Ceiling lights - an integral and important element of the design of living and working spaces. They create the right light. The article details the types of ceiling lights, provides recommendations and useful tips for installation.

What it is

Ceiling lamp - a stationary source of artificial lighting, which gives diffused, directional or reflected light. It is fixed on the ceiling, and is of paramount importance in the local and general lighting of apartments, workplaces. With the help of a ceiling lamp the right light is created in every area of a room.

Classification

According to the method of attachment, ceiling lights are:

suspended;
surface-mounted;
recessed (spot).

Pendant

Pendant lights are all familiar chandeliers. Despite the idle talk that chandeliers - a bygone era, they still decorate the interior of almost every apartment and office. First of all, it is practical and efficient.

Description and types of ceiling fixtures

The great advantage of chandeliers is that they can be installed on the ceiling of any material, and the light will be evenly diffused throughout the room.

There are many kinds of chandeliers on the market now. When choosing should be based on the characteristics of the room, its size. The chandelier should not look huge in a small room and vice versa.

Overhead .

This type of ceiling lights is notable for its low cost. Pendant lamp is easy to install with your own hands, it will not take much effort. It consists of a plastic body with parts and wires, attached to the ceiling with wall plugs and turbo screws.

The most common recessed lighting fixtures hang on the kitchen ceiling

Most often, overhead lights hang on the ceiling of the kitchen, a room with a low ceiling, bathroom, bedroom.

Before you buy a lamp for the bathroom, you should look closely at the second digit of the index IP. It shows how the lamp is protected against moisture. The index should be at least 4, preferably 5.

Recessed (spot)

Such luminaires are built directly into the suspended ceiling. For rooms with unusual construction, avant-garde design, unique interior, this solution is the best.

With their help, you can create exciting light patterns, give the room more uniqueness.

Recessed lights often have a special coating of the body: brushed brass, chrome, bronze, by design can be rotary or not. The former can be directed in the desired direction manually, the latter are static and shine only on one area of the room.

According to the method of lighting ceiling fixtures are divided into 4 types:

diffuse lighting;
directional lighting;
indirect lighting;
combined.

Experience of using spotlights instead of chandeliers

Scattered light fixtures have frosted plafonds or special scattering components. The light spreads evenly throughout the room. Direct light fixtures emit light that is concentrated in a specific area. In indirect lighting, the flow of light is reflected from the walls and ceiling, allowing it to be evenly dispersed throughout the room. Combination luminaires direct a stream of light upwards and downwards at the same time. There are variants in which the light is directed in different directions asymmetrically. In some advanced models, you can adjust the direction and intensity of light.

LED-lights versus chandeliers: which is better

Nowadays, fixtures with built-in LED module are very popular.

They have a number of undoubted advantages:

The device gives light that is evenly distributed throughout the entire area of the room.
For a long time you can forget about replacing the bulb.
LED-lighting significantly reduces energy consumption.
It does not overheat.
It is possible to switch light modes (daylight, cool, warm).
Longevity (up to 15 years).

In addition, in favor of LED is a lower cost than a good chandelier. However, the chandelier looks much more beautiful and can completely change the visual perception of the room. From a purely practical point of view, in the "confrontation" of LED-lamps and chandeliers, it is fair to talk about a tie. Both types of ceiling lights have a number of pros and cons. So the purchase of one or another device is usually conditioned by personal choice, as well as the tasks and peculiarities of room design.

Choosing a light fixture for each room

When selecting a ceiling light fixture, you need to have a clear understanding of what room it is needed for. For example, in a small room with a low ceiling will be sufficient chandelier with 1-3 lamps. For a spacious room is better to buy a lamp with a large number of light diffusers. To get a better understanding of this, it is worth stopping at each room in the house.

Corridor and hallway

For corridors and hallways are best suited overhead or recessed lights. Firstly, they are compact, and secondly, the pendant means you can inadvertently catch your hand when taking off your outerwear. It is important that the lamps give natural daylight, because it is a mirror in the hallway will help to choose the right tone of makeup and clothing.

If the corridor is long, you can install several lamps linearly, along the entire length of the ceiling.

Living room and kitchen

How to choose the right light for such a multifunctional room as the living room? Watching a movie in the evening, reading, having dinner with guests, working at home - all these things tend to happen in the living room. The answer is clear: it is worth buying a ceiling light with adjustable brightness and intensity of the luminous flux. This will allow you to achieve the right lighting for any occasion. If the living room already has a chandelier, but the light from it is always the same, there is no need to dismantle it. It is enough to install an additional pair of overhead or recessed light sources to get the desired variability. Without a chandelier they will give a soft cozy lighting, with it they will further enhance the lighting. These principles are also true for the kitchen.

Bedroom

The bedroom needs soft, warm light. It is suitable for reading and rest, does not negatively affect the eyes. Next to the desk or mirror, you can additionally install a bright source of light - built-in or suspended, to turn it on when needed.

Rules for the selection of lighting in the children's room, in the bedroom and in the whole house in general.

Children's

The principle of choosing a lamp in the nursery is the same as in the corridor. The child can play, jump on the bed and accidentally catch the suspension, so it is better to use recessed or surface models. The second principle - the light should be adjustable. A child spends most of his time in the nursery, doing different things - from playing with friends and watching cartoons to doing homework - and different light intensities are required for each occasion. The trendy varieties of smart lights, for example, can be programmed with their own scenarios and times of changing the brightness of the light. This will help the child to develop a stable daily routine.

If a child's room is divided into several zones - for sleeping, lessons, reading, games - a separate light source can be installed above each of them. Zonal lighting with floor lamps, table lamps, sconces also comes in handy.

Bathroom

In the bathroom, you can install both LED, as well as ordinary overhead lamp.

The main thing here - reliable protection from moisture. First of all, you should pay attention to the second digit in the IP index: it shows the degree of protection. The normal value - from 4 and above.

How to choose a luminaire for the type of ceiling

The key is the compatibility of the luminaire and the material of the ceiling. It's not always going to be "peace and love" between the two.

Concrete ceilings. On a normal concrete ceiling with whitewashed and other finishes, you can install any light fixture, without restriction.
Wood, drywall .. Ceilings made of flammable materials like plasterboard allows the installation of any suspended and overhead models. With recessed lights should be more careful. The main thing is that the lamps should not overheat the ceiling. LED recessed model will be suitable for this purpose.
Stretch ceilings

modern kind of ceilings need only LED devices.

For this modern type of ceiling, only LED fixtures are needed.

Ordinary lamps can cause the material to overheat, which will affect the appearance of the stretch ceiling.

Useful tips

The most popular and simple solution for the home is considered a large ceiling fixture, ordinary or LED, located in the center of the room.

An option for a standard square room in a classic or retro style.

But no matter how all-encompassing the lighting, it is better to make additional zonal lighting - for example, in the corners of the room, away from the main light source. This will help to create local lighting for reading areas, tables, etc.

Modern trends in interior design of rooms provide for the rejection of the chandelier, hung in the center of the room. Instead of it, you can install a light fixture of an unusual kind in a small distance from the center. Another option - to develop its own scheme, which will be pendant, overhead and recessed lights. The main thing is to properly disperse them relative to the center of the room in order to achieve efficiency.

At the planning stage of buying a light fixture, you should not only be guided by the available budget, but also think rationally. Overly cheap, though beautiful, chandelier is a sure loser. Often these models provide an uneven flow of light, and some parts of the room are over-lit, and others are insufficiently lit. In addition, these chandeliers have a high risk of premature breakage. The best option - not too expensive chandelier from a trusted company, with a good reputation in the market.