
LEDs, or Light Emitting Diodes, are rapidly becoming one of the most popular forms of light. It’s not just because they can offer an array of colour tones, they are also better for the environment and use less energy. That means they can save you money on your energy bills. What more reason do you need to check out the latest LED designer lighting options and transform your home?
Range Of Products
You can get plenty of LED lighting solutions that look just like a standard bulb. Some even have the same fitting, allowing you to keep your existing lights and simply change the bulbs. It’s a great way to benefit from the financial and environmental savings without having to spend money on light fittings or wiring.
It’s also worth noting that LED lights last considerably longer than standard bulbs.
Alongside the replacement bulb options, there is a huge array of lighting styles that can be added to your home, transforming the look and feel of the space without costing you a fortune. In short, you are certain to find something that appeals and fits with your home.
Naturally, one of the most popular options is LED downlighters that recess into the ceiling. These do require additional wiring and it’s advisable to get an electrician to do this.
Know The Terminology
If you’re looking into switching to LEDs then you should note the following terms. While the power and shape of the bulb are important, the main concepts that should concern you are:
With standard bulbs the greater the wattage the brighter the light. This is because the bulbs used a single filament that glowed brighter the more power you put through it. However, this isn’t the same with LED. They use significantly fewer watts and their brightness is dictated by the way they are made, not by their wattage.
To verify the brightness of an LED bulb check the lumen rating. The higher the number the brighter the bulb.
LED lights should have a kelvin measurement on them. This tells you what colour the bulb is. The range goes from a pure white light to a warmer, almost yellow light. The kelvin scale reflects the warmth of the light. To give you an idea of how this works, on a clear day the sun will offer around 5,000 kelvins of light while the standard bulb offers around 3,000 kelvins.
The best way to decide whether you want a cooler colour or a warmer colour is to see some in-situ before you commit. All lighting specialists will have demo bulbs that can be seen to experience the difference and help you choose the right one.
Colours can look different in different lights. In order for you to see a colour properly, you need to be as close to natural light as possible. This is generally referred to as colour rendering and a traditional bulb will offer a colour rendering of 100.
When looking at LEDs you will want to be close to this figure. That means you should find bulbs with colouring rendering, expressed as CRI, of at least 80.
This will help to ensure you can see what you’re doing.
Making The Right Choice
Lighting can make or break your design. When adding high-quality LED lighting fixtures to your residence, you must consider how you use each space before you choose the kind of light you need.
For example, if it’s somewhere you do a lot of work you may need task lighting. This will ensure you can see what you are doing properly. In contrast, a general meeting, chatting, and perhaps watching television area will benefit from warmer LED lights that create a nice ambience.
You can also use lighting to display certain objects or artworks. In this instance it’s common to use recessed lighting and go with brighter cooler lights, minimizing shadows.
It is possible to dim LED lights with a suitable dimmer switch fitted. This is a great way of transforming the room depending on what you are doing.
Installing LED lights
If you’re hoping to install LED lights then you need to remember that these should be installed by a professional. In fact, there are strict rules governing what electrical work you can do at home and it is generally safer to get a qualified electrician to handle this for you.
This will also help to ensure that you have a quality product and a quality install, allowing you to enjoy your new LED lighting.