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Home Improvement

2002-03-01 17:14:00

Lighting it up

Question:  We have a great room with open beams, and a big fireplace at one end. Over the top of the fireplace we have a mantle. We would like to have some sort of track lighting focus on the mantle. I read that there are such things as track lighting, recessed lighting, pendant lighting, accent lighting, display lighting, transformers, dimmers, and Halogen and Xenon light bulbs that can work. What are the advantages and disadvantages of each? Is this going to be an expensive ordeal?

Answer:  I believe you are on the right track.  No pun intended.  Lighting can set the mood of a room and show off the main focal points.  It sounds like your fireplace with its mantle is very much the focal point of the room and the right kind of light can certainly set it off.The first three topics refer to how the lighting is mounted.Track lighting consists of an aluminum track that is fastened to the ceiling, wall, beam or any other substantial structure.  The individual lights are mounted on the track and can be moved around to focus the light exactly where you want it.  The lights usually are made to swivel as well as slide on the track.Recessed lighting, sometimes referred to as canned lighting is mounted inside the ceiling and shines more or less straight down. Another form of recessed lighting is the so called "eye ball" fixture where the light can be swiveled around to make it shine right where you want it,.Pendant lighting hangs down from a cord or chain and depending on the light fixture itself can shine down or all around the room.Accent lighting is lighting that shines on an object to create special effects, accent texture and features of the object etc.Display lighting is like accent lighting but generally just lights the object real well so it's easily seen and stands out well.Transformers are electrical devices that change the voltage.  For example a transformer could be used to convert 115 voltage to 12 volts so that a particular lighting system that uses 12 volts could be used.  This is usually done inside the fixture and is not something for the homeowner to worry about. Dimmers are devices, usually combined with or inside a switch, that are used to vary the intensity of the light.  They can be used with many types of lighting but not all.  You would want to check with the store that furnished the lighting to be sure that you were not creating something that won't work or that could be a hazard.Halogen bulbs are very bright and do a great job bringing out the colors.  Although they cost more than incandescent bulbs, the do a better job and last up to three times as long.Xenon light bulbs are extremely bright bulbs used mainly in automotive, medical and movie projector applications.  I've never heard of any home uses.  That doesn't mean that there are none or that it's not just around the corner. The cost will of course depend on what kind of fixture(s) you choose, how many you need and perhaps mostly on how difficult it will be to get electricity to where you  need it.  If there is electricity already in the ceiling you may get by with some inexpensive track lights.  On the other hand if there is no electricity there now and the ceiling is impossible to access, it could be costly to have an electrician run the wires and hook up the lights.  Maybe wires could be hidden above the beams.