Lighting industry has evolved past the boring old fashioned fluorescent lighting for every area. Nowadays, light manufacturers have introduced several fixtures in the market which determine the aspects of decoration in indoor spaces and mostly residential and commercial.
One of the most popular light fixtures which covers almost every aspect of lighting with great detail is LED recessed lights.
What are LED recessed lights?
LED recessed light fixtures are commonly known as pot lights or can lights. They got their name from the housing of the fixture which is shaped like a pot and it holds all the electrical components inside it.
The housing sits inside the ceiling and it requires a bit of clearance to regulate the heat transfer between the fixture and the ceiling. The housing of recessed lights is IC rated and NON IC rated. They require a bit of clearance above the ceiling for efficient function
How are recessed lights modern day decorative lights?
Recessed lights are generally ceiling lights; also named as downlights due to their ability to project light downwards from the ceiling. The outermost part of a recessed light fixture is a trim and they are the biggest reason why these lights can create almost all aspects of lighting.
Decorative lighting is only achievable through three basic layers of lighting. The different trim designs have the capability to produce as well as blend in these layers.
Three basic layers of lighting are:
General lighting
General lighting is the kind of lighting which provides effective illumination at all levels within a closed space. This lighting pattern is uniform and across every corner of the room. This pattern is the key for adequate illumination.
The general lighting pattern is achieved by several different fixtures or by placing LED recessed lights equidistant from each other across the ceiling. The trim designs of LED recessed lights which produce general lighting pattern are:
- Open trim
- Baffle trim
- Reflector trim
Accent lighting
Accent lighting is the superficial layer of lighting and it produces an extra blend of lighting to accentuate or highlight important zones within the room. It adds artistic appeal to the room and highlights important features such as walls, monuments, collectibles etc.
Task lighting
Task lighting is overhead lighting for task spaces within the room. These lights have a very tight beam angle which constricts light over desirable areas, within a desirable beam angle only. Task lighting is super focused and helps with enhancing detail in the task over hand.
The trim designs which feature the task and accent lighting are:
- Pinhole trim
- Eyeball trim
- Gimbal trim
- Wall wash trim
To learn about how LED recessed lights enhance the appeal of indoor spaces and how to install them, click here.
Advantages of installing LED pot lights
1. Compatibility
LED recessed lights are highly compatible in any ceiling design or type as the housings of these fixtures are rated for different ceiling designs and types. Few of the housing types are:
- Sloped ceiling housing: for contemporary architecture or refurbishing old spaces with modern day lighting where every other light fixture fail to comply.
- New construction housing: it is for newer areas which already have space above the ceiling for the installation of recessed lighting.
- Remodel housing: For older spaces which require refurbishing, these housings are designed to work in such spaces.
- Retrofit housing: retrofit models of recessed lights are the cheapest and very easy to install housings and they are installed in place of other fixtures.
2. More overhead space
As recessed light fixtures sit inside the ceiling it creates more space in the room. The light shines directly from the ceiling surface and makes the room appear bigger. This is why LED recessed lights are largely of use in low ceiling areas.
3. LED allows customisation
LEd allow a lot of room for customization as they have switchable Correlated colour temperature. The correlated colour temperature produced warm yellow, bright yellow, white, cool white and daylight like light. It is measurable on a Kelvin scale ranging from 2500K to 6000K.
Moreover the light is highly focused and produces original colours. This comes from adjustable CRI ( colour rendering index). Most traditional lamps have a CRI of 80 only whereas LEDs have variable CRI and they can produce better colours on the RGB spectrum while enhancing their tone and appearance as well.
4. Ambient lighting
LED recessed light fixtures require special consideration prior to installation as they require holes to be cut in the ceiling. The layout is necessary to produce light which is non-obstructive and creates a blendable pattern. The end result is ambient lighting with merging layers that creates a soft glow as well as focused lighting over desirable areas. It is dimmable and can also run on cut down voltage,
5. Low energy usage
LED light fixtures are [popular due to their low energy consumption. They are capable of producing bright light at lower wattages. For example, a traditional lamp at 60W has lower lumens than LEDs at the same wattage. This is highly beneficial as at lower wattages a higher illumination level is achievable which also reduces the number of fixtures needed to reach that lux amount.
In the long run electricity costs are reduced as well as due to their longer life spans these lights seldom require any maintenance. The LEDs give up years later which also reduces the cost of switching lights.
In conclusion, LED recessed lights hold transformative power and most light architects suggest them as their first choice when it comes to refurbishing spaces like homes, cafes, art galleries, restaurants, shops etc. A great amount of detail goes into this and the end result is aesthetically appealing and economical lighting which lasts for several years.
