Recessed Lights Category

Lighting a Stairway and Landing

Saturday, June 12th, 2010

Are you trying to get an idea for the best type of ceiling lighting or wall lights to use for your stairwell and landing? There are many solutions. Probably the most important thing to remember is that if you are going to install lights directly over a staircase, the light or lights must be positioned in a way that makes it easy to change the light bulbs.

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Perhaps you are looking to make a feature of your stairwell by hanging a large ceiling chandelier or a long drop pendant ceiling light from the ceiling of your landing so that it drops down by the side of your staircase. This can be an attractive ornamental feature that your visitors can admire as they ascend your staircase.

A landing with a gallery gives an even greater choice, wall lights on the landing which match a central hanging ceiling light. Wall uplighters on the stairs walls to light the way downstairs or upstairs.

For safety reasons, the positioning of any lighting in area of a stairwell should be considered carefully. Apart from ease of lamp changing thought must be given to adequate lighting levels on and near the stairs even if your staircase only has a few steps.

It is normal in any house to have two-way switching so that you can switch on at least one landing light before mounting the stairs. Consider using more than one switch for controlling the wall and ceiling lights on your stairwell and landing. Accent lighting could be used, perhaps by the use of picture lights, recessed lights or spotlights to light the corners.

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Brick Lights and Outside Recessed Lights

Tuesday, May 25th, 2010

Are you looking for ideas on how to light the pathways around your house or light your driveway? Perhaps you need to light up some steps outside your home as an additional safety measure. When coming home in the dark, Brick lights recessed into your outside wall can illuminate a walkway or even define an external patio area.

Black Outdoor Recessed Brick Light

An IP44 rated recessed outdoor brick light in a Black finish. Ideal for recessing into an outside wall to illuminate a path or driveway. Height: 101mm Width: 233mm Recess depth: 83mm Max wattage: 1 x 60W ES (not included) IP rating: IP44...

Black Outdoor Recessed Brick Light »See More External Recessed Lights »

Recessed brick lights are an ideal form of low cost low level outdoor wall lighting. These brick lights can be recessed into your outside walls to light the way to the door of your house or can be used to light up a garden wall or your drive way. Perhaps you have brick pillars at the gate or entrance to your driveway. It would be an easy job for your Electrician to recess brick lights into the Brickwork of your brick piers.

Brick lights come in 3 versions. Brick lights that take a standard light bulb which would accept low energy light bulbs if required. Dedicated energy saving Brick lights that will only accept energy efficient compact fluorescent lamps. The dedicated low energy brick lights will give out a low level of light output which is ideal to give enough light to guide your visitors along the path way to your door.

Thirdly, LED recessed brick lights are the most energy efficient. Available with either Blue or White LEDs, LED brick lights will give out light for a considerable number of years. No need to keep changing light bulbs. Although it must be said that the light bulbs used in energy saving versions of brick lights will last a considerable length of time, making them a highly cost effective form of outdoor lighting.

The brick lights come in Black, White and Satin Silver finishes either with a grill diffuser or a plain opal diffuser.

All the recessed brick lights are IP44 rated which means that they are ideally suited to outdoor use. Rain and moisture will not penetrate into the light fitting.

Consider using a time clock to switch your brick lights on and off. You could set the timer so that the brick lights switch on at dusk and illuminate your garden area in the evening. A dusk to dawn sensor could also be used.

Altogether brick lights are a highly adaptable method of lighting your home, paths, garden, drive way or patio area.

Posted in Energy Saving Lights, Garden Lighting, Outside Lights, Recessed Lights | Comments Off

Dimmable Ceiling and Wall Lights

Friday, February 19th, 2010

Which of your ceiling lights or wall lights are suitable for dimming? The answer depends on the type of light bulb that the light fitting takes.

Standard incandescent light bulbs are most always suitable for dimming. Other types of light bulbs that can be dimmed are Halogen GU10 lamps. These types of lamp are commonly found in kitchen spotlight bars and single spotlights.

It must be stressed that it is important always to consult an Electrician if you are in any doubt as to the suitability of a light fitting concerning the use of a dimmer switch. Too many lights on one dimmer switch could cause a problem.

If you would wish to be able to dim the lighting in your bathroom, consult your Electrician as he would be able to offer you the best advice.

Using a dimmer switch or dimmer switches in a room can completely alter the ambience of the room. For example, recessed lighting in a kitchen can benefit from the installation of a dimmer switch. During food preparation times it is generally helpful to have as much illumination in a room. However and certainly if you kitchen serves as a reception room or dining room, the ability to dim the lights at certain times is certainly very useful.

Many contemporary light fittings now use mains voltage halogen G9 capsule bulbs; this type of light bulb is also suitable for dimming. It is important though not to confuse these with the smaller G4 low voltage light bulbs which are generally not suitable for dimming as there is a transformer involved. We would say generally, because some of these light fittings come either with touch dimmable control within the fitting or and again, consult your Electrician about this, can be dimmed with a specialist dimmer switch.

Dimmer switches can enhance the lighting scheme in your home. Whether used for your ceiling or wall lights, a well thought through lighting layout incorporating dimming technology will allow you to increase the flexibility of your lighting scheme.

Posted in Bathroom Lights, Ceiling Lights, Kitchen Lighting, Recessed Lights, Spotlights, Wall Lights | Comments Off

Downlights and Recessed Ceiling Lights

Thursday, September 24th, 2009

Consider using recessed lighting in your kitchen or the living areas of your home. Halogen recessed lights, either mains voltage or low voltage are an ideal lighting solution for a kitchen as an even spread of light throughout the kitchen can be achieved. Directional recessed downlights give added flexibility. Bathrooms, shower rooms and dressing rooms can be effectively lit by using recessed ceiling lights.

Mint Square Chrome 12V Fire Rated Downlight

An IP65 rated low voltage fire rated square recessed bathroom glass downlight with metalwork in a polished chrome finish. Suitable for use in bathroom zones 1. 2 & 3 subject to current U.K. wiring regulations. Class 3 SELV (separated or safety extr...

Mint Square Chrome 12V Fire Rated Downlight »See More Low Voltage Downlighters »

Depending on your desired lighting effect, recessed downlighters could be installed in straight lines or placed in your ceiling in a random pattern. Contemporary design suggests straight lines are preferred.

Fireproof recessed down lights do not require additional smoke hoods to be installed as with conventional recessed down-lights.

As there may be installation options to be decided upon when considering recessed lighting, such as positioning of recessed lights between joists in a ceiling, whether to use mains voltage or low voltage recessed lights, the floor or ceiling space requirements, it is generally a good idea to speak to your Electrician who would help you decide the best lighting design and which type of recessed lights are best suited to your particular lighting project.

Traditionally White has been and probably still is the most popular finish of recessed downlight. This is probably because the White finish blends in nicely with a White ceiling, show casing the light from the downlighter and not the down-lighter itself.

If you wish your recessed light fittings to be a feature of your lighting scheme, other finishes such as Chrome, Brass, Nickel or Aluminium are available. Crystal glass downlights are also becoming a popular option. Chrome recessed ceiling lights would look stunning in a bathroom or en-suite bathroom.

In the modern kitchen or any room in the home, display and task lighting can be achieved using recessed lighting. Wall washer downlights may be used to light a picture on a wall or ornaments on a dresser or table.

A wide range of possibilities and high flexibility makes recessed ceiling lighting an option to consider while choosing the lighting for your home or office.

Posted in Bathroom Lights, Ceiling Lights, Kitchen Lighting, Recessed Lights, Spotlights | No Comments »

Recessed Lights for your Garden or Driveway

Friday, June 26th, 2009

Light your garden or driveway with recessed lights sunk into the ground. External recessed lights will look fabulous positioned along either side of a driveway to light the way to your garage and create a display of light for the walkway to your home.

LED recessed lights for your garden, decking or driveway are very popular as the LEDs will last for 1000′s of hours which means you don’t have to think about changing lamps. Blue and White Leds are available if you should choose Led recessed lighting for lighting your paths or driveway.

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Recessed garden lighting can light up your plants and borders as well as using them to light pathways or driveways or be recessed into decking or patio area.

Recessed outside lights could be switched using a timer or switched directly from your garage or house or perhaps by using a passive infra-red detector, positioned so that the recessed lights switch on automatically when you drive towards your house or garage.

Recessed outside lights generally come in Stainless steel or a Grey finish. Many will take energy saving lamps. Using low energy lamps if possible is a good idea as lamp replacement is cut down to a minimum. Most low energy lamps will last at least 8000 hours and as your driveway lights are not lit up most of the day, they should last a considerable length of time without re-lamping.

Outside recessed lights should generally have at least an IP65 rating. This means that the possible ingress of moisture into the recessed light is kept to an absolute minimum. The lights will then last for years, allowing you to enjoy your lighting design design for many years.

Posted in Outside Lights, Recessed Lights | No Comments »