Bathroom Downlights – Simple Elegance
Style is no longer the territory of the rich and famous; manufacturing technology has brought many desirable objects into the reach of us all – and that includes bathroom downlights. In fact, most of today’s bathroom schemes use this type of lighting, not least because it is supremely suited to the sort of lighting that we need in that smallest room of the house.
If you’ve never seen the gubbins that goes behind a downlight, you might be surprised at their simplicity. The lamp itself is housed in a sealed container that fits into the ceiling. This seal is important because, without it, the can will act as a chimney, drawing heat up into the ceiling void and creating a fire hazard.
In most modern downlights, installation is a simple matter of pushing the can up into a suitable sized hole in the ceiling, where it is secured by clips. The added advantage of this is that if any work needs to be done, the can may be pulled clear of the ceiling – well to the length of the cable anyway. When choosing bathroom downlights, be sure that they conform to electrical regulations, which limit the fittings that may be used in certain bathroom areas. The regulations are based on IP ratings.
Downlights are available as both halogen and LED, both of which give an excellent spectrum of light for the bathroom and which are superb for both task lighting and ambient lighting. Gone are the days when the light from LED lamps was thought inadequate for ambient light.
If you want to have the facility to dim your bathroom lighting, mains powered halogen lights are the easiest option, although low voltage downlights can be dimmed by way of an add-on kit that is widely available. Don’t forget that dimmer switches will need to be placed outside of the bathroom.
When it comes to installing your bathroom downlights, aim for a distance of six or seven feet in all directions between the lamps, and place them between the ceiling joists. There is a danger in doing this that you will end up with runway lights tracking across your ceiling, so beware of this. By the same token, you should also be aware that downlights placed up close against the edges of the ceiling do not give a very attractive light at all; not only do they cast ugly shadows, they also highlight all the imperfections in the walls.
Bathroom downlighting makes for incredibly flexible lighting, and with the low voltage option, they help you keep control of your electricity bills. Low voltage is also safer in the bathroom. If you have to get an electric shock, rather it comes from 12 volts than 240!
As long as you take safety into consideration, it pays to be creative with your bathroom lighting schemes; bathroom downlights will allow you to play with lighting effects to your heart’s content.
Tags: bathroom down lighting, bathroom downlight, bathroom downlighters, downlights
