What Are The Fundamental Types of Residential Indoor Lighting?
As every residential electrical contractor knows, great lighting can significantly improve the appearance and functional quality of any home.
The key to choosing the best bulbs and fixtures for an electrician to install is knowing the three fundamental types of residential lighting and how to apply them.
This helpful guide on residential indoor lighting breaks down the three main types of lighting that electrical contractors can install to help homeowners achieve the look, feel, and utility they need within their homes!
1. Ambient Lighting
Ambient lighting is the general lighting that brightens a room and the entire house.
It is soft illumination that brightens a whole room when the light switch is flipped and is installed throughout the entire home.
The ambient lighting installed by electricians usually consists of overhead ceiling-mounted fixtures in the centers of the rooms or recessed lighting in various places; however, it may include other types of fixtures as well.
For homes without overhead fixtures, electrical contractors may be tasked with installing track fixtures or wall sconces, while homeowners can also use tall floor lamps that illuminate upward to brighten the whole room.
Valance and soffit lighting that brighten up room perimeters can also be used to illuminate entire rooms.
2. Task Lighting
While overhead ambient lighting is essential for illuminating large spaces, it is usually not direct enough to provide adequate brightness over workspaces.
To address this, residential electrical contractors install task lighting in the form of smaller fixtures with brighter bulbs that shine directly down onto counters, desks, and anywhere else a more concentrated focus is required.
Task lighting includes a broad variety of fixtures that an electrician can wire for the homeowners.
Common applications of task lighting include under-cabinet lights or hanging pendant fixtures in the kitchen, table lamps in living areas, and crane lamps or adjustable floor lamps that can be adjusted to shine over a desk.
3. Accent Lighting
Accent lighting is used decoratively to draw attention to important elements within the home through emphasis.
Accentuation can be achieved using track lighting, sconces, or other smaller fixtures positioned to point to a displayed piece of artwork, a plant, or some other decorative element.
Electrical contractors are frequently asked to install accent lighting outside as well to highlight decorative trees, windows, main home entranceways, front and backyard features, and more.
Achieve Great Home Lighting From An Electrical Contractor
Great lighting can make a home more comfortable and enjoyable while creating an appealing interior atmosphere.
Using the three types of residential lighting, experienced electricians can assist homeowners in illuminating their homes in just the right way.
A residential electrical contractor can help homeowners transform the look and feel of their homes by simply adding the right type and combination of interior lighting.
For best results, always work with an electrical contractor who is licensed for residential installation and will do a precision job!