We all know the story of Goldilocks and the three bears. While intruding on the bears’ home, Goldilocks found a series of items that were too big, too small or just right. Much like the story of Goldilocks, it is possible to select lighting fixtures that are too big, too small, or just right. Selecting correct lighting fixtures for your home is similar to selecting jewelry or clothes because you need to find the right style and size to match your home. Lighting fixtures are a key element in the design of a room. Two things to remember are scale and clearance. The following are guidelines to help you choose lighting fixtures that are just the right size for your home.
Scale
The phrase “bigger is better” does not always apply to lighting fixtures. It is imperative to measure the area of your space because picking a fixture that is too big will throw off the scale of the room. You can be sure to get the right scale by following some simple steps.
- Measure, and add the length and width of the room together
- Swap your foot long measurements to inches (Example: If the room is 10 feet long and 10 feet wide, that equals 20 feet, so swap to 20 inches)
- The swapped inch value is about the correct diameter of light fixture that would work best in your space.
Clearance
While we hope you get a good price on your lighting fixtures, that isn’t the type of clearance we are talking about. We refer to clearance as the amount of space allowed for someone or something to move past or under the light fixture. When choosing recessed lighting, it is important to remember the clearance level of the lighting fixtures. You want to be sure the lights are short enough to avoid head traffic, but long enough to emit necessary light. While selecting wall lights, you may want to tape a box or object of a similar size in place for a few days to decide if it will work in your desired space.
At Quality Electrical Contractors, we know that lighting fixtures are important for esthetics and light quality. We have experience in installing indoor and outdoor lighting fixtures. We would be happy to help you decide the right lighting fixtures for your home.