How to pick the best downlights for your home in 2019
Energy efficient, subtle, and with a huge variety to choose from, downlights are an understandably popular lighting option in modern homes. Invented in the 40s, downlights have come a long way since then.
What is a downlight?
A downlight is a light fitting that emits light in a, you guessed it, downwards direction, by emitting a narrow-angled beam of focused and intense light. This provides the area within the beam with bright, clear lighting. When placed at strategic intervals in a ceiling, downlights allow you to design the exact level and placement of lighting you desire in your house. The invention of LED downlights has rendered this lighting option even more cost and energy-efficient, a perfect choice for eco-conscious homeowners.
LED Downlights
LED, short for Light Emitting Diode, has been around since 1907, although it only hit its stride as a preferred lighting technology around 2008. LED has become an incredibly popular lighting option thanks to its energy-saving properties and bright, white light.
Surface Mounted Downlights
Surface Mounted Downlights sit on top of the ceiling, rather than requiring you to cut a hole in the roof to install them. For this reason they don’t need to be fire-tested, and are much more cost-effective and simple way to install downlights. Or maybe you’ve got exposed beams of piping in your home? Surface downlights are the perfect way to achieve a targeted, even, downlight effect in your home.
Gimble Downlights
Gimble downlights are downlights that allow you to rotate the bulb, allowing you to change the narrow beam of light as you need. As mentioned above, downlights emit a narrow, concentrated beam, which allows a very specific lighting design. However if your lighting needs change, for example in a commercial or office space, in a gallery or showroom or even if you enjoy moving your furniture around, you’ll want to go for gimble lights. That way, when your lighting needs change, for example a corner needs to be more illuminated than before, or you wish to take attention away from a storage or damaged area, gimble downlights will allow you to achieve this.
Recessed Downlights
The yin to surface downlights’ yang, recessed downlights blend seamlessly into the environment around them. Extremely popular in newly constructed houses, recessed downlights allow you to achieve a concentrated, purposeful lighting design in a subtle manner. Be careful though, because the bulbs are mounted into the ceiling, there are more safety risks, and you’ll need to purchase fire tested globes.
Outdoor Downlights
Your garden may be the pride and joy of your house, perfectly lit and designed to thrive in the outdoor sun. However when night falls, your work is forgotten. Enter outdoor downlights. Outdoor downlights enable you to illuminate and show off parts of your garden, porch or courtyard otherwise relegated to an iPhone flashlight or solar powered light spikes. Whether for safety, mobility or aesthetic reasons, outdoor downlights are an efficent and effective way to light your outdoor space.
We hope you found this article useful. If you’re ready to start investigating downlight options, read more here
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