What are the downlight fixtures?
- Downlight fixtures are canned or recessed light fixtures that are installed in the ceilings.
Recessed lights, if used correctly can bring life to the room. However, if they’re just thrown up on the ceiling without considering any facts, they can make the fanciest room turn into the terrible one leaving a few spaces too illuminated and a few corners too dark.
So, choosing a down-light that matches the rest of the interior is extremely important. There are a few factors which must be taken under consideration in order to perfectly light up your place.
Here’s a complete guide, down there, on down-lights: what to consider, and what to plan while opting for down-lighting fixtures in your home.
Have a look!
There are two reasons for examining ceiling height.
High-intensity down-light for high ceilings:
One is, that the higher the ceiling is, the far away the down-light will be from the spot you need it for.
So consider high-intensity light for high ceilings, and also know the angle, and area of the beam, so that space shall be rightly illuminated.
A wide downlight fixture for high ceilings:
Another reason for knowing ceiling height before installing a downlight fixture is the width of the downlight fixture itself. You need a wide opening of the fixture if you have a high ceiling.
- For a standard height ceiling, the light fixture should be 3 inches wide.
Note:
In recent times due to stronger light bulbs, those 6 inch wide fixtures don’t hold any more importance. It just carves huge holes in the ceiling, doing more damage than good.
What Is The Color of Your Ceiling?
White ceilings:
If you have a white ceiling it is easy to choose the down-light since most lights have their ring edges in white color.
Other than white color ceilings:
However, if you have a ceiling painted in a different color, (say any bright color) the white-rimmed light is going to make the ceiling, and the light both look extremely terrible.
- To overcome that, choose the lights in which you’re able to paint the rim with the color of your choice.
- This is a cost-effective way to deal with the different-colored ceiling.
If you’re able to afford an expensive (albeit classy) solution, go for trim-less recessed light fixtures.
These need special equipment that goes all the way into the ceiling and does not show over the ceiling and gives a neat look.
- It goes very well with contemporary styled spaces and fits really well.
If you have a wooden ceiling a bronze rimmed down-light will work best.
What Should be The Interior Color of The DownLight Fixture?
The internal color of downlight fixture really matters in terms of how well you want the light to be reflected. The internal color really influences the look of your ceiling during day and night timings.
White-colored reflectors:
The white colored fixtures reflect brighter light and look great even during the day when the lights are turned off if you have a white-colored ceiling.
Frosted reflectors inside fixtures:
The frosted reflectors tend to throw a lot of flares so it is better not to place them in the main setting and rather leave those for the inside of a closet or in cabinets.
Black colored reflectors:
These are great at hiding the source of the light really well. They are perfect for dark-colored ceilings as they mix and match very well with the ceiling color and make the best outlook but these black colored interiors of fixtures leave dark spots during the day time when they’re turned off.
Nickel colored reflectors:
Nickel colored reflectors inside the downlight fixtures are best when you want to use anything between black-white ones as they reflect a nice amount of light and do not leave bad-looking spots during the daytime.
Where Do You Want to Install Down-light Lighting Fixtures?
While down-lights are generally used for lighting up any area, there are certain kinds of down-lights to be used for specific areas only.
The important point to ponder is where you want to install the fixture.
Fixed down-lights:
Fixed down-lights can be generally used like down-lights for bedrooms.
Adjustable recessed lights:
But for task areas consider the nonadjustable recessed lights; for instance: countertops, over the stove, or for reading. These help in focusing the light in a place where it is required the most.
Wall wash trim:
Use wall wash trim over art, photo frames, or life-sized mirrors for illuminating that specific picture/art making it distinguished from the rest of the walls.
- Bear in mind the different styles of ceilings support different kinds of down-lights.
Down-lights for sloped ceilings:
Sloped ceilings have specially designed down-lights and these are specified only for angular/sloped ceilings (staircase ceiling).
What Should Be The Temperature Of Light?
The temperature of light bulbs should be in accordance with the overall theme that you have. The wrong temperature bulbs will feel like everything is flying east and west. So, know beforehand about color temperatures of light bulbs, and LEDs before you purchase them.
- Soft white Bulb light: This is usually warm, and yellow.
- Bright white bulb light: It is between white and blue tones.
- Warm white bulb light: Warm light bulb is towards yellowish-white tones and flexible to use.
- Daylight bulb light: It is towards bluish tones, and it maximizes color contrast.
While these are very important questions, here’s a few more to narrow your choice down to that one perfect piece.
How Much Spacing Between The Lights Should You Have?
Generally, space can be calculated by dividing the height of the ceiling by 2.
For instance:
If you have a 12-inch ceiling the lights should be installed 6 feet apart from each other. The correct spacing is necessary to avoid any overly-brightened area or vice versa.
Can You Use Dimmers in Downlighting Fixtures?
Dimmers are an important feature and should be placed where you want to lessen or brighten the light on different occasions/ times.
For example:
A bright room on Christmas day is your go-to look but a nice dim setting on the anniversary is all you want for a nice layout. Turns out, you can have both if you have dimmer supportive down-lights.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. How do I choose a down-light?
Choose a down-light with higher lumens for better lighting impact. But, if the room already has the bright right, choose the brightness level that perfectly fits in the room’s surroundings.
Q. What wattage LED down-light do I need?
If you have a standard room size between 2.4m to 2.7m in height, 9W to 15W LED down-lights wattage will be enough for you.
Q. Do you need an electrician to change down-lights?
Yes, if you’re an amateur, you probably would need a licensed electrician to install/ change the down-lights.
Q. Do LED downlights get hot?
Yes, LED down-lights do get hot, but not like other ordinary bulbs. This is because; LED light bulb comes up with a heat sink that draws away from the heat from the LED bulb as it operates.
Q. How do I know if my down-lights are LED?
If you notice that the light glows slightly yellow, or of orange color, while you switch it off, then your light is very likely to be the LED down-light.
The Core-Crux
The down-lights aren’t hard to choose no-go territory. It’s just if you plan right from the beginning and have a bit of knowledge over these questions beforehand, you can choose the best light for your home.
The color temperature affects the over-all look so choose the one that goes with your layout. The internal color of the downlight fixture will have a different impact during day and night so choose wisely and choose the one that goes in both kinds of settings.
- Use dimmer friendly light fixtures for better control over brightness.
We hope that this guide will help you make the right choice. Happy shopping!
