Right light in your house may create good ambiances
in your house. The right lighting plan can make a boring room exciting. But
with so fixtures and fittings available, it can be difficult to decide which
type to use. The following guide to the
different types of lighting will enable you to choose the right kind.
Using different bulbs may beautify your house
that’s why bulbs in your house should be used for which purpose of the room.
For example, in a study room you must choose a bulb that is comfortable to the
people who use the room while reading or for other academic purposes.
- Light:
warm, yellowish.
- Available
in: clear, pearl, silver reflector or coloured versions with bayonet cap
(BC), small bayonet cap (SBC), Edison screw (ES or E27) and small Edison
screw (SES or E14). The clear type is best when the bulb is visible, in a
chandelier for example, whereas the silver reflector is perfect for
spotlights.
- Ideal
for: creating warmth, cosiness, intimacy.
- Advantages:
cheap and easy to find. They use mains electricity and don't need
transformers or additional equipment.
- Disadvantages:
if you use a wattage that's too high your paper shade might get scorched,
which could be dangerous. Constantly switching them on and off will
shorten the lifespan. They tend to blow suddenly.
Tungsten
halogen
Known
simply as halogen bulbs, they burn at a much higher heat than tungsten and the
case has to be made from quartz rather than glass to withstand the temperature.
- Light:
whiter and purer than tungsten.
- Available:
in low voltage (low-voltage tungsten halogen or LVTH) and mains voltage.
For the former, you'll need a transformer, fitted or inbuilt, to keep the
wattage down to 12 volts.
- Ideal
for: uplighters.
- Advantages:
energy-efficient. With low-voltage bulbs, the design can be slim and
compact. The mains-voltage type can be used in conventional fittings
without a transformer, but ask your electrician or manufacturer to be
sure.
- Disadvantage:
expensive to replace.
They're
associated with the harsh, buzzing strips of factories and offices, but they're
now available in lots of new varieties.
- Light:
flat (curved and circular tubes are better).
- Available
in: compact fluorescent tubes and compact fluorescent bulbs (known as
compact fluorescent lamps or CFLs) that look like ordinary ones.
- Ideal
for: mini strip lights in kitchens.
- Advantages:
energy efficient and economic. Can be used with mains-voltage fittings.
- Disadvantages:
can't be fitted with dimmers.
Down lighters
They cast distinct pools of light onto the surface
below. They're usually recessed into the ceiling or mounted on the surface and
can be fixed or directional. They suit modern and period homes, but you might
not have enough recess in the ceiling or prefer not to cut into it and disrupt
plasterwork or period detail.
Install down lighters in areas where fixtures are
unlikely to move, such as above kitchen and bathroom surfaces, rather than at
the ends of furniture. Without wall lights the effect can be gloomy, and rows
of them can make you feel as though you're in a shop.
The
eyeball type of down lighter that can be swiveled is perfect for accent lighting to highlight a particular feature.
Lighting
empty rooms and using bulbs of the wrong wattage for the fittings are two of
the most common ways to waste energy.
Try
these simple ways to cut down your electricity bills and help save the planet.
- Turn
lights off when you leave the room.
- Replace
ordinary bulbs with low-energy ones, especially those you leave burning
for four hours or more. You might have to pay more up front - £5 as
opposed to £1 - but you'll save in the long run. They're available in many
shapes and sizes, although some can't be used with dimmers.
- Look
for CFLs - they use 25 per cent less energy than ordinary bulbs and last
up to 13 times longer.
- Fit
timers and dimmer switches. Motion sensors that turn on and off when you
enter and leave are already being installed in some houses although
they're expensive at the moment.
Eyeball
fitting
The
bulb is encased in housing and can be ceiling mounted or recessed.
Consider
how the fittings will distribute the light. This will depend in part on where
you put them and whether you conceal or make a feature of them. Visit the
lighting shop armed with your lighting plan.
Think
about the look you want. Do you prefer minimalist, for example, or period.
Chances are, it's a mixture. Track spotlights can sit comfortably alongside
Victorian shades, although they have to be mixed carefully. It is a shame to
cut into elaborate plasterwork ceilings to fit recessed down lights, and a
chrome-and-steel light fitting might look inappropriate hanging from a
Victorian ceiling rose.
Look
at the light when it's off as well as on - it can appear quite different. More
light will get through transparent shades than opaque ones, which give more
localised pools of light.
There
are two types of glare - direct and indirect.
Direct
glare occurs when you look at a bare bulb - you'll get spots before your eyes
and maybe see a lasting image, especially if you're in a darkened room.
Indirect
glare is caused by a reflection of light, perhaps in a television or computer
screen or even a polished surface. Avoid it by positioning lights so you can't
see the bulbs directly. Pendants hanging at eye level are especially
uncomfortable for dinner guests.
These
usually hang from the centre of the room. Used alone, they're the main cause of
the 'interrogation cell' look. Although they're a good starter for general lighting, they need a
boost from other sources.
They
tend to flatten shadows and cast a dim light. It helps to fit a dimmer or hang
them on an adjustable flex so you can change the height or clip them out of the
way. They come in a myriad of styles, from the ubiquitous paper lantern to
chandeliers.
Lighting
is often seen as a technical minefield, but many lights are easy to put in and
require no more than an understanding of basic electrical concepts. You should
be able to change a fuse, wire a 13 amp plug and know how to select the correct
size of fuse so that you don't overload a circuit.
Always
read the instructions for any fitting and keep them for future reference. If in
doubt, consult a qualified electrician. Once you get into changing the
permanent wiring of your house, complicated track lighting and
computer-activated lighting systems, it's time to call in the pros.
A tall, freestanding light with a heavy base,
which moves up, downand sideways.
Several
spotlights or floodlights can be attached to a track to take rows of LVTH or
mains-voltage lights with no need for a transfomer. You can use more than one
circuit, so you can have all the lights on at once or just some.
They
throw light onto the ceiling, which then bounces off, creating a soft look.
They work best in rooms with light-coloured ceilings, particularly in studies
as the fact that the light is directed upwards prevents glare.
Use
them behind sofas or large pieces of living room furniture. The light they
create matters more than the lamp, so they're usually tall and slender with
minimal decoration. Put them in corners or in pairs and fix them at eye level
or higher. A clip-on spotlight angled upwards creates the same effect.
Any
fitting mounted on the wall, from shades to frosted fittings. They diffuse
light gently into the room and are perfect for adding general lighting. Ceramic bowls
diffuse light towards the ceiling; translucent ones give a softer light.
They're perfect for hallways and living rooms.
They
give off an even stream of light. Often mounted on or recessed into the
ceiling. Sometimes only the silver reflector shows, which gives out a brilliant
light.
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