Proper lighting is not just a necessity but adds an atmosphere to the room. If lighting didn't make a difference, there wouldn't be terms like "candle lit dinners" or "mood lighting".

The proper lighting can make the room inviting. A mixture of lighting gives you the options depending on the particular need at the moment. Today, basements are used for playrooms, home offices, family rooms, home theater rooms, and game rooms. Each of these rooms require a specific type of lighting.

The time to think about your lighting is before you finish it off. But, because many have drop ceilings, adding lighting in this area is probably the easiest of the entire home.

RECESSED LIGHTING - is an inexpensive fixture and probably provides the best overall lighting for any mood. Placing the lights in rows allows for an overall lighting of the room.

Since basements can have a lower ceiling, recessed lighting doesn't break the flow of the ceiling or create a lower feeling to the room as with surface mount fixtures. Overall, it's one of the most versatile types of lighting you can use.

To have the ability to go from general lighting of a room to mood lighting, install dimmer switches on your overhead lighting. This allows you to select the proper level of light for a variety of situations from reading a book to watching a movie, or for those romantic moments.

Unlike days of old when a dimmer switch was a round knob, today's switches are multifunctional and high tech. They include presets, combination on-off switches with slides, and little lights that indicate the intensity of the light.

Recessed lighting fixtures are available as a replacement for a standard, surface mount, light fixture. They're designed to slide into the opening of a standard electrical box.

There's no cutting of the ceiling required. By removing the light and box, a recessed light can be wired up and slid into the opening. Clips secure it to the sheetrock after it's slid into place. This type of can works nicely in replacing hallway lighting or stair landing lighting.

Purchased separately from the recessed fixture is the trim kit. This is the only part of the fixture you see when it's installed in the ceiling. Trim kits end up costing more than the fixture in most cases. They come in a variety of styles and can create an overall disbursement of lighting or direct the lighting in a certain direction.

A standard baffle allows for overall lighting. An eyeball fixture swivels and directs light to a specific area. A trim kit with a scoop in it, generally covering half the light, directs light in a specific direction. Depending upon the fixture, you can wash a wall with light, focus on a specific piece of furniture or accent piece, or provide overall lighting to the entire area of your room.

Recessed lighting is great because it provides so many different options. No finished basement should be without recessed lighting.

Consider the position of your couches. Try to not put a row of lighting overhead, directly at the front of our couch. If the light is above you when you are sitting and slightly in front of you, you may have a glare in your eyes when the lights are turned up brighter.

Always check with your local building codes. If unsure of your abilities, hire a licensed electrician.
 

 

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