Different Types of Ceiling Lighting

Adding or renovating ceiling lighting can be much more challenging than it seems, especially since there is an enormous selection at your fingertips! Fortunately, all you need to do is fine-tune your aesthetic and determine your needs for each space – those preferences will light the way toward making a decision that will truly make your living space feel like bright and homey. 

Need Additional Temperature Control?

Installing a lighting fixture only to realize your room is incredibly hot during the summer months is frustrating. Aside from the obvious discomfort, setting up free-standing fans in strategically placed locations creates an eyesore and never quite achieves the cooling impact that a ceiling fan imparts. Solve your lighting and cooling needs by choosing a lighted ceiling fan.

• Available in a wide array of styles to match any décor
• Helps save on cooling bills
• Frees up floor space
• Provides either ambient or task lighting
• Best used in medium to larger living spaces: bedrooms, living room or sunroom

Looking for Ambient Statement Lighting for a Visual Impact?

Whether you’re adding ceiling lighting to your foyer or dressing up a master suite for a boutique-inspired design, a visually stunning chandelier is perfect – and requires thoughtful selection. Keep in mind that this form of lighting works in nearly any room of the house if the dimensions allow for its size. A large chandelier that works well in your living room, for instance, is far too large for the bathroom where a miniature version will lend a posh touch.

• Available in a variety of styles, shapes and sizes to match any aesthetic
• Provides ambient lighting
• Requires head clearance – best used in spaces with high ceilings or over a table

Searching for Visually Appealing, Ambient Lighting for a Smaller Space?

Flush ceiling lighting is installed directly against the ceiling and is available in a wide variety of styles from extremely ornate metal work to simple domed glass. If you’d love a chandelier but your space is small, opt for semi-flush lighting, which is installed with a small drop between the ceiling and the main fixture.

• Blends harmoniously with your room without becoming a focal point
• Smaller in size, providing ambient lighting
• Ideal for small spaces: small bedrooms, bathrooms, service porch, small entry or laundry room

Need Focused Task Lighting?

Pendant ceiling lights offer task light (or focused lighting) to a space rather than an ambient glow. With a drop from the ceiling, the bulb or bulbs provide visibility for “tasks” in areas where you’re more active, such as over an office desk or a kitchen island. Pendant lights hang from the ceiling on a rod or chain with a more substantial drop than semi-flush lighting.

• Available in single- to multi-bulb styles to suit any aesthetic
• Small to large in size
• Best suited to particular, functional spaces within rooms: over a kitchen island, over a desk, over a kitchen table or over a dining room table in an open-concept space

Prefer Fixture-Free Lighting for a Streamlined Appearance?

Recessed lighting wins every time if you prefer a sleek ceiling line that does not include any sort of hanging or flush fixture. As the name implies, the lighting is built within the ceiling. You may select trim that matches your ceiling – such as a white trim against a white backdrop for an invisible line – or contrast trim, such as brushed silver or black.

• “Eyeball” design option offers adjustable movement for flexible lighting
• Typically available in 3-, 4-, 5- or 6-inch diameters
• Well-suited to use throughout the entire house, depending on bulb size and placement – for example, one large light over a fireplace offers accent lighting while several lights throughout a kitchen provide general lighting

Looking for a Configurable Lighting Option?

Track lighting provides, just like it sounds, lighting on a track. The lights are adjustable so you can provide task and accent lighting to different areas at the same time. For instance, you may aim part of the lighting over your kitchen island, another toward the stove and one to showcase wall art.

• Available on a straight track or curved designs
• Lends an industrial vibe, though available in a variety of colors and designs
• Best suited to: rooms with multiple functions, such as living rooms or kitchens

Choosing ceiling lighting for a room is certainly more challenging than selecting less permanent forms of lighting, such as lamps. However, when you stick closely to your wants and needs in each space, the experience proves to be just as enjoyable and rewarding.