24 August 2018

Some Tips on How to Select Lamps for Your House

The need for walls and a roof to protect us from the elements brings with it the need to provide artificial illumination once darkness falls. In practice, depending upon the direction in which a particular room may be oriented, some additional lighting may even prove necessary on a dull day. For use both within and outside the house, the range of light fittings available to the consumer today is surprisingly extensive, so it will be necessary to ensure that each of those you may choose will be suitable for the purpose you have in mind.

In making your choice, there are two primary components to be considered, namely the source of the illumination itself and the nature of any fixture or fitting that may be required to support it. Of course, since lighting can play such a prominent role in creating the desired ambience of the illuminated space, there will be many other factors to be considered, such as whether you are aiming to create a traditional feel or something more in keeping with the twenty-first century lifestyle. With house light fittings of all shapes and sizes, and made from timber, glass, plastics, and assorted metals, the possibilities are almost endless.

Before making your selection, however, you need to be quite clear about exactly what you want from your new lighting. Ideally, you should be aiming to gain the maximum effect, whilst simultaneously attempting to keep the number of fixtures required to achieve this to a minimum. One factor that is becoming increasingly important is the need to be more conservative in our use of energy. It is a need that applies not only to our use of economical alternatives to fossil fuels, but also to the need to maximise the energy efficiency of the illumination used in our house light fittings.

Where more intense levels of illumination are likely to be required, such as in a living room or a study, light-emitting diodes (LED) can provide a highly economical option when used as the main source of overhead lighting. At other times, the less intense and more subtle glow from a compact fluorescent light bulb (CFL) in a table-top fixture will serve as a more restful option when it’s time to relax and, perhaps, take the time to enjoy a good book. If you have paintings or some interesting curios, accent lighting could highlight them perfectly.

In the bedroom, you might want separate task lighting to illuminate the dressing table, while preferring the house light fitting that will provide the main overhead source to be more subtle. CFLs controlled by a dimmer could be the perfect option but, to enjoy their full benefits, you will need to make sure that the dimmer switch is within easy reach of your bed.

A word of caution may be appropriate. Nobody can deny that the effect of a chandelier can be impressive, however, before you splash out on the biggest one you can afford, do be sure that your ceiling is high enough and that there is a conveniently located joist that is strong enough to support it.