lighting is critical for any space and to your day to day functions. By having the correct lighting in place you can transform any space from a casual setting to one that is rich in design and style. Lighting is mostly thought of as a functional part of a home or office but many light fixtures can actually serve as a work of contemporary art. Lighting can and must be found in a number of areas in your home. The nature and size of the space will determine the best lighting fixture, for instance the dining room is the best place to have that elegant chandelier hanging above the table whereas the kitchen maybe suited more with some pendant lights hanging over the kitchen island. In the living room you can create a great ambience by having a combination of floor and table lamps. There are several options and a very wide range of shapes, sizes and finishes to choose from when it comes to lighting fixtures. Selecting the correct lighting fixture for a space can be a daunting task so you will need to know a few basics. To start with there are 3 basic types of lighting which are: Ambient lighting, commonly known as general lighting which is intended to light up the entire room or space at a uniform level. Accent lighting focuses or highlights a specific point of interest and then there’s task lighting which provides lighting for a specific tasks such reading, writing, cooking or desktop work. For each of these three different types of lighting there are several fixtures available. Below are some of the options to choose from for your home;

Pendant lights

Pendant lights are lights that hang from a cable, cord, or pipe from an attachment on the ceiling, ending in a shade enclosing a light bulb that primarily provides light in a downward direction. Pendants are mostly found over a table or kitchen island because they provide ambient or task lighting and usually have unique design elements that bring character to a space because they are so visible.

Wall scones

Wall scones are some of the most decorative fixtures when it comes to lighting which is the reason why they are mostly installed at eye level in most rooms. They can provide either ambient or task lighting depending on the actual fixture but they are usually not good enough to provide illumination alone for a large space. They are usually found on either side of a bed or fireplace for additional illumination showing these visual focal points in a space.

Track and spotlights

Track and spotlights are fixtures that are attached to a track that is mounted to a ceiling or hung off the ceiling, depending on a particular fixture. The linear housing contains several heads that can be moved along and adjusted to focus on different angles. This ability to adjust and reposition makes track lighting ideal for kitchens or gallery spaces where task or accent light is needed but where the desired focus may change.

Ceiling mounted fixtures

As the name implies, this wide range of fixtures is mounted directly to the ceiling and typically features a glass, fabric or even plastic that conceals the light bulb and helps diffuse light more evenly. Ceiling mounted fixtures are mostly used to provide ambient light in a room as opposed to accent or task lighting because they provide more general, dispersed lighting.

Recessed lights

Recessed lights are installed above the ceiling so that the body of the lightmechanism and wiring is concealed in the ceiling with a flush bulb or lens. Unlike ceiling mounted fixtures that are easily visible, recessed lighting tends to be more demure because it is more level with the ceiling but it requires some space above the ceiling for installation. The lighting they produce can be used for a wide range of functions from ambient to task to accent, depending on the number and type of fixtures.

Desk and table lamps

These are used as task lights due to their flexibility as they can be placed in various positions as per need whether it is next to a comfy chair for reading or on the desktop whilst you are working. They typically provide light in downward direction, illuminating the surface directly below it rather than providing a general glow, which prevents them from being used as ambient lights. However like wall scones they can be a major design feature as they are highly visible.

Cove lighting

Cove lighting is an elegant type of lighting that is usually mounted in the upper part of the wall or ceiling. This provides upward lighting along the edges of the room onto the ceiling, it is usually hidden from direct view. Nowadays, most cove lighting is provided by a thin strip of LEDs along a cove that is already created in the room.