Top tips for creating a functional and beautiful lighting plan
Lamps are lovely, but what about the ambience that’s notn quite so portable? Here’s our illuminating guide to architectural lighting
Nothing says hello like lighting. Apart from assisting with the fundamentals, such as helping you see and find your way around, lighting is key to creating your home’s mood and style. The right lighting can totally transform a space, making it brighter and bigger or cosy and intimate. A central source of light in all rooms is critical to a good lighting plan, and that’s where fixed lighting comes in. Let’s take a look at the main players.
1. track lighting
With track lighting, multiple light heads (generally four to six) sit on one power point. You often see it in kitchens, as it’s easy (and cost-effffective) to install. “The main difffference between track lighting and downlights is that you can adjust the individual lights on a track in difffferent directions, so they’re very effffective in task-oriented areas,” says Travis Bishop, managing director of Lighting Illusions (lightingillusions.com.au).
2. downlights Recessed downlights are staples of most home lighting plans. They provide functional, ambient light throughout the home; tend to be trend-proof; and blend nicely with other, more showy lights, such as pendants or lamps. “There’s no room in the house that you can’t use downlights,” says Travis. “Just make sure they can dim so they’re suitable for difffferent times of day.” Also, always choose a downlight with a good-quality aluminium setting for durability. “Lighting is like anything else,” says Travis. “You might find cheap versions, but there’s always a downside. You get what you pay for.” Although you can still buy halogen or CFC downlights, LEDs are by far the most popular because they save energy. Plus, you don’t have to get the ladder out very often to change them. 3. strip lighting LED strip lighting is becoming more common at home, especially on kickboards and under benches in kitchens. These strips produce indirect lighting that adds focus, texture and a layering effffect. You can even use them to add accent colour. But the real joy is in strip lighting’s flexibility; basically, it consists of tiny LED globes mounted on a flexible ‘ribbon’ of circuit board that you can bend around corners and fit to surfaces with shifting angles. You can also cut it to length without soldering. “Because the voltage is low, you can buy a 20-metre roll and DIY,” says Travis. “But there are technical factors, such as voltage drop and heat dissipation, to consider, so it’s always best to consult an electrician to make sure the job gets done safely and correctly.” 4. wall lights When you want to send light up, down, up and down, or straight out; the best type of wall light for you depends on the look you want to create. Light going up or down the wall provides an indirect wash of light and is ideal for creating a mood. “Often, people choose wall lights because they don’t have a power source in the ceiling – for example, if they live in an apartment or townhouse with someone living above,” says Travis. “Otherwise, wall lights are purely for aesthetics.” One consideration is whether they’ll get in the way; recessed wall lights are popular in hallways and stairways for this reason. Also be aware that if your walls have imperfections, wall lights are likely to highlight these. 5. surface mounted If you have a ceiling with no cavity (for example, a concrete slab) and you want recessed downlights, you’ll have to drop the ceiling to accommodate them. Or you can install surface-mounted downlights or oyster lights, which are easy to install and maintain. “Oyster lights used to be quite deep, but the new LED ones don’t need to house a globe, so they can be almost flush with the ceiling,” says Travis.