The lighting you choose for a room can change its atmosphere entirely.
Whether you want a room that’s bright and illuminated or an indoor space that’s soft and ambient, light fixtures play a significant role.
When you’re designing a room, one of the light source options available to you is downlights. If you’re looking for a lighting source that’s subtle and discreet, a LED downlight may be the perfect choice.
In this guide, we’re going to take a look at what downlights are and why you should choose this type of indoor lighting for your home.
A downlight is a light fitting that is installed in a ceiling and illuminates the space directly below it.
Downlights are ideal if you’re looking for a simple and clean way to light up a room. As downlights are installed directly into a ceiling, they’re really unobtrusive. This means you can focus on the décor of your room rather than how it’s lit up!
These types of lights are great for adding an ambient glow to a room and are perfect for bathrooms and bedrooms.
If you have a particular area of your room you want to highlight, like a piece of artwork, positioning your downlight above it will make it really stand out!
Before we answer this question, let’s look at the difference between downlights and spotlights.
Downlights are lights that are recessed into the ceiling and are used to throw light on a specific area of a room. Spotlights are also used to add light to a particular area of a room, but unlike downlights, they can be adjusted once installed. This means you can easily change where they focus light whenever you like.
However, while spotlights can be adjusted, they can be bulky and can be easily spotted on a ceiling. This means if you’re looking for an unobtrusive indoor light source for your room, downlights are the way to go!
The good news is there is an extensive range of downlights to choose from, and you can pick a downlight that perfectly complements your home décor.
Downlights can come as individual units or alternatively, double, or even triple units. Single units are ideal for adding pops of light to a room. A large unit will create a more substantial curtain of light that’s great for emphasising a significant area of your interior space.
Most downlights come in white, black, chrome and stainless steel finishes, although you can also get ones that are a little bit unusual, like this white and rose gold combo!
It’s essential to consider the type of lighting you will get from a downlight. You typically get the option of ‘cool white’ or ‘warm white’ lighting, which can have an effect on the ambience your downlight will provide. Cool white light is a lot more vibrant, while warm white light is more subdued.
Also look at the ‘lumens,’ which is the measure of how bright the light is. The higher the number, the more intense the light will be.
Some downlights don’t come with lighting included, which you will need to bear in mind.
Some downlights have a ‘tilt’ feature, meaning once they’re installed, you can move them slightly. These are ideal if you have something you want to focus your downlight on, but you like to update your room décor regularly! Alternatively, you can use them to highlight something that’s on the wall, like a photo or an art print.
If you want to use downlights in your bathroom, wet room or another area of your house that comes into contact with water, be sure to check that your downlight is suitable. An IP65 rating means that your light fitting will be protected from water that comes from a nozzle.
Check the warranty before you buy. Most downlights come with a one to three-year warranty, giving you peace of mind if something goes wrong.
Don’t forget, if you’re unsure which type of downlight is the right choice, our team of experts is always here to help.
Fire-rated downlights are ones that help stop the spread of fire. When you install a downlight, you cut a hole into the ceiling, and this hole makes it easier for fire to escape.
Fire-rated downlights have been modified to slow down the spread of fire. This is because they have a pad that expands to fill the hole in the ceiling when exposed to heat.
It’s not a legal requirement to use fire-rated downlights in your property, but it’s definitely recommended, especially for flats and houses of multiple occupation (HMOs).
At ES Lighting, we have an extensive range of both fire-rated downlights and non-fire-rated downlights.
We hope this guide has given you valuable insight into downlights and why they might be the ideal indoor light feature for your home or commercial building.
If you’re looking for the perfect LED downlight for your property, we’ve got what you’re looking for.
We supply high-quality downlights to both trade and non-trade customers across the UK, at competitive prices that suit every budget.
Downlights not quite right for your home? We offer other types of indoor lighting too, including decorative lampshades and pendants, as well as LED strips.
Plus, with next-day delivery to UK addresses, you can get that DIY project completed sooner than you might think!
Check out our wide range of products today, and don’t hesitate to get in touch if you have any questions.
