Different areas of the house and lighting information.

Kitchens

The kitchen is a room where you need a good amount of lighting to see what you are doing and avoid injury. It’s always a good idea to aim any spotlights in the kitchen at the hobs and sink and any other area where you need a good deal of light.

You can also fit lighting underneath the cabinets to provide good lighting on the worktop which helps when you're chopping and cutting thing. For a more designer look why not try adding LED lighting in the kick boards (photo to the left).

This look can be quite simple to achieve and may not cost as much as you think. This particular kitchen was fitted with a movement sensor so as soon as anyone walks in the kitchen the lights activate on a timer.

Professionally installed by Online Electrical Services LTD

The dining room

A dining room should have a warm atmosphere. A dimmer switch is usually a good start in a dining room as you can control the lighting levels to get it right and see what you’re eating at meal times.

The bedroom

The best way to get a cosy feeling in a bedroom is to use recessed spotlights, wall lighting and table lamps to create a soft light effect. This will provide you with sufficient levels of lighting when it comes to you wanting to read a book in bed or any other tasks.

The living room

The living room is the main family room of the house and needs to cater for allot of different activities. E.g. reading, watching television and various other activities. Spotlights and reading lamps are possibility the best idea for the living room. The use of spotlights can also be used in living rooms to make a focal point stand out e.g. a fire place or a nice entertainment system that's central of the room (picture to the left).

One of the simplest methods to change the look and feel in the living rooms is to use a free standing lamp.

Professionally installed by OES Home Cinema Installers

Bathroom

When it comes to bathroom lighting you always need to be careful to get the right lighting as the steam and dampness can cause electrical dangers. The 17th edition IEE wiring regulations state that there are 4 danger zones in a bathroom 0, 1, 2 and 3. The lighting you choose should always be suitable for the zones which they are in. To be safe you should always read the instructions that come with the lighting you buy and make sure you have measured the dimensions of the room out accurately.

The regulations state that a light in the 2nd zone must be splash proof and must have a minimum rating of IPX4.

Zone 1 – The light fitting in this zone must be up to standards for the conditions of the zone and must be RCD protected by a 30mA.

A ceiling mounted switch needs to be in zone 3 but its permitted to dangle down into other zones if it’s a pull cord.

If you're desires are of the high end designer finishes like the bathroom shown to the left then you could look at LED lighting, Jacuzzi jets, built in TV, LED floor lighting, heated towel rack and ceiling speakers.

All the lighting in this bathroom is motion activated so when you walk in the lights automatically turn on and go off on a timer.

MAKE SURE

When it comes to electrical item e.g. bathroom TV/IPOD doc or bathroom lights they comply with the 17th edition IEE wiring regulations and they are designed for the bathroom zone.

This bathroom was professionally designed and installed by Online Electrical Services LTD.

CFL Bulb (Compact Fluorescent lamps)
This type of bulb is more commonly known as a low energy bulb or an energy saving bulb. This bulb has a similar construction to a tube bulb but doesn’t use nearly as much energy.

This type of bulb will fit into a standard GLS (General lighting service) fitting. This type of bulbs comes in many shapes and forms and the use of it has grown over the past 5 years.

Tube bulb
The tube bulb is a long, glass and cylinder in shape. This bulb is most commonly used in kitchens and garages. There are many different versions of this bulb available some include:

• Warm white (2700K)
• Medium (3000K)
• Higher (3500K or even higher)
  

Depending on the bulb you buy the life can be anywhere between 6–10 years for this lamp.

The halogen bulb

Halogen bulbs give out a clear white light and are brighter than a different bulb of the same wattage. These bulbs are good if you like to do allot of reading and help you avoid eye strain. This bulb type tends to get very hot in a short amount of time so it’s a good idea to make sure you get the right fitting.

Low voltage halogen bulb

This is the low voltage version of the halogen bulb which uses 12 volts unlike the standard halogen that uses 240v. The current for this type of bulb comes from a transformer which can either be built into the light fitting or in a totally different place.

GLS (General Lighting Service)

This is the most common light bulb that’s around and is used in lamps and most light fittings. You can get this bulb in a clear form, translucent form and even with a colour tinge. This bulb comes in many shapes and forms.

Reflector Bulb

This lamp is good for directional light and can be used in a floodlight or spotlight fitting. They usually have a tinge of silver which helps throw the lighting into a directional beam.