Downlights
How To Use Downlights Stylishly In Your Home
Downlights are a modern and simple way to brighten up your house with style. They’re easy to install and highly flexible, too. In this article, we’ll talk about how you can use downlights in your home to create an amazing vibe while maintaining your style. Check it out.
Plan the Layout
Planning the perfect layout is crucial for achieving the best use of downlights. Your space and lighting requirements will dictate how you’ll use downlights, and you must consider the following factors:- Focal points: you’ll need more light in some areas and less in others, so focal points are a crucial consideration. For instance, you might need downlights to provide adequate and impactful lighting to your favorite decor or display.
- Room utility: the brightness level required for each room is important, and they’re typically dictated by the usage of the rooms. This consideration works hand-in-hand with focal points.
- Shadows: downlights shouldn’t be installed too close to the ceiling edges. Otherwise, there will be unnecessary shadows, making the room feel gloomy. Space your downlights evenly across the space to balance the light.
Decide Their Purpose
Think about incorporating downlights based on your lighting purpose. With focal points and room utility in mind, here are some best practices you can use when using downlights for effective lighting.Layering
Downlights are great for layering since they’re a great source of light on their own. With proper planning, they can create cohesion and functionality in your space while maintaining a stylish and atmospheric vibe. Downlights come in various finishes, so they’re a great complement to other sources of light in your room, such as wall lights and pendant lights. For instance, many homeowners layer downlights with pendant lights in their kitchen to create visual impact and functionality.Task Lighting
Downlights, specifically tiltable variants, are great for task lighting. Not only do they add style and minimalism to a room; they also provide a direct source of light for areas where you carry out tasks.Improved Colors
Certain paint colors and objects look different in different lights, thanks to a concept called color rendering index (CRI). These color variations can be dealbreakers when in interior design. Luckily, high CRI downlights exist. These downlights provide greater clarity and enhanced color differentiation to objects. They’re also a source of more “natural” lighting. As a result, they’re a great source of light to use when preparing food or doing color-based activities such as painting or designing. They tie your room together and work well with décor and furnishings. On the flipside, dimmable downlights also exist, and they let you play with the light to set the mood. They work particularly well when you have an open space where you can control different zone using dimmer switches.How To Calculate the Number of Lights You Need
While there are no hard and fast rules for determining the number of downlight fixtures you need, the general practice is as follows:- Measure the square footage of your room. You can do this by multiplying its width by its depth.
- Multiply the figure you get by 1.5. The result will give you a basis for the total wattage necessary to light the space.
- Select the bulb and wattage you want to use. Then, divide the total wattage you previously calculated by the wattage you want to use. The result is the number of light fixtures you need.