Recessed Lighting Design

When we remodel and redecorate we tend to think in terms of furniture, carpets and walls repainted. But what is happening there at the ceiling, especially with the lighting, can have a significant impact on how we see the rest of the room. Installing recessed lighting can add a touch of elegance to any room. But it is important to understand the limitations and advantages of the recessed lighting.

If you replace a standard suspension fixture with a single recessed light, you'll probably be disappointed. Most conventional light fixtures that are suspended from the ceiling are designed to distribute light throughout the room. In fact, many fixtures to reflect more than 50 percent of their light on the ceiling before it descends into the room. Recessed lights can not do. Because the device is embedded in the ceiling beam of light is focused downward and does not reflect on the ceiling. You can still fill a room with light using recessed lighting, but it usually takes much more than just a fire in the middle of the ceiling.

Because of this limitation, the most important concept to understand the development of recessed lighting is the angle of the beam. The light coming down from a recessed fixture is shaped like a cone. Usually, the cone is not greater than 60 or 70 degrees wide. This is called the angle of the beam. When the light is on the floor, it will be a circle of 8 to 10 feet of light. From this circle of light, only 5 or 6 feet of the light environment is good, with the outside foot or two scattered and much less intense. If the light is directed down on a table or a table, then the cone of light will be even lower. This makes it ideal for spot lighting, recessed lighting features a main room. For example - works great recessed lighting above kitchen counter, above a desk in the den or pointing down on a table in the living room wall.

If you only want to use recessed lighting in a room, the best way to plan it out is to start with a floor plan of the room. Then draw the circles representing the beam angles of lighting and lamps that you intend to use. For example, a light 65-degree angle will produce a circle 10 feet in diameter of light on the ground if the light is 8 feet above the ground. This does not mean that we want to space the lights 10 feet. Because light is only good in the middle 5 or 6 feet, it is generally a good rule of thumb for fire within 5 or 6 feet away. The next step would be to hit 6-foot diameter circles in the floor plan and space about 5 feet away for a little overlap. Since you will not get the lamp overlap on the walls, the space of the first light in a row about half that distance from the wall. So, the first light would be about 30 cm from the wall, and the rest 5 feet apart.

This will give you a good overall light coverage for a standard room in a house. For task lighting, such as kitchen counter tops and bathroom mirrors, 4 light foot spacing or less is best. Because the illuminated area is much closer to the recessed light. After doing this, if you want a more intense lighting for a dining table or pictures on the wall, it is preferable to add recessed lighting. Putting those extra lights on a dimmer and separate switch will give you maximum flexibility and control of the lighting in your home.