Ceiling Light Buyers Guide
A beautiful room cannot be effectively appreciated without the help of a reliable light source. It’s true that tall glass windows give a room a chic and modern look while providing an ample amount of natural light in, but what about during the night? This job is usually done by ceiling lights.
Different Types
Chandeliers
Starting with a heavyweight option, chandeliers are the perfect choice if you want to instantly give your room a touch of class and luxury. An excellent source of light, chandeliers go strong for both ornamental and functional purposes.
Beautifully crafted to be hanged on ceilings, chandeliers are usually designed with gentle curves and multiple light bulbs. Chandeliers are also a crowd favourite for their versatility, being able to suit most types of rooms such as the dining room, the library, the reception area, or even the study.
Flush Fixtures
As opposed to the grandeur of the mighty chandelier, flush fixtures are more homely and simple. Flush fixtures are characterised by being mounted directly on the wall or ceiling without the use of any sort of chain or structure.
However, the flush fixture makes up for the lack of grandeur with complete versatility. Expect this type of lighting option to feel right in any kind of room with a wide array of options to choose from.
Semi-Flush Fixtures
As the name dictates, the semi-flush fixtures hang below the ceiling by about 4 to 8 inches. This feature allows semi-flush fixtures to have more style in them, giving artists more room to creatively express themselves in beautiful designs fitting for all kinds of themes.
With the semi-flush fixtures hanging by a bit, it can give a room an extra taste of flavour without being too extravagant like a chandelier.
Recessed Lighting
The best option for low-hanging ceilings, recessed lighting makes use of fixtures being built directly into the ceilings. Due to the recessed nature of this type of lighting, it does not diffuse light into the room as effectively as other lighting options.
In addition, they work better in conjunction with other lighting options more as a source of ambient lighting rather than a sole light source. This type of lighting when done well can make a room look extremely good, but a downside to recessed lighting is a relatively more difficult installation process.
Pendant Lights
A pendant light is a kind of lighting option that hangs low below the ceiling, which is why it is also called a drop or suspender. It is a single fixture that can feature a single light bulb, but more often than not, it is used with multiple light bulbs.
Pendant lights are characterised by the light bulbs hanging low, usually from a chain, cord, or rod. This kind of lighting gives a room an excellent ambience and works effectively above a dining room or kitchen island.
Materials
Glass
With its sense of fragility, glass has always exuded a sense of luxury. It is a popular choice for a light fixture material because its natural transparency gives it the ability to effortlessly diffuse light in all directions of the room.
Another reason why glass is a popular choice for home designers is that the transparency also makes it easy to blend in most room situations.
Fabric
While glass is cold to the touch, fabric light fixtures can give a sense of warmth and cosiness, making it a perfect choice for rooms in need of a sense of homes, such as the dining room, living room, or even bedrooms.
Crystal
As opposed to glass, crystal is more ornate and is commonly used in chandeliers, semi-flush fixtures and pendant lights. Although more expensive than glass, crystal light fixtures are more decorative and are suited for rooms and spaces in need of an extra source of pizazz. However, the use of crystal light fixtures must be used correctly because it can easily overpower a room.
Metal
Gaining popularity due to the increased demand for the modern look, metal light fixtures can be extremely ornate with wrought iron. But more often, metal light fixtures are simple and make use of a lot of straight lines. Metal light fixtures are also perfect for those wanting an industrial look.
Factors to Consider
Function
If you are like most people, you are in the market for ceiling lighting to get some light into the room, which means that the most important factor you have to consider is how much light is going to be provided for your room. For this, most go for the affordable option of maybe a flush or semi-flush lighting, or even pendant lights.
Aesthetics
Although the primary function of lighting is to provide light into the room, it cannot be helped that you will be adding an aesthetic piece into the space - unless you’re going for recessed lighting.
There are a lot of options and materials to choose from, so with a little patience and research, you will most definitely find a lighting option that will go smoothly with the decor of the rest of the room.
Dimensions
There are some numbers you have to consider, such as the size of the room and the height of the ceiling. Not that it’s prohibited, but it would be difficult to fit a full-sized chandelier into the bathroom, nor would it be advisable.
For high ceilings, it is recommended to have something that hangs, such as a semi-flush or a pendant light to contrast the height, while low ceilings should do well with flush fixtures.
Maintenance
Light fixtures minimally need maintenance but consider one of the most common maintenance practices for light fixtures: changing the light bulbs. Getting an extremely ornate option with a dozen light bulbs would surely be more difficult than a simple pendant light with a single light bulb. If you are the kind of person that does not enjoy changing light bulbs, then maybe take time to consider this point.
Care and Cleaning
Observe the Proper Wattage
Light bulbs come in different wattages, which also differentiates their brightness and power consumption. That said, make sure you’re getting the light bulbs that match the proper wattage to avoid burning out.
Proper Disposal of Light Bulbs
The proper disposal of light bulbs may differ from area to area, but take note that light bulbs can break and form sharp shards in the trash, making it a hazard. The proper disposal of light bulbs will reduce the risk of any accidents occurring.
Periodic cleaning
Dust can slowly accumulate on your light fixtures, making them both ineffective and visually displeasing. By periodically cleaning the light fixtures, this ensures that you’re getting the maximum amount of light your lighting source is providing.
Conclusion
With so many choices in types and materials, choosing your next ceiling light can be as fun as it can be exhausting. Make sure you get one that fits in the room both literally and aesthetically and remember to take care of them to get the most out of them.