Blog: Classic and funky – lighting a London townhouse
Finalising the lighting in a challenging scheme in Central London; a classic Georgian townhouse and a modern mews house.
Designing with linear LED lighting
Linear lighting can be used for a wide range of lighting effects and uses ranging from creating a subtle glow of light to being enough task lighting to prepare a meal and cook by. There are a number of LED profiles making it easy to incorporate in to joinery or stair treads for a neat seamless flush fit. With higher output, IP rated and colour changing versions available there is a lot of reasons to include linear in a lighting design scheme.
Using linear LEDs in joinery
Whether the joinery is of classic or contemporary design adding a line of diffused linear LED not only highlights the contents on display it can also make the piece of joinery an eye catching area of the room and a cleaver way of adding to the overall light levels of the room.
With joinery there are many ways to light the shelves or unit, you can mount at the front edge or back edge of the shelve or vertically up the side. There are a number of profiles to choose from so there will be one to suite the thickness of the unit and if there shelves are 'chunky' enough you could have two lengths of linear one lighting the shelf above and one lighting the shelf below.
Washing the ceiling with light
As an alternative to downlights using linear LEDs you can create a wash of light up on to the ceiling. Either recessed in a coffer detail or mounted discreetly on to a beam perfect for pitched ceilings or light wells.
Lighting the pool coffer shown here we used an IP rated profile suitable for a pool environment. As it was the main source of lighting in the room we used a higher output LED to get the higher throw and punch of light.
Surface mounted linear LED
The beam in this pitched roof study with a river view gave us the ideal mounting point for a linear throw of light up on to the ceiling, creating a subtle glow across the room.
The ledge of these Victorian arched pillars made an ideal surface to mount a very shallow and discreet LED profile to highlight the high arches as well as adding to the light of this impressive entrance hall.
Coffer lighting
Examples of coffer and surface mounted LED linear lighting from our projects.
Delivering practical lighting in the kitchen
Adding linear to under cabinet wall units in a kitchen is a good way of getting task lighting right where you need it. If you have space between the top of the cabinets it is an ideal place to surface mount some linear LEDs and add to the overall lighting effect of the room.
Like wise under a cooker hood it is a good alternative to the traditional spots with an even coverage across the hob area.
Different size and angled profiles available it allows you to choose the most suitable for the application. The profiles can be recessed in or surface mounted behind downstands. A slimmer profile is easier to recess where some deeper profiles diffuses the LEDs more and there are angled ones which fire the light back and across.
A mix of practical and decorative linear LED lighting
With two shelves mounted above the sink in this kitchen we used a slim but high output LED linear profile recessed in the bottom shelf to provide enough light to do the daily tasks such as washing up. On the top shelf we used the same method to light the trinkets displayed.
Linear lighting suits both modern and classic styles
Linear LED in a Scandi style kitchen and bathroom. The clean LED lines enhance the minimalistic look and feel of the property. Good colour rendering LED makes all the difference especially here with a largely white interior, a light with poor colour rendering would have left the space feeling clinical rather than cosy and warm.
A traditional farm house style kitchen with the double AGA benefiting from the high output LED mounted at the back of the cooker hood lighting the cooking surface.
Linear lighting and staircases
If the staircase structure permits rebating a recessed linear profile in to the underneath of the treads it creates not only functional light it can also create a stunning visual effect.
Linear lighting in a handrail or the underside of the staircase is another use for the versatile profile.
Bathroom niches and shelves
By backlighting these shelves we have created the appearance they are 'floating'. Using a diffused profile for the LEDs to sit inside it made for a subtle glow of light. We used an IP rated fitting for this application making it suitable for use in a wet environment.
A niche in a shower enclosure or next to the bath is a practical addition to a build or renovation providing a storage place for the shower and bath products. It also provides another fixing point for adding light, here we have used a linear IP rated fitting which is tiled flush to the to top of the niche. We chose a diffused profile to avoid looking at LEDs spots whilst relaxing in the bath.
Garden lighting
With the appropriate IP rated fitting you can add linear to an exterior lighting plan or garden design. Linear fitting can be used add a low level line of light under a planter or seating areas, edge light a path or border, light external steps or highlight water feature details. In an outdoor kitchen or BBQ space, linear lighting can be used for task lighting.
Adding fun and colour to a design with linear lighting
Linear LED doesn't always have to be a straight line of light. There are many types and sizes of linear profiles including flexible ones which allow you to add fun statement shapes and lines of light in to a design scheme. Adding a splash of colour can be easily achieved using linear LEDs and if you have to control system in place for example Lutron HomeWorks QS you can add to the design effect by introducing colour changing.
Cool shapes & colour changing
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