Lighting Design & Installation Essex

Planning Lighting Installations

Lighting installations are properly planned from the start. Whether the installation stands alone or has to work in conjunction with building/renovation work, a stringent planning procedure is followed.

If you’re undergoing any building or landscape work, our Electricians are used to working with site managers, architects, builders and landscape gardeners. Lighting should be planned at the beginning before any building/refurbishment work commences.

If you only require new lighting, installations are designed to your requirements to work with your existing space.

Lighting & Building Regulations

Lighting installations undertaken in domestic and commercial properties must be done and signed off by qualified Electricians. All work undertaken by TM Hughes & Son involves NICEIC-registered electricians with many years of experience. All installations will adhere to the current required building regulations. The necessary certification accompanies all work.

Lighting Design & Installation Considerations

When designing your lighting installation, we first discuss what you like regarding light design, switches, bulb colour etc. If you’re unsure what you want, one of our electricians will present some options to you so you can pick the lights and fittings you like. Once we have a good idea of what you want, we consider the following.

Room Size

Each room is measured in every direction. The square footage of each room is calculated along with length, width and height. By establishing the size, we can accurately calculate the number of bulbs and power required to light the room optimally.

Room Use

The use of the room will determine the wattage of bulbs; some rooms need more light than others. Hallways require the least amount of bulb power. They are merely walked through and usually have good natural light. Bathrooms need considerably more light, natural light is generally reduced, and tasks that need lots of light (such as grooming) are done in the bathroom. Kitchens usually need more lights but less power than bathrooms. Living areas need lower-powered relaxing lights.

Times Of Room Use

The time of day each room is used is another consideration. Times vary from household to household and are another factor we use to calculate the best bulb wattages.

Occupant Age

Are you a young professional living alone? A family with children? or an elderly couple? All have different lighting requirements. As a general rule of thumb, the older one gets, the more light that’s needed.

Windows 

Most rooms have windows, and all windows let in natural light. Natural light varies depending on the size of the window and the direction of the window. South-facing windows let in a lot of natural light, while north-facing windows let in considerably less. East & West facing windows sit somewhere in the middle. Where possible, lighting installations are designed to work with natural light, rooms that are occupied mainly in the day with heavy natural light need little Lighting. Lights are generally kept away from windows.

Enhanced Features

Homes have architectural features such as arches, feature walls, vaulted ceilings and fireplaces. Attractive features can be enhanced with Lighting, so they stand out more.

Hide Features

It pays to keep light away from some features, such as radiators and central heating controls, which most don’t want to stand out unless you have designer radiators and controls which work with your decor.

Furniture Position

Furniture position helps determine the lighting position. Seating and dining areas are best served by overhead Lighting, for example.

Light Switches Function & Position

With new lighting installations, we work out the most convenient place for each light switch. If you’re having your current Lighting upgraded, we can reposition switches to be in a better location. Switches include 1,2,3 way switches, dimmer switches and the latest smart switches.

Lights 

There are various types of lights used for different purposes in the home and commercial setting. Their function chooses lights and positioning. Additional lights can be combined to produce stunning lighting effects in certain areas. Each room of the home will require different lights and wattages of bulbs.

Ambient Lights – Ambient lights are the most common type of light used in the home. The ambient light’s job is to illuminate the room to see in low light levels and the dark. Ambient lights include downlights, uplights and directional Lighting. Downlights are attached to the ceiling and illuminate downwards. Uplights are attached to walls and bounce light off the ceiling, generally softer than downlights. Directional Lighting can be attached to ceilings and walls. Lights are pointed in a specific direction.

Accent Lights – Decorative lights are used to create impressive looks or enhance the features of your home.

Task Lights – Task lights assist your everyday tasks such as cooking, grooming, make-up application and reading.

Outdoor Lights – Outdoor lights illuminate areas for comfort, safety, security and decorative reasons.

Types Of Interior Light 

Arm – Arm lights are fitted to the wall and feature one (one bulb) or two (two bulbs) arms. The arms can be fixed or adjustable depending on the design. Arm lights can work as ambient, task and decorative lighting.

Chandeliers – Chandeliers are usually bright and bold, constructed from glass and metal. The look itself adds a decorative element to each room. Chandeliers typically have multiple bulbs, with the candle bulb being the most common. 

Flush & Semi-Flush – Flush lights sit tight to the ceiling, perfect for bathrooms, as the design keeps water and moisture away. Semi-flush lights sit close to the ceiling but with a few inches of hang. Both designs work well for lower ceilings. Wall flush lights are also available.

Pendants – The standard domestic light that hangs from the ceiling with a cable. Pendant lights are available as classic ceiling roses (which usually include a lampshade). Many designer versions are available to suit every taste imaginable. Depending on the design, pendants have one, two or multiple bulbs.

Recessed – Recessed lights are fitted inside the ceiling and are usually fitted in multiples. 

Track – Track lights are fitted to an adjustable track so the lights can be moved and pointed in various directions.

Strip Lights – Illuminate pictures, mirrors or photos, a type of ambient or task light.

Up & Down – A wall light that shines light in both directions illuminating the room via the ceiling and the wall providing a nice decorative effect.

Uplighters – Uplighters shine upwards towards the ceiling; the lights reflected, illuminating the room softly.

Light Bulbs

Light bulbs are available in many different types; the correct choice is vital and will make or break your Lighting. Our planning procedure (see above) allows us to select the best bulb for any given situation. Bulbs vary in wattage, size, colour, shape and fitting type. 

Here are the different types of light bulbs available 

CFL – Compact Fluorescent Lamps came out in the mid-nineties as an energy-saving alternative to the then-ordinary incandescent and halogen bulbs. While CFLs saved money on energy bills, they were not greatly received by the general public, being expensive, big, bulky, unattractive, and, worse of all, containing mercury. CFL bulbs are still available but are not used in any of our installations, as modern LED bulbs are better and safer.

Halogen – Halogen bulbs came after the traditional incandescent. Halogen bulbs utilise hydrogen gas which illuminates when exposed to electricity. Halogen bulbs are inefficient, don’t last very long (compared to the other bulbs) and are not environmentally friendly. Modern LED bulbs are a better alternative.

Incandescent – Thomas Edison invented the original light bulb. Incandescent bulbs contain a wire filament inside an airtight glass bubble, and electricity lights the filament. The incandescent bulb is arguably one of the most important inventions in human history and revolutionised how we live. Incandescents were ‘the’ lightbulbs for over 100 years and are still available even though the EU is slowly phasing them out, as modern LED bulbs are cheaper to run and better for the environment. 

LED – Light Emitting Diode bulbs are the current bulb of choice as they are the best bulbs available. Compared to other bulbs, LEDs run cool and don’t need as much energy to produce the same amount of light. LEDs also last much longer than other types of light bulb. While LEDs are more expensive to buy, they work out cheaper in the long run as they last so much longer. 

Smart – Smart LED bulbs can be controlled by an app on your smartphone, tablet or computer. You can turn them on and off, change the brightness, and colour and set them to come on or switch off at certain times. Some smart bulbs have other unique features, such as voice activation. As these bulbs utilise an app compatible with the internet, they can be controlled from anywhere.

Outdoor Lighting

All homes benefit from outdoor lighting, making it possible to sit outside after dark and navigate safely without the risk of tripping and deterring any unwanted visitors. Data shows that externally lit homes are far less likely to be burgled or vandalised.

We install all types of external Lighting fitted with the latest LED bulbs, which offer long life and exceptional energy efficiency. Outdoor Lighting can be activated manually or with timers or motion sensors.

You switch on manual Lighting anytime you need it. Timed Lighting comes on at pre-set times, while motion sensor lighting activates when a sensor’s disturbed.

Whether you want external Lighting for your home or business, here are the outdoor areas that benefit from outdoor Lighting.

Households

• Driveways
• Garages
• Sides of house
• Front of house
• Backdoor
• Outdoor Walkways
• Sheds

Commercial Properties

• Entrances
• Fire Escapes
• Sides of building
• Vulnerable windows
• Shutter doors
• Dimly lit parking areas
• Outdoor storage areas

Types Of Outdoor Light

Brick – Outdoor walls that run along paths and the walls of your home can have bricks removed that are replaced with lights of the same shape.

Ceiling – Exterior alcoves have the option of exterior ceiling lights, which are available as pendants, flush or recessed in a range of designs.

Floor – Floor lights sit on the floor, shining outwards at an upward angle, usually illuminating a wall or in the floor (paving slabs and decking), shining upwards.

Post – A line of short posts illuminate paths or dark alcoves well. Larger lampost-style lights are suitable for the front of houses and driveways.

Security – Security lights work on motion sensors, activated anytime someone walks past a specific area. Economical and effective for safety and security.

String – A line of lights suspended from a wire, great in the summertime when you’re hosting parties.

Wall – Wall lights are very popular and available in many designs, including up-lighters, downlighters, flush and directional.

Call – 01245 830560