Lighting Tips
With the right lighting, you can transform areas in your home into spaces that are safer, more comfortable or even more productive.
A good lighting plan includes a mix of light sources for ambience and the different activities you’ll be doing in each room.
Ambient Lighting
A central ceiling fixture that illuminates the whole room.
Task Lighting
Like downlights over kitchen benches for prepping dinner, or a lamp for reading.
Accent Lighting
To highlight art, photographs and wall features.
Light Globes
When you’ve determined your lighting plan, you’ll need to pick your light globes. Here’s a quick guide to the technologies available.
Halogen
- Uses about 25% less energy than incandescent globes
- Emits beautiful warm glow
- Suitable for use with any dimmer
CFL
- Uses about 65% less energy than incandescent globes
- Light colour not as rich and warm as halogen globes
- Requires time to warm up and reach full light potential
- Dimming is limited: look for ‘dimmable’ CFLs
LED
- Most energy efficient: uses about 75% less energy than incandescent globes
- Long-lasting
- Mercury free
- Ideal with movement sensors
- Look for ‘dimmable’ LEDs if using with dimmer
TREND ALERT
Many new LED lights are sold as complete sealed units. When the light fades or fails, you need to replace the entire fitting.
Guide to Light Colours
Light colour can dramatically change the mood of a room. Get to know these common light colours and where best to use them in your home.
| Colour | Degrees | Description | Room |
|---|---|---|---|
| Warm White | 2700 – 3000k |
Softer, Warmer Light Comparable to traditional incandescent lighting |
Bedrooms, living rooms, bathroom, kitchen |
| Cool White | 4000k |
Neutral Light Comparable to office lighting |
Home office, bathroom, garage, laundry |
| Neutral | 5000k |
Bright Light Comparable to daylight |
Garage, laundry, workshop |
| Daylight | 6000k |
Harsh Light Comparable to the light outside in the midday |
Not recommended |
Light Performance – Lumens
Here’s how the energy consumption of various light globes compare at different levels of brightness. The greater the Lumen count, the more powerful the light, while Watts measure the energy consumed. Newer technologies, like LEDs, are more efficient.
| Light Output | Incandescent | Halogen | CFL | LED |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 220lm | 25W | 18W | 5-7W | 3W |
| 420lm | 40W | 28W | 7-8W | 4-5W |
| 720lm | 60W | 42W | 11-12W | 6-8W |
| 930lm | 75W | 52W | 13-18W | 9-13W |
| 1300lm | 100W | 70W | 18-23W | 16-20W |
Discover how to transform your home with our latest LED lighting
Details add the layers and layers add the interest.
