Lighting up your home with down lights

Downlights are extremely versatile, can be installed anywhere in the home and give a sophisticated touch to any interior. With a variety available, downlights offer an attractive solution to any interior lighting design.

Still one of the most elegant forms of interior lighting, downlights are great for creating an upmarket feel in your home. As the light fitting is recessed into the ceiling cavity, downlights provide a clean and low-profile look that complements most modern home interiors.

Will down lights work in any area of my home?

Downlights can be installed anywhere in your home and are perfect for creating even lighting around a room or highlighting a feature wall or painting. Available in round and square designs, the globes can be fixed or adjustable, meaning the angle of the light can be moved, depending on your needs. They are also hardy lights, with weather-rated varieties for protection against the elements when installed outdoors, and fire-rated models for built-in fire resistance.

What kinds of down lights can I get?

The main types of home lighting downlights available are low-voltage halogen downlights and 240V/GU10 downlights. The main difference is in the globes and the light fitting itself, as low-voltage halogen downlights require a transformer, whereas the other types can run directly off mains power.

There are many benefits to low-voltage halogen globes, according to Ramesha from national company, Crompton Lighting. "Low-voltage halogen dichroic globes offer a brighter, crisper light than standard incandescent globes, and have a significantly longer life, too," she says. This can be a major benefit if the light fitting is in a hard-to-reach spot.

"They also give precise and even light distribution, and save around 20% on energy compared to incandescent globes offering the same light output," says Ramesha.

A cheaper alternative, the 240V/GU10 downlights do not require the use of a transformer and work largely in the same way. There are some minor differences, however, as the light emitted is yellower in colour, can appear slightly duller, and the globes don't last as long.

How do I choose which down lighting is right for me?

When choosing lighting in the form of downlight globes, it's important to consider the volume of light required, which is measured in 'beam spread'. "For general and task lighting, down lights with a wide beam spread of 60 is ideal," says Ramesha. "A narrower beam spread of 40 is more suited to accent lighting, such as highlighting a special painting or ornament."

Where softer light is required, for example in a bedroom, a dimmer switch can be used. Weather-rated downlights are perfect for use in 'wet' areas like the bathroom, or even under the eaves of your house to provide bright external lighting for your garden.

Also available are fire-rated downlights, which provide protection against ceiling insulation that may impinge on the light fitting. "The aluminium heat hood and fireguard cylinder acts as a heat sink and provides fire resistance," explains Ramesha.

When planning to install lighting downlights in your home, it's important to get the right advice. Search online for a lighting professional in your area: