Our Guide on How to Use LED Downlights in The Home

LED downlights are an important aspect of the layered light scheme in any given room. They function as the ambient source of light, responsible for providing the general illumination in the room, which can then be supplemented with ambient and task lighting.

From bathroom downlights to kitchen downlights to lounge downlights and beyond, there are many ways to incorporate the best LED downlights into your home.

 

Ideas on How To Use Downlights in a Living Room with Other Lighting

Your living room lighting should be such that it evokes feelings of calm and relaxation. Relying on both ambient downlight fittings and accent lighting can ensure that your living room is a place you love to spend time in. However, living room ceiling downlights are just one of the layers in your lighting scheme. The following are the other layers you can use here.

 

  • UPLIGHTERS – Adding an uplighter or two to the walls will add some visual appeal and intrigue to the living room. These are wall lights that shine upward and are often used for accenting architectural features or decor in the space.
  • TABLE LAMPS – Even with perfectly spaced LED recessed downlighter fixtures throughout a living room, if it is a large space, you may still run the risk of casting shadows. Having supplemental lights behind or beside sofas and chairs can prevent such shadows. They also make for excellent task lighting for when you want to read a book or browse the internet in comfort.
  • PICTURE LIGHTS – Designed to light up artwork, picture lighting is a dedicated form of illumination that makes excellent accent lighting. They are designed to fit over your artwork frames and shine a light down onto them without causing glare. This can elevate your living room by giving it a gallery feel.
  • SHELVING LIGHTING – Using cabinet lighting, you can illuminate any shelves or open cubbies that you have along the walls for storage. Not only does this make it easier for you to find and display certain items but it also enhances the overall lighting in the space.

Modern home with recessed LED ceiling downlights

Using LED Downlights in a Kitchen with Other Lighting

A well-lit kitchen is crucial due to the task-heavy nature of the space. It is therefore important to consider the best LED downlight fixtures for your particular kitchen and determine just where they should be placed. Downlighter fixtures can be worked into kitchens with different types of layered lighting with ease.

 

  • PLINTH LIGHTING – Plinth lighting is a type of subtle light that runs along the kickplates of your cabinets. It provides a soft glow near the floor, effectively bringing the illumination from the downlights throughout the entire vertical space of the room. They can also be used alone as accent lighting at night when the downlights are turned off.
  • MULTIPLE DOWNLIGHT STYLES – Having recessed downlight fixtures throughout the kitchen can ensure it is well lit throughout. If you have a kitchen island or breakfast nook, you can complement the recessed lighting with pendants.

Hanging pendant lights in odd numbers such as three or five depending on the size of the counter can elevate the appearance of the room while still providing ample lighting.

 

  • BACKSPLASH LIGHTING – When performing tasks at the stove and oven, having lights nestled in the walls near the area can help you more easily do so. They provide direct task lighting to give you a good look at whatever is cooking.
  • KITCHEN SPOTLIGHTS – Whether you want to use them as a part of your task layer or ambient layer, kitchen spotlights are a versatile choice. They can be employed to show off certain areas or features of the kitchen, including photographs and artwork.
  • KITCHEN CABINET LIGHTING – During a busy dinner rush, no one wants to be fumbling around in a dark cabinet looking for the right cookware or ingredients. Installing cabinet lighting in your kitchen cabinets can make it easier for you to navigate the space while ensuring that every inch of the kitchen is well lit.

 

How To Use LED Downlights in a Bathroom

Bathrooms are another task-heavy room where style is often overlooked in favor of pure functionality. The truth is that you can have both, especially when you let downlights do most of the illuminating.

Using recessed spotlights and other such downlights throughout the entirety of the bathroom will ensure an even wash of light throughout. If you have a smaller bathroom and only need one or two ceiling lights, you could opt for a pendant light instead to add a focal point.

Even so, the downlights are just one layer of the lighting in a bathroom. There are other fixtures you can incorporate to bring the lighting all around and make the space feel welcoming.

 

  • VANITY AND MIRROR LIGHTS – By adding fixtures above or to the sides of the mirror, you can keep the space well-lit for performing tasks such as grooming. Positioning the lights on either side of the mirror will help reduce any shadows from forming on your face, giving you a more accurate look while applying makeup or shaving.
  • WALL LIGHTS – Vanities are not the only place where wall sconces can be used in the bathroom. You can place them near storage, towel racks or any other location where the ambient light is not enough to prevent shadows. A wall light will also serve as a pleasant, gentle light for midnight trips to the bathroom.
  • UPLIGHTERS – This specific type of wall light can add mood and ambience to the room. Since they shine directly upward, you can use them to highlight sculptures or unique architectural features of the bathroom. Placing them behind a free-standing bath tub can also create the perfect mood for a relaxing bubble bath at night.

 

What IP Rating Should Bathroom Downlights Be?

IP ratings, which stand for Ingress Protection ratings, are a way to tell what lights are capable of being placed in which conditions. The first number in the rating indicates the resistance to solid objects, while the second digit refers to its moisture and water resistance.

 

First Digit – Solid Objects

 

0  –  No protection against solids is offered

1  –  Brings protection from penetration by solid matter greater than 50 millimeters

2  –  Brings protection from penetration by solid matter greater than 12 millimeters

3  –  Brings protection from penetration by solid matter greater than 2.5 millimeters

4  –  Brings protection from penetration by solid matter greater than one millimeter

5  –  Protected against larger bits of dust

6  –  Completely dustproof/dust tight

 

Second Digit – Moisture

 

0  –  No protection against moisture

1  –  Offers protection from droplets of water falling vertically

2  –  Offers protection from droplets of water falling at a maximum angle of 15 degrees

3  –  Offers protection from droplets of water like rain at a maximum angle of 60 degrees

4  –  Offers protection from splashing or projection

5  –  Offers protection from low pressure water jets

6  –  Offers protection from high pressure water jets

7  –  Offers protection from brief periods of immersion

8  –  Offers protection from long periods of immersion

 

Light Zones

Once you are familiar with the IP ratings of your preferred lights, you can check them against the lighting zones in the bathroom. They are as follows:

 

Zone 0  –  The area inside the shower or bath, which requires an immersion-proof IP67 rating

Zone 1  –  The area around the shower or bath as high as 2.25 meters from the floor, requiring IP65-rated lights

Zone 2  –  The area reaching 0.6 meters beyond the bath’s perimeter and as high as 2.25 meters from the floor, requiring a minimum IP rating of IP44

Zone 3  –  Any area outside of the aforementioned zones; no special IP requirements; minimum IP20 recommended

Lighting zones for a bathroom

 

 

How To Use Downlights in a Bedroom

Downlights in a bedroom play an equally as important role as they do in any other area of the house. If you have a larger bedroom, you can install multiple recessed mounted or surface mounted lights to ensure ample illumination throughout. Smaller bedrooms could benefit from having a hanging pendant light in the centre to create a statement and generate ample illumination.

Lighting types that complement bedroom downlights include:

 

  • READING LAMPS – Whether you attach them to the wall or install them on the headboard, reading lights are a great form of task lighting. They come in many varieties, such as fixed or flexible, and can provide a soft glow when relaxing in bed at night. These lights also come with the added benefit of allowing both people sharing the bed to have their own source of light without disturbing the other.
  • BEDSIDE LAMPS – Similar to reading lights, bedside lamps are an indirect form of illumination to help you relax at night. Also similar to reading lights, these lamps will allow you to turn them on and off without having to get up and switch off the main overhead light.

 

Can You Use LED Downlights Outside?

To review, IP ratings indicate the protection any given light fixture has against water or debris. In order to use downlights outdoors, you will need to have a light that is rated IP65. This will protect them from dust and debris as well as water, all of which can affect lights exposed to the elements.

 

What Is the Best CCT for LED Downlights in the Home?

CCT, or colour correlated temperature, is oftentimes simply called the colour temperature of a light. The temperatures of the lights are represented by a scale of Kelvin units that run from 1,000 to 10,000. Warm lights are situated at the lower end of the spectrum, and cool lights are found toward the top.

Each colour temperature has its place in different settings. When it comes to domestic use, it is generally recommended that you use warm white lights, somewhere in the neighborhood of 3,000k to 3,300k.

LED colour temperature guide

How To Layout LED Downlights in a Room

No matter what room you want to place downlights in, you can follow these tips on setting up their layout perfectly.

 

  • NUMBER OF DOWNLIGHTS REQUIRED – To figure out how many lights you’ll need, you will have to determine the lumen count, which can be determined through the wattage. The first step is to measure the square footage of the room by multiplying the depth by the width. The number given should be multiplied by 1.5 to indicate the wattage needed. Then, you can translate that to lumens.
  • CEILING HEIGHT – If you have a higher ceiling, the angle of the lights will really matter. Light tends to shine in a cone that crosses one another about 30 inches from the floor. In rooms with high ceilings, the light intersects higher up; you won’t need more downlights to compensate–just more lumens.
  • SPACING – It is generally recommended that you place downlights two feet away from the walls to avoid shadows. From there, you can evenly space the lights to achieve balance. It is advised to divide the ceiling height by two to determine how far to distance the lights. For example, if you have a 10-foot ceiling, you should be placing the lights five feet apart.

 

Ideas for LED Ceiling Downlights

 

  1. LDC201 12 Watt 173mm Diameter Ultra Slim LED Downlight Fitting

LDC201 12 watt ultra slim LED spotlights

For those who value minimalism in their rooms, the LDC201 12 Watt 173mm Diameter Ultra Slim LED Downlight Fitting makes a fine choice. With an ultra-slim profile and recessed into the wall, only the bare minimum of the fixture is seen in the form of a ring that nearly sits flush with the ceiling. The trim ring is available in either black or white finishes to suit the existing decor in the room. It outputs 1200 lumens of your choice of 3000k warm or 6000k cool white light.

 

  1. LDC735 9 Watt Anti Glare Recessed LED Downlight

LDC735 9 watt recessed anti glare LED downlighter

Perfect for task-heavy areas, the LDC735 9 Watt Anti Glare Recessed LED Downlight is a recessed light specifically designed to eliminate glare. This is achieved by the bulb being nestled deeply inside the fixture, so when you look up at it, you aren’t staring directly at the bulb. It generates a small pool of light on the surface beneath it, which can also add visual interest. The fixture outputs 800 lumens of light.

 

  1. LDC701 5 Watt White Gimbal Tilting Recessed LED Ceiling Spotlight

LDC701 5 watt white gimbal tilited recessed LED spotlight

 

Take control of the directionality of the light with the LDC701 5 Watt White Gimbal Tilting Recessed LED Ceiling Spotlight. This light features a head that can be twisted 350 degrees and tilted up to 60 degrees. It is fashioned out of durable aluminium and given a white finish to make it neutral enough for any room. The bulbs output 430 lumens of light.

 

  1. LDC725 10 Watt 1000 Lumen Recessed Anti Glare LED Downlight

LDC725 10 watt recessed anti glare ceiling spotlight

 

Perfect for task lighting in kitchens, the LDC725 10 Watt 1000 Lumen Recessed Anti Glare LED Downlight is a recessed downlight with linear bulbs that provide a larger wash of light. The bulbs output a total of 1000 lumens of 3000k warm white light and are recessed into the fixture itself. Their position helps to eliminate glare when viewed, making the fixture easier on the eyes.

 

  1. LDC702 10 Watt Twin White Gimbal Tilting Recessed LED Ceiling Spotlight

LDC702 10 watt twin gimbal tilting LED ceiling spotlight

 

With the LDC702 10 Watt Twin White Gimbal Tilting Recessed LED Ceiling Spotlight, you can direct the angle of the light in two different directions from one fixture. It comes with two light heads that can be rotated up to 350 degrees and tilted as much as 60 degrees to give you the ability to customise it. In total, there are 860 lumens of light that shine from the bulbs.

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