Types of Interior Lighting Used in House Construction

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Lightining was one important culture to follow in lavish hotels, or commercial spaces but today interior lightning in homes is as important as commercial. When doing the interiors interior designers put special attention to the lighting details throughout the home, even there are special lighting designers also for this purpose. Many people love lavish lighting fixtures like chandelier, wall scones etc. but there is a way to put everything in its place properly. Most of the people do not know these ways and the types of lighting that are available in the market.

So in this article let us see what are the categories of lighting, their types and also the features of each type to get a clear view of what is their usage and how they can be properly put with each other.

1. Ambient Lighting

This category is for lights that give just a soft glow, without causing a harsh glare, but they look beautiful. It creates a very relaxing environment which is perfect after a stressful day at work. Let us see some of these lights ideas

1.1 Recessed or Track Lights

These are fall from the ceiling to 2 to 4 inches , These are fixed with a track or a pole and lights are fitted inside it . The pole is generally a metal frame which can be painted in any colour. It can be a simple bulb light to a small lamp shaped light, you can have any colour in them.

Track lighting in living room

1.2 Chandeliers and Pendants

These also fall down from the ceilings but with great height from 6 to 12 inches or sometimes even less. These can be fitted on the fall ceiling of gypsum or wood or directly on the main ceiling. You can fix them anywhere from a living room over a dining or over side tables to bedroom over side tables. They look beautiful and create a whole difference in the atmosphere but they are little high maintenance due to safety.

Living and Dining Room lightening up using Chandeliers and Pendants

1.3 Wall Scones and Wall Lights

These can be directly fitted to the wall, with or without frames. They come in different shapes and colours be it traditional or modern. You can also customize them according to your choice of colour, shape and size.

Use of Wall Scones and wall lights in different areas

1.4 Strip and Cove Lighting

You must have seen in hotels or outdoor commercial spaces a glow of light coming through the surfaces or when you climb stairs of a hotel or mall. This glow can be of many colours from golden, silver to even pink and blue. These are strip lights, they are just 1 to 2 cm wide and can be extended to any length. They are mostly used in false ceiling of residences, which are hidden behind the narrow coves.

strip and cove lightings installed in kitchen and dining areas

2. Task Lighting

The lights in this category concentrate or focus on particular or special tasks, they have a defined purpose like studying, cooking chores, over the bar or kitchen counters etc. They can be in the form of fitted light fixtures or pendant lamps. Let us see some examples.

2.1 Desk / Floor Lamps

Desk lamps are usually small meant for special purpose like studying, writing or doing some special work restricted to the use of desk, the desk lamp helps in focusing directly on the work so that you do not need to light up the room lights.

floor lamp focused on sofa and coffee table area in living
floor lamps near single seater sofa for reading

2.2 Pendant / Track Lighting

Apart from pendant light in the form of lamp shade there is another way to fit your regular lights into a hanging metal frame, they can be circular or rectangular. They can be used in home offices for bright and beautiful lighting, they are usually easy to maintain as well.

Pendent light hanging above the island kitchen area

2.3 Vanity Lights

These are fitted inside the dressing table mirror or around it. You can either make a wooden cove space and fit strip lighting in them or you can even put the lights over the surface for the bright lights when you are having your time with the dressing. These days there is a popular culture of fitting a lot light bulbs also around the whole mirror frame.

Vanity lights installed next to mirrors

3. Accent Lighting

The purpose of these lights is directly to create focus or draw attention of the viewer’s eye to a particular focal point. You must have seen these types of lights in commercial places like a beauty salon or a movie theatre. These lights are intentionally fixed in a way to create attention. They add drama and brightness to the otherwise dull and dark areas. In the residence also they can be used in a lot of ways with some of the types like:-

3.1 Recessed focus Lights

These lights can directly be fitted on an extended surface form the wall like furniture, or a wooden board to illuminate the surface. This glow coming down from the surface looks beautiful. You can also put some fancy pieces to highlight them.

Recessed focus lights to highlight the wallpaper in living room

3.2 Spot Lights

These lights just like their name focus on few specific points. These are fixed to create an attention on some items like show pieces, plants or anything at your home that you would specifically want to create a focus on. These can be fixed in a home bar, or a kitchen counter table or on few wooden furniture’s extending from the wall.

Spot lights used to create focus on walls in living room

So these were some of the ways to put up lighting in your home, according to their purpose and usage but not randomly. If all these above points are followed while creating an effect of lighting your home will look extra ordinary beautiful, without you even realising it. As we all know lighting creates an ambience which is enough to make up your mood. There are also many mood sensor lights available in the market but that would come under smart lights.

– Asmita Madan