The collection of lighting in your home is vital in creating the home of your dreams, helping to create the correct look and ambience, as well as providing the required light output. At Love Lighting Store we stock a huge collection of light fittings and fixtures, with a great offering of modern and traditional styles, giving you the opportunity to light your home exactly as you’ve dreamed.
INDOOR LIGHTING
Most of the rooms in our homes are used for many different purposes, so creating the right atmosphere will usually require a mixture of different lighting. Love Lighting Store provides lots of solutions to your lighting requirements, whatever the mood or atmosphere you wish to create.
Below we have provided the factors we think should be taken into account when lighting each area of the home.
Entrance Hall, Stairway and Landing Lighting
Entrances
The entrance to your home is an important area to consider, and often provides the first impression of your home to visitors. Practically, you may find you require a bulb with sufficient light output to read as we open a large part of our correspondence within this area. Energy saving bulbs should also be a consideration, hallways are often spaces that will have lights switched on for long periods, so a bulb that has a long life and low energy consumption will cost less to run. It is generally advisable to avoid pendant lighting if you have a narrow or low ceiling so consider wall lights or recessed down lights as alternatives in this area.
Landings
These are often areas with limited space and heavy use so it is practical to choose flush fittings or recessed down lights to maximise the available space. Dimmer switches are ideal within these areas since they can be turned down to a low level during the night time for guests or children. We find that our customers will often choose plug in nightlights to assist with low level light output.
Staircases
Obviously, for staircases it is important to consider your safety and those that live with you, without losing any of the aesthetic charm found within other rooms throughout the home. Pendant lighting (placed at the head of the stairs) is ideal in creating a shadowed effect on staircases in order to highlight and define individual stairs.
Bedroom Lighting
The modern bedroom takes on varying roles and is now more than just an area for you to sleep in; your bedroom may contain a television, computer and various other appliances so the lighting you select should be planned with this in mind. Reading in bed is also a common activity which most likely will require either table lamps, or directional spotlights.
Today’s bedrooms can also be places that are involved in the application of make up and general preparation for social events, so you may discover illuminated mirrors and table lamps can be helpful. Dimming switches to control and create atmosphere and mood are also an increasingly popular feature of our customer’s bedrooms, helping to create a tranquil place for you to unwind and relax, away from the modern world’s hectic schedule.
Chandelier lighting with a dimmer switch may also be an attractive display of opulence you could consider, as you attempt to create that country house or plush hotel feeling in your own relaxed surroundings.
Living Room Lighting
Your living room is without doubt the focal point of the whole house, in which you will carry out a multitude of differing tasks which require different types of lighting. It is common to find a combination of ceiling lighting and wall lighting. You might need this blend of ceiling and wall lighting to be complemented by easily movable light sources such as table, floor or desk lamps. Well placed ceiling spotlights are also widely used, sometimes as alternatives to pendants or chandelier lighting. Task lamps are perfect for any work that may require focus and concentration such as reading, craftwork or needlework.
In many homes, the television is the focal point within living rooms and a warm ambient light output with the use of dimmer switches can be important in contributing to a more relaxed atmosphere and better viewing.
The creation of a homely relaxed mood is also an important aspect of many living rooms, and to this end the use of lighting strategically placed behind glassware, plants and cornices is a lovely effect. Pictures, paintings and wall displays can be highlighted by using our picture lights and the same can be true of any of your ornaments or features of interest. Directional spotlights or up lights can provide a range of accent lighting providing emphasis to any part of your living room.
Kitchen Lighting
Your kitchen is no doubt the home’s main work area with any number of fixed appliances and functional work surfaces. It is very important to take these spaces into consideration when planning your lighting. A high quality of light output is usually needed within the kitchen’s cooking area which can be provided by under cabinet lights, overhead track lighting or alternatively a number of directional spotlights. Our customers also often choose Cool White or Daylight colour light output from their light bulbs which gives better colour rendering and a whiter light which can make intricate chopping more easily visible.
Breakfast bars and work surfaces can also be well lit using our collection of recessed down lighters. Kitchen diners might require pendant lighting over the eating area for entertaining of guests or for those dark early winter mornings.
It is not advisable to use any form of portable lighting within the kitchen area due to the safety issues arising with trailing flex cords.
Bathroom lighting needs to be considered with safety issues in mind. As a safety standard the room is divided into three differing sectors 0, 1 and 2, these zones relate to any possible exposure to water that the light fittings and bulbs could encounter. It is advisable to stick to these suggested zones of protection in order to increase overall safety in the bathroom. Please click HERE for a full explanation of the Bathroom Zones.
Bright light output is not recommended as the ceramic surfaces often associated with bathrooms can be too reflective with brighter wattages.
Your main lighting switch should also be linked to a pull cord or to an outside lighting switch. It is also prudent for you to select lighting that does not contain any items that are quickly eroded by heat or humidity as these will quickly be affected by the damp atmosphere within the bathroom. Our range of bathroom lighting is made for different zones within the bathroom, and these are clearly marked in our bathroom lighting section. If in any doubt, please consult an electrician for advice.
Children's Room Lighting
A child’s room needs to be bright and well lit, creating a safe environment for your children to learn and play. It is advisable with younger children to avoid portable lighting and to limit any access to any electricity - child safety plugs are a must for switch sockets. Dimming switches are also popular with customers with children who are afraid of the dark. Plug in night lights can are also be used with great effect to combat this problem, allowing a degree of freedom for parents who may not require a long term lighting solution.
Our range of children’s ceiling lights would be an ideal starting place for your nursery (being kept firmly away from enquiring hands); whilst for older children a wider range of general lighting from ceiling and wall lights to table and floor lamps can be fitted to create a fun learning environment for pre-teens or alternatively a feeling of individuality for your more discerning teenager.
Home Office Lighting
Your home office gives you the opportunity to create an industrious and ordered environment from which to run your everyday affairs, and our lighting range can play a key role in creating the professional atmosphere you require. To avoid eye strain and headaches it is recommended that a reasonably bright environment is created. A combination of general lighting can be implemented including floor and desk lamps, wall lights, spot lights and down lighters all arranged carefully to create the desired effect.
OUTDOOR LIGHTING
As with bathroom lighting, outdoor lighting must comply with strict safety regulations (linked to the exposure to outdoor conditions your lighting will receive). An IP rating is given to indicate the levels of protection the light fitting and bulb will have against the outside elements i.e. moisture and solid objects. This rating consists of two numbers, the second of which is linked to the tolerance the fitting has from water. The relevant IP numbers are-
IPx3 - protected against spraying water of up to 60° from the vertical (e.g. rain)
IPx4 - protected against splashing water from any direction
IPx5 - protected against water jets from any direction
It is important for you to note that for safety reasons outdoor lighting must be installed by a professional electrician. Any outdoor wiring should be suitably secured and all metalwork should be earthed. If you decide to opt for any of our outdoor watertight sockets or switches, a garden canopy would be advisable in order to further protect these from the elements. We would strongly recommend you use a qualified electrician to install any outdoor lighting and that you always install a residual circuit device (RCD).
Front of House Lighting
The use of outdoor front of house lighting can go a long way in creating a welcoming atmosphere and to make a safer approach to your property. It will also aid in the identification of callers outside daylight hours. For a porch situated close to street lighting a smaller wattage should be sufficient. If no outside street lighting is available a floodlight would provide an acceptable amount of light. A very popular choice you may wish to consider is using lights linked to a PIR (passive infra red) sensor, these will automatically activate when the house is approached.
Outdoor Pillars, Posts and Pedestals
These are available as solar powered or powered by the mains. If installing mains voltage lights please ensure you consult a qualified electrician as this requires the use of reinforced armoured cable who should ensure a residual circuit device (RCD) is installed.