LED Downlights have become extremely popular in recent years. From living rooms to dentist offices, these small fixtures can be found just about anywhere. That said, most people don’t know all that much about downlights, even those who have them installed in their homes. Continue reading on as we dive into the details.
What are Downlights?
LED Downlights are small light fixtures that are installed to sit flush with the ceiling they’re installed in. They come in a large variety of sizes ranging from 2 to 12 inches, along with many trim styles to choose from. This makes them an easy and versatile way to light up any space. One feature commonly found in LED Downlights is Color temperature selection.
What are CCT Selectable Downlights?
CCT stands for “Correlated Color Temperature” and refers to the tone of light given by a bulb or fixture. A majority LED Downlights are CCT Selectable. This essentially means that when setting up the fixture, you can choose the desired tone of the light. CCT Selectable downlights typically have a small dial next to the listed available color temperatures.
How to Choose the Right Downlight
While downlights might all look relatively similar, there’s a plethora of different styles and sizes to choose from. Which downlight you go with typically depends on where you’re using it. One good example of this is with downlight shape.
Shape
Both square and round downlight shapes are available, each used in different applications. You’ll typically find round downlights in residential settings like houses due to their softer, more natural look. While the square style is often found in professional spaces like offices and retail stores.
Size
As mentioned previously, LED downlights have quite the range when it comes to sizes. 5 to 6-inch downlights tend to be the most common choice, especially in residential spaces. That said, using multiple different sizes of downlights in one room can be effective in emphasizing certain areas. For example, having a row of smaller downlights over a kitchen island, with larger ones over the table.
Color
Color temperature is crucial when it comes to setting the mood of an environment. As you can imagine, downlights are no exception. Warmer toned downlights give off more of a cozy feel and tend to be found primarily in places like restaurants and living rooms. While the cool toned lights are thrown in more active spaces such as kitchens, bathrooms, and stores.
While most trims (the outer part of the downlight) stick with the neutral white color, there are a few downlights that have other color options. While the palette isn’t massive, you can find downlight trims in colors like bronze, silver, black and gray.
How are LED Downlights Installed?
Despite what many assume, downlights aren’t measured the external light or trimming. Instead, their width is determined by the housing. Sometimes referred to as the downlight’s can, the housing is essentially where all the technology junk is held. You can think of housing as the downlight's root system. So, when you’re installing a downlight, it’s important you cut a hole large enough for the listed housing.
