Lighting can be one of the most critical decorating elements in your room. It can set the tone for your living space and highlight or obscure different design elements. When you are considering what lighting you want you have a huge range to choose from. One popular choice is ceiling lights. They are versatile and can be easy to install.
One thing to take into consideration is whether you want to use an existing set of wiring for your light, or if you are willing to wire in new lights. This can make the difference in which kinds of lighting you can choose from. It is fairly simple to swap out fixtures but if you are working at running new lines and creating new fixtures you may want to consider hiring a professional electrician to make sure they are properly and safely installed.
There are a few decisions you need to make when you are deciding what kind of ceiling lights to put in. One key factor to take into account is what you use the room for. Will you need task specific lighting? One example of this is lighting in a kitchen that will allow you to work in a well lit environment. The use of the room can make all the difference in the kind of lighting you choose.
One good choice for lighting which is suitable for task specific areas is track lighting. These are multiple light fixtures which are spread along a track. This track can be straight or curved. There is also a range in the number of lights on the track. Some track lighting allows you to move the lights along the track and others are fixed in position but can be rotated. The benefit of track lighting is that the lights can be swiveled in different directions so that they can be focused on different parts of the room. This provides area specific lighting for work areas and also provides area lighting for the room in general.
Another example of lighting which can highlight specific areas is recessed lighting. Unlike a track lighting fixture which hangs down from the ceiling, recessed lighting is set up into the ceiling. Inside is a swiveling socket where you place the bulb. People often love this style of lighting since it is low profile and can be combined with other lighting methods. This allows you to design a room where certain areas, such as a reading area, are highlighted using direct lighting, but the remainder of the room uses a softer, indirect lighting method such as a floor lamp or wall sconce.
Another option which is quite popular is a ceiling fan which also includes a lighting fixture. These are becoming increasingly popular as people are looking for ways to conserve energy. Ceiling fans can help circulate air in the room, making it feel cooler or warmer depending on the preference of the user and the direction the blades are circulating. Many people are replacing old overhead lighting fixtures with lit ceiling fans. There are many choices with regard to color, size and number of blades.
Once you have your ceiling lights installed, you should give some thought to the bulbs that you are putting in them. There are kinds of light bulbs including incandescent, halogen and fluorescent. There are other specialty bulbs including compact fluorescent and LED or light emitting diodes. Specific fixtures are designed for specific bulbs so this is also something you should take into account when selecting your fixture. If you use a bulb that is oddly shaped you may find it difficult to replace them when they do eventually burn out.
Ceiling lights can add a lot of character to a room and make it more functional as well. By treating lighting design with the same care as you do the rest of your interior design, you can get the look you want and avoid costly disappointments.
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Annie is an expert furniture and interior design writer