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Recessed indoor wall lighting can make your space not only easier to traverse but more visually appealing as well. In this article, we’ll take a look at both indoor recessed wall lighting ideas and how to incorporate into your property.
What is a Recessed Wall Light?
Interior LED wall lights, also referred to as recessed sconces, are light fixtures that recess into the wall or stair riser. In doing so, they sit flush with the wall itself. This gives them a minimalistic look and feel, while also providing you with plenty of light.
Since they are embedded in the wall itself, they are unobtrusive and do not get in the way like wall mounted lights sometimes do. This leaves only the outer rim of the light visible, giving off a modern aesthetic.
You can find recessed wall lights available for both interior and exterior spaces. Recessed wall light fixtures come in a number of different styles that you can select from to suit the appearance of your space.
Choosing the right recessed wall lighting often comes down to a matter of preference. The lights you choose will also depend on the unique lighting needs of your space.
Ways to Switch Recessed Wall and Step Lights On and Off
When considering various stair lighting design tips, it is important that you plan how you will switch the lights on and off. There are a few different ways you can do this.
- STANDARD SWITCHES – Using remote controlled or wall mounted switches, you can manually control the lights yourself.
- TIMERS – Putting a light on a programmable timer will automatically turn the lights on and off for you. This is a particularly good choice for stair lights outdoors.
- MOTION ACTIVATED STAIR LIGHTS – Motion activated lights will wait to turn on until movement is sensed by the stairs and will turn off once again when movement is no longer detected. This type of mechanism makes for great energy efficient interior recessed step lighting solutions as it will only use energy when necessary.
- SMART HOME SOLUTIONS – You can incorporate your lights into your smart home system and control them that way instead. Using your phone or even your voice, you can remotely control the lights.
How to Combine Recessed LED Wall Lights With Other Lighting
Combining recessed wall lights with other ambient, task and accent lighting will give your space a well-balanced look and feel. Layering lights provides more than one level of lighting and at different intensities, making the area seem cohesive and well-lit.
To begin, you can layer your indoor recessed wall lighting with layers of ambient lighting. Pendant lights or flush mounted ceiling lights can provide the general foundation of illumination. From there, you can bring in task lights for dedicated areas of a room, like a reading nook or work space. Finish it off with accent lights in the form of decorative lighting.
Bringing in floor and table lamps with your recessed interior wall lights can also create a visual flow between floor and ceiling. This will help you bring lights from the bottom up, where the indoor recessed wall lighting makes up the middle ground.
Creative Ways to Use Recessed LED Wall Lighting
Wall mounted LED lights, like recessed fixtures, provide ample opportunity for decorating your space. Below are a few ways to incorporate them creatively.
Highlight Architectural Elements
Placing recessed lights on textured walls can draw attention to the details and materials in a subtle and indirect way. Wood and tile are particularly good for texture illumination. For more overt focal points, you can use them to accentuate bold feature walls or hanging artwork.
Soft, Warm Ambiance
Since wall lights provide indirect lighting, you can use it to illuminate a space without making it too bright. Recessed LED lights near the ceiling will generate a soft spread of ambient illumination, which is ideal for living rooms and bedrooms. In hallways, you can space recessed wall lights evenly to balance illumination throughout.
Backlighting
Using smaller recessed lights, you can backlight shelves, artwork and other points of interest. This not only creates a focal point, but also adds depth and drama to the space. Backlighting shelves will allow you to draw attention to your favorite books or decor as well, giving your home more personality.
Lighting Up Alcoves
If you have any recessed nooks in the space, installing recessed wall lights can transform it into something magical. It will cast a soft but concentrated glow around the alcove, making it an ideal focal point for sculptures and other decorative items.
Similarly, you can light up a reading nook with recessed lights. They will provide soft and general lighting to read by, which you can then supplement with an additional task light, like a reading light.
How LED Stair Tread lights Provide Safety
When people refer to stair tread lights they are normally thinking about lights that are placed in the front of each step. Stair lights that are placed at the side of your steps are normally simply referred to as stair or step lighting. The type of lights your choose for your stairway is more a personal choice than anything else. interior LED Stair tread lights provides safety, but so do other stair lights as well.
Step lights provide light right on your stair steps at night or when your stairway is located in low lighted areas of your home. This allows you and your family to clearly see each step they take as well as any object that may have been left on steps helping reduce the risk of accidents.
Ideas on How to Illuminate Your Stair Treads
There are a number of great ways you can light up your stair treads and steps at home as highlighted below:
- LED light strips recessed underneath the stair tread front section shining down on the the stair riser below looks great giving stylish lighting as well as a functional light. This form of lighting is not the most simple to install as it requires the front of the stair tread to be cut out so that the LED lighting strip can be recessed in so maybe a better option for a new staircase being fitted.
- Mini recessed lights placed into the front of the step shining out are a popular choice normally 2 lights per step gives a good look and you can decide whether to put lights in each step or every other step it is all personal choice.
- LED lighting recessed into the wall alongside the steps is a popular option these lights use minimal amounted of power and give a lovely glow accross the steps. These are best positioned at low level along side the steps with the number of lights used totally personal choice depending on the effect you are looking to create.
What Does Colour Temperature Mean, And How Do You Choose The Best For You?
Colour temperature is a way to indicate the light’s warmth or coolness levels. Lights exist on a spectrum of Kelvin units that runs from 1,000 to 10,000. The closer the light is to 1,000, the warmer it will be. Conversely, the closer it is to 10,000, the cooler it will be.
Colour temperatures all have their place in different areas and zones. Typically, it comes down to preference. That said, there are a few general tips to think about when selecting the colour temperatures for your space.
If you want to achieve a warmer, cosier and more inviting look, you can choose warmer colours. Warm white colour temperatures around 3000-3000k are best for the job. They give off a nice warm glow while still being crisp enough to be able to see.
Cool lights, on the other hand, are good for areas you want to feel brightly lit and energetic. These tend to be lights from the 4,000k mark and beyond.
For staircase lighting, both warm and cool colours can be used effectively. It all comes down to what you want to accomplish there.
Can LED Step Lighting Be Used For Emergency Lighting?
Step lighting is often reserved for supplementary lighting, but in some cases, it can be used as security lighting. Step lights can provide emergency lighting in certain locations, such as exit routes and staircases. They are also beneficial when connected to motion sensors, as they can turn on without human interference, which will come in handy during an emergency.
Their general low level lighting can provide much needed concentrated light along footpaths, which can also make a huge difference in an emergency situation. In order for all of this to work, you will need to ensure that the lights are connected to a power source that will stay on even during a power outage.
Can You Dim Low Level Mini Recessed Wall Lights?
Typically, it is not possible to dim these types of lights. This is because they already use a low wattage, so dimming them isn’t typical for this type of light. If you dim low wattage lights, they will often flicker and produce lower quality light. That said, sometimes lights for dimming can be custom sourced.
Advice on Installation of Recessed Wall Lighting
If you’re interested in your own recessed wall lighting, below you’ll find some tips on installing them.
- TALK TO A PROFESSIONAL – Before anything else, you should contact a qualified electrician to help you install them. This will ensure that the lights are safely installed and compliant with codes.
- WIRING – In a similar vein, the fixtures need to be wired securely and correctly.
- PLACEMENT – Carefully position the fixtures and think about the lighting effect you want to achieve when doing so.
- WEATHERPROOFING – If you’re installing recessed wall lights in a wet area, you’ll need to be sure they won’t be affected by the moisture. This means choosing lighting with the right IP ratings to ensure they are sealed off against moisture.
- CONTROLS – Think about how you want to control the lights. Do you want them attached to the mains power? Would you prefer they have their own switch? Do you want to avoid manual use entirely and use lights on a timer or daylight sensor?
- MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR – Eventually, you are going to need to service or outright replace the lights. Be sure you have given yourself access to the fixture to be able to easily do so.
- CLEANING – After installing, periodically clean the lights. You’ll need to remove any debris, dust or dirt that has accumulated, and you can usually do this with a damp cloth
Ideas for Stair Lighting
The Halo Round 1 Watt Recessed LED Wall Light makes a great choice around staircases and can be recessed low in the wall. These lights are round and sleek with their brushed aluminium finish that lets them work well in any outdoor space. They output 70 lumens of 3200k warm white light that shines from either side, washing light on the wall behind it. It measures 10 millimeters by 48 millimeters with an indoor IP20 rating.
Light up your hallway and staircase with the LSL009A Round 1 Watt Recessed LED Wall Light. This wall light outputs 70 lumens of 3000k warm white light and can be installed in concrete or drywall. The fixture measures 46 millimeters in diameter and features sleek polished aluminium that makes it well suited for placement in outdoor spaces of any style. The light is rated IP20 for indoor use only.
Shine plenty of light along each of the stairs with the LSL001 Square 1 Watt Recessed LED Wall Light. This wall light shines 70 lumens of 3200k warm white light out in front of it at a wide angle, offering ample illumination. It measures 48 millimeters by 48 millimeters and recesses neatly into the wall behind it. The brushed aluminium finish gives it a modern finishing touch.
Enhance the look of your staircase while making it easier to see with the LSL707 3 Watt Recessed LED Wall Light With Movement Sensor. This light will turn on when it senses movement within three meters and will stay on for 30 seconds after it has been activated. It generates 170 lumens of 3000k warm white light that shines from the slatted faceplate, available in either black or white. Overall, it measures 90 millimeters by 90 millimeters by 40 millimeters in size.
Keep it simple with the LSL009 Round 1 Watt Acrylic Recessed LED Wall Light. This wall light features an acrylic covering that softens the 70 lumens of light, offering a warm glow. It is capable of being installed both in drywall and concrete, making it quite versatile in terms of placement. The light measures 46 millimeters in diameter and is rated IP20 for interior use.
