Recessed vs Surface Mounted Downlights
By Radiant Lighting | 05 Jul 2022 | 0 Comments
For the last few decades, down lights have been typically fixed and recessed into the ceiling. When introduced, they started with a traditional 50W halogen fitting as well as a frame, globe and 12V transformer. They’ve now advanced and almost all new down lights in the market are LED (these have a driver attached and in-built LED). While these still have (and will continue to have) a huge place in the market, we’re seeing the emergence of surface mounted down lights which offer a space a minimalist architectural feel but with without the ’emptiness’ commonly associated with recessed downlights. Surface downlights can really highlight your interior design flare and create a stunning, practical light. A series of surface downlights can show off your true interior design flare and create a pattern of ambient and practical light.
Let’s go into a little more detail on the available down light options
Recessed down lights
Recessed downlights are installed into the ceiling and offer a fantastic option for all purpose lighting and shine light evenly on the floor. There is a wide range of choices available such as colour of the fitting, colour temperature of the globe as well as varying degrees of reflectors. A wide angle reflector will deliver a broader, general light suited for large areas and a narrow angle will be suited for more task and purpose lighting.
For the most part, recessed down lights are fixed and shine light directly downwards. However there are some brilliant fittings available such as the Faze Edge 100 which offers an adjustable head (up to 25°). This is particularly useful when illuminating artwork.
Surface mounted down lights
Surface mounted down lights are the perfect option when you don’t have the ability to recess downlights. For example, if you have a concrete ceiling, surface mounted lights offer a solution! While that is a functional benefit, these lights have become much more popular due to their architectural aesthetics.
Another benefit of surface mounting your downlights is they actually help to reduce your heating costs. By eliminating the gaps that cut outs cause, you are able to retain the the temperature in the room. Homeowners stand to substantially reduce the result of temperature control energy loss through the elimination of gaps in insulation and reduction of ceiling cutouts required for recessed downlights.
Bonus: Gimble/Adjustable downlights
We’ve seen a massive surge in popularity of our adjustable or gimble downlights. By having the ability to move the downlight in different directions, you have complete freedom over the direction of light. While these can be for aesthetic reasons, gimble downlights are particularly useful on a sloped ceiling where a fixed light wouldn’t be lighting the target area. The Split by Faze is a stunning light that is being used in some of Australia’s most luxury homes.
We hope you enjoyed this article and encourage you to scroll through our available recessed downlights and surface mounted downlights on the website. If you need some assistance with selecting the right product for you, then contact our team here - we would love to hear from you.
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