How To Choose The Right Type of Ceiling Lights
Flicking the light switch to the ‘on’ position, you look up to admire your new ceiling light. It casts light beautifully around the room and provides an eye-catching focal point that draws you in, and you’re glad you took the time to properly browse the different types of ceiling lights to find the perfect fit for your space.
Discover how to create aesthetically pleasing spaces by choosing the right ceiling lights for every room in your home.
Why is it important to choose the right types of ceiling lights?
Ceiling lights provide the overall lighting that illuminates a room and play a vital role in creating the ideal ambience. The perfect ceiling light will cast light throughout the space while also enhancing its aesthetic appeal.
With so many different types of ceiling lights to choose from, they also offer a great opportunity for you to showcase your style. Whether you choose a sleek understated design or a show-stopping chandelier says a lot about your personality.
Ally Dowsing-Reynolds, lighting expert and co-founder of Dowsing & Reynolds, says:
Ceiling lights provide a beautiful focal point for any room, attracting your eyes and drawing you in. Always go for a light fitting slightly larger than you think you need—a tiny light will look lost against your ceiling and not provide the WOW factor you’re looking for.
The key to good lighting is layering – simply suspending one pendant light from the centre of the ceiling won’t fulfil all your lighting needs. Instead, you should combine your ceiling lights with wall lights and table and floor lamps to ensure you have the right lighting for every time of day.
Design tip: For even greater flexibility when it comes to creating the ideal mood, put your ceiling lights on dimmer switches.
Different types of ceiling light fixtures
Pendant lights
Pendant lights hang from the ceiling by a long cord or chain and are a popular and modern overhead lighting style. They’re great for creating a strong focal point within a room or providing concentrated task lighting to a specific area, such as above a kitchen island.
Choose between a single pendant light like the gold Walford single pendant or a cluster pendant light like the gold Grantley ribbed glass cluster pendant.
Image courtesy of @callertonkitchens
Chandeliers
Chandeliers are decorative hanging lights that have branches for several light bulbs or, more traditionally, candles.
While traditional chandeliers are often associated with wealth and opulence, contemporary chandeliers such as the medium frosted bubble chandelier make a beautiful addition to any style of home, enhancing the visual appeal of the space.
Recessed lights
Recessed lights, sometimes known as downlights, are installed into hollow openings in the ceiling and are designed to provide focused lighting. They give a sleek and clean look, which makes them a popular choice for contemporary interiors. They’re also great for providing mood lighting or for use in rooms with low ceilings where other ceiling fixtures would be impractical.
Ceiling spotlights
Ceiling spotlights like the black Grantley ribbed glass spotlight bar are a highly versatile style of ceiling light. Each spotlight can be aimed in a different direction to draw the eye to different areas of the room, making them a great choice for either ambient or accent lighting.
Flush ceiling lights
Flush ceiling lights are mounted directly on the ceiling and have little to no gap between the light and the ceiling. This makes them an ideal choice for rooms with low ceilings where a larger light fixture would be obstructive.
Flush ceiling lights, like the gold Hoxton ceiling light, are also much easier to clean than traditional pendant lampshades or spotlights.
Image courtesy of @home.shil_.home
How to choose the right types of ceiling lights for your home
There are three main factors to consider when choosing a ceiling light:
1. Room size
Different types of ceiling lights look best in rooms of different sizes. For a big room, opt for something bold and eye-catching that fills up the space, like a modern chandelier. For a smaller room, recessed lights might be more suitable to open up the space and prevent it from feeling claustrophobic.
2. Ceiling height
As well as considering the size of the room, you should also think about the height of the ceiling. Pendant lights or large chandeliers are ideal for creating focal points within rooms with high ceilings, while flush ceiling lights are a more suitable option for rooms with low ceilings where low-hanging fixtures would get in the way.
3. Room style
Finally, don’t forget the importance of matching your lighting to the style of your home. This will help to create a sense of cohesion – you can even match your light switches and sockets to your lighting fixtures to really tie the space together.
For modern home aesthetics, sleek pendant lamps and recessed lighting are an excellent choice. If your home includes eye-catching features or artwork, use spotlights to highlight these areas and turn them into focal points.
Show us how you’ve styled your ceiling lighting
We’d love to see how you’ve used these tips to find the right types of ceiling lights for each room in your home. Tag us on Instagram @dowsingandreynolds – we’d love to see what you’ve come up with!
