3 Reasons to Love Recessed Downlights... and Mistakes to Avoid
Consider these pros and cons before including recessed lighting in your interior design
Recessed downlights are a feature of many well-lit homes and a favourite tool of professional lighting designers. These often-discreet fixtures are great for adding drama or lighting benchtops, but they can also create overly dark interiors or even blinding glare when not designed properly. Here are three brilliant upsides to downlights and three common downsides to consider before installing them.
2. Focused (pushed) light: Ambient light sources such as pendants and lamps are not great at ‘pushing’ useable light down to benchtops, tables and reading chairs because their light beams break up before reaching their destination. Recessed downlights do this better. They also excel at illuminating double-height spaces, like the one shown here, especially when used with narrow beams.
The narrower a light beam is, the stronger it will shine on a particular spot. A spotlight, for example, provides a strong, focused beam of light, whereas a floodlight provides a wider but less-focused beam.
The narrower a light beam is, the stronger it will shine on a particular spot. A spotlight, for example, provides a strong, focused beam of light, whereas a floodlight provides a wider but less-focused beam.
3. Hidden light: Nothing beats a recessed downlight for delivering lumens discreetly. Sizes of recessed lights are getting smaller and smaller. In Australia and New Zealand, standard 90-millimetre LED downlights are giving way to 70-millimetre models, resulting in a more streamlined, cleaner-looking ceiling.
Browse more traditional living rooms on Houzz
Browse more traditional living rooms on Houzz
Cons of recessed lights
Like most things in life, recessed lights are not perfect. Three common problems created by recessed downlights are the ‘cave effect’, ‘glare bombs’ and ‘energy exits’. Read on to learn more about each of these lighting effects and how to avoid them at home.
Like most things in life, recessed lights are not perfect. Three common problems created by recessed downlights are the ‘cave effect’, ‘glare bombs’ and ‘energy exits’. Read on to learn more about each of these lighting effects and how to avoid them at home.
1. Cave effect: Lighting designers refer to the cave effect when describing rooms with recessed downlights that leave walls looking dark. This may be just right in a home theatre such as this one, but other rooms often need more layers of light to create a bright, comfortably lit space.
2. Glare bombs: Though they are usually marketed as ‘recessed’ downlights, some new LED fittings are barely recessed at all. With as little as six millimetres of recess and a bright frosted lens, these fixtures can be glare bombs that contribute to eyestrain, headaches and fatigue. This is especially true in open spaces where we relax and sit for long periods.
In this bright kitchen, however, the shallow LED fixtures along the room’s perimeter do a good job of illuminating the kitchen’s upper kitchen cabinets.
For overall ambient lighting in your home, try sticking with deeper recessed fittings.
In this bright kitchen, however, the shallow LED fixtures along the room’s perimeter do a good job of illuminating the kitchen’s upper kitchen cabinets.
For overall ambient lighting in your home, try sticking with deeper recessed fittings.
3. Energy exits: Recessed downlights are targets of energy specialists, as they create holes in the ceiling that can let heat escape during winter and let it in during summer. To minimise the costs and discomfort of energy loss, many manufacturers offer air-sealed or insulation-rated fixtures that limit heat loss. On an uninsulated porch such as this one, however, there is no need to worry about heat loss.
Your turn
Do you have recessed lighting in your home? Share your tips for using it well in the Comments below, like this story, save the images, and join the renovation conversation.
More
If you liked this story, you’ll love this one: Everything You Need to Know About Adding a Garden Arbour
Your turn
Do you have recessed lighting in your home? Share your tips for using it well in the Comments below, like this story, save the images, and join the renovation conversation.
More
If you liked this story, you’ll love this one: Everything You Need to Know About Adding a Garden Arbour
Why do many design professionals love downlights? Because when it comes to adding drama, creating focused (sometimes termed ‘pushed’) light or concealing a light source, recessed fittings are an ideal choice. Read on to learn more about these lighting effects and how to use them in your home.
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