There are no secondary, insignificant works in the repair of a dwelling. Everything is important here: the layout and the possibility of changing it, the choice of style and finishing materials, the selection of furniture and accessories. These common truths are known to everyone who has ever encountered this issue. However, many owners underestimate the importance of lighting, including the ceiling. But the end result of the repair depends on how competently this work is done.
Ceiling lighting can miraculously decorate any room, and illiterate installation and selection of fixtures can negate all your work. When considering the design of ceiling lighting, it is necessary to take into account the recommendations of experienced installers and designers regarding the location, design features and appearance of various fixtures. We hope that this article will help you with this.
Expert Tips
Designers recommend considering the following important points:
- light should be distributed evenly over the entire surface of the ceiling;
- Use economical, adequate wattage lighting fixtures that have a long lifespan;
- with a hidden type of lighting, the luminaire housings must be hidden in a special cornice;
- to create a soft, diffused light, you need to direct the shades up;
- The design of fixtures should match the style of the room, furniture.
Types of lighting for different types of structures
Ceiling lighting is not only creating comfort and warmth in the room, but also an original design technique that allows you to hide flaws and emphasize the dignity of the room. You can perform backlighting using various types of devices. Before you start choosing lighting fixtures, you should decide what type of fixtures are best suited for your room.
Suspended ceiling
This is a fairly popular and common design, which is mounted at a considerable distance from the ceiling base. For this reason, this type of coating is only suitable for spacious rooms with high ceilings. This solution has its advantages. For example, various lighting fixtures can be installed in suspended ceilings. Suitable for this design:
- LED panels and strips;
- spotlights;
- flat chandeliers;
- recessed pendant lights;
- fiber optic light sources.
Designers say that for a false ceiling, lighting can be "broken" into several lamps of different types.
Tension structures
Unlike a false ceiling, where many different fixtures can be used, a stretch fabric is more demanding. This is due to the fact that the PVC film, which is used under the base, does not differ in heat resistance and super strength. Therefore, a heavy chandelier cannot be hung on it - the film will not withstand its weight and will break. In addition, stretch ceilings cannot be equipped with luminaires with conventional incandescent lamps - areas near the device may melt.
The following electric lighting devices are most often used for tension fabric equipment:
- pendant chandeliers specially designed for this type of covering;
- LED ceiling lighting (spotlights, strips);
- fluorescent fixtures.
Luminous stretch ceiling
Professional designers often equip the general lighting of a stretch ceiling. This solution looks very impressive, the ceiling seems weightless. Using a stretch fabric and competent lighting, you can create the effect of a starry sky, and when using a white PVC film, a bright glow will decorate the entire space.
Wooden or concrete ceiling
The creation of ceiling lighting from these materials allows the use of different types of luminaires. In this casethere are practically no restrictions. For such bases, lighting fixtures are mounted on an anchor, hook or dowel, which are securely fixed in the ceiling. Embedded devices, for example, point ones, are also suitable for wooden bases. But it is not always advisable to use them, since the installation process becomes more complicated.
Main Lights
Today, a huge selection of a wide variety of lighting fixtures is presented on the construction markets of our country. These are traditional chandeliers, and sconces, and built-in spotlights, as well as lighting, which is performed by track systems, flexible structures. When choosing an option suitable for your room, pay attention to the parameters of the room - its area, ceiling height, and purpose.
Chandeliers
One of the most popular types of lamps. They can be divided into:
- Ceiling. Such chandeliers shine upwards, distributing the entire light flux very evenly. They can be of various shapes (square, rectangular, round). They are attached to the ceiling with a strap.
- Suspended. They direct the entire luminous flux straight down. As a rule, such a pendant is made on a cord, chain.
- Classic. These are the most common devices that use a lot of lamps, and structural elements are made of metal, glass, crystal, fabric. Such chandeliers are mounted on a hook in the ceiling.
Spot recessed lights
Today, ceiling lighting in rooms using spotlights is very popularlamps. The required number of this type of lamp is calculated based on their power indicators. Spot lighting can be both primary and secondary. Such lamps can be divided according to different parameters:
- type of lamps - LED, halogen, incandescent, fluorescent;
- installation method - hanging, overhead, built-in;
- execution - rotary and stationary.
Track systems
A special kind of devices designed to illuminate the ceiling, photos of which we posted in this article. These lamps are fixed on rails - the so-called busbars. This design has several positions, depending on the design of the structure. They are fixed on the ceiling with special cables and are adjustable at different heights.
Flexible fixtures
Another popular type of lighting, which in recent years has been actively used as an additional one. Thanks to their flexibility, these luminaires can be installed in ceiling structures of any shape. They are distinguished by a soft, diffused glow. The luminous effect is due to:
- LED strips;
- duralight cords;
- neon tubes.
They are quite easy to fix on a stretch ceiling, use when making a drywall option. With proper installation, the LED strip lasts a long time, the design does not require special maintenance. However, the main lighting of the room is necessary, even usingthis lighting option.
Lighting in different parts of the house
Today it is rare to find rooms with a ceiling equipped with a single chandelier. As a rule, combined lighting is now used. When choosing fixtures, it is necessary to take into account the purpose of the room and the characteristics of the fixtures.
Corridor/hallway
We deliberately want to consider the lighting of the ceiling in this room first - even experienced designers find that, as a rule, it is not easy to design a small hallway devoid of natural light. This also applies to lighting.
With low ceilings, you should use lamps with a given direction of the light flux up and on the walls, which will increase the volume of the room. If the height of the room is below average, then the original lighting can be achieved using halogen lamps.
To expand the space, it is necessary to mount the lamps in such a way that the light hits the walls. You can arrange spotlights in several beams, and place a ceiling chandelier in the center.
Kitchen ceiling lighting, photo
Arrangement of lighting in the kitchen primarily depends on the design of the ceiling. Recessed spotlights are a popular background lighting option. A good solution can be considered the placement of spotlights at a distance of about 60 cm from the walls around the entire perimeter of the false ceiling. They can also be installed in a plasterboard structure, which protrudes slightly in front of wall cabinets.furniture set.
An alternative to this method of lighting the ceiling in the kitchen can be a cornice or a "visor". It can also be built in a number of lamps. In recent years, interior designers have increasingly used overhead fixtures to illuminate the kitchen. Compact light sources are made in the form of a cube, ball or cylinder from different materials - plastic and metal, frosted or transparent glass, crystal.
LED ceiling lighting in the kitchen is used in a variety of ways. For example, in the form of a backlight. LED technologies allow you to create more original design solutions. You can, for example, develop a composition of luminous narrow stripes or imitate a ceiling window. This can be done by cutting a niche in the false ceiling for lighting, and then covering it with glass.
Sleeping area
Lighting the ceiling in the bedroom has its own characteristics. At the planning stage of repair work, you should decide where the bed is located. This is necessary for proper wiring. The main lighting should be placed in the center of the room.
If the ceilings are high, you can use a classic chandelier, and place spotlights or LED lighting around the perimeter. Many designers believe that ceiling lighting in the bedroom without a chandelier looks fashionable, very practical and creative, using only spotlights. They can be evenly placed both on a suspended, stretched, and plasterboard ceiling. This option will fillroom from above with uniform light. As needed, you can change the intensity of lighting using a conventional switch.
Living room
Without a chandelier, many homeowners cannot imagine lighting the ceiling of the hall. Its use is fully justified for spacious rooms with high ceilings. Built-in lights are suitable for small rooms. They can be complemented with various inserts made of fabric, metal or glass. Before choosing a minimalist option or products with frilly shapes, you need to consider the overall interior.
In a living room where zoning is done, it is better to use several lamps for each zone. For example, if in the living room, in addition to the seating area, there is a common dining room, then one lamp (or a small chandelier) can be installed above the sofa, and the second above the dining table. It is desirable that they be the same if there is no clear delineation of styles. It is also possible to combine different lighting fixtures, which allows you to erase the visual boundaries of the room and the room will turn out to be more spacious.
Bathroom ceiling lighting
The overhead lighting, which is the main one for this room, is planned not only in accordance with the general style, but also with the type of ceiling covering. For a stretch ceiling in the bathroom, LED strip is ideal. As a rule, it is mounted under the tension structure. Thus, you will get decorative lighting.
Forthe main lighting, you can use lamps, placing them in the corners of the room. When choosing a stretch ceiling, you need to consider what type it belongs to - glossy or matte. In the first case, the surface creates a three-dimensional reflection and contributes to the visual increase in the room. Matte canvases are able to muffle glare and not distort the surface. One of the most interesting solutions for a matte backlit ceiling will be the addition of special spots. This technique will make the room very bright and light.
