Indoor Lighting Planning and Installation

Updated, well-designed indoor lighting can transform the feel and functionality of your home.

When deciding on indoor lights, there are two things you’ll need to consider:

• The size of your room.This will determine how many lighting fixtures you will need. Most rooms will require more than one lighting fixture to produce even, practical illumination.
• The purpose of the light. This will determine the type of lighting fixture you will need. As well as general lighting, there are two main types of indoor lighting: accent lighting and task lighting. Accent lighting highlights interesting features of your home. Task lighting illuminates a workspace to improve functionality.

Types of Lights

There are many different lighting fixtures and bulbs available. There are five main light bulbs that are used in residential properties in Australia:

• Light emitting diode (LED): LED lights are a popular choice for lighting due to their energy efficiency and long life span.  LEDs are fast replacing halogen lights.
• Incandescent: Unlike LED, standard incandescent bulbs are not efficient and have a poor life span. Because of this, these bulbs are being phased out.
• Fluorescent tube: Fluorescent tube lighting is a moderately efficient way to light large areas, such as garages.
• Compact fluorescent lamps: These light bulbs are quite efficient, and give off less heat than incandescent and halogen globes.
• Halogen globes: Halogen globes create a bright, white light, making them perfect task lights.  However these are fast being phased out due to their poor efficiency and  hot operating temperatures.

Lighting Planning and Design

Each room in your home will require different lighting planning, and that’s something we have a lot of experience with.

• Hallway lighting: Usually, hallways have minimal access to natural light, and therefore need to be well lit. Do keep in mind, however, that your hallway will receive light from connected rooms.
• Bedroom lighting: Bedrooms can get away with a single, central lighting fixture. If you wish to install reading lights, position them behind the reader to avoid shadows. Children’s rooms should be well lit to allow for playing and may have a task light over their desk to help them focus on their homework!
• Bathroom Lighting: Bathrooms require task lighting around mirrors and sinks. Multiple lights will give you a bright, even light (no shadows), perfect for around mirrors. Lighting over showers will need to be waterproofed. For recessed lighting, we can fit a waterproof cover.
• Kitchen Lighting: Like bathrooms, kitchens require task lighting. If a kitchen has only one light source, you will constantly be working in your own shadow. Bench tops should be lit from above – you can also have lights installed under wall cupboards.