For a long time, when we do indoor lighting, we will first consider mainstream lanterns such as chandeliers, ceiling lamps and floor lamps, while downlight lamps, which were previously mostly used for commercial lighting, are mostly used with very little space.

In fact, if it can be reasonably designed, spotlights can completely replace chandeliers, ceiling lamps and other lanterns for the main lighting.

Open-mounted spotlights
On the one hand, there are many criticisms of chandeliers and ceiling lamps. For example, the chandeliers have higher requirements for floor height, and the room will appear depressed if they are not careful; the style of lanterns is slightly more complex, which is usually not easy to clean and maintain; the ceiling lamps are usually lacking in illumination; the energy consumption of lanterns is relatively high, and the electricity cost cannot be damaged... For example, the chandeliers shown in the following figure, in addition to good aesthetics, there is no other advantages.

Complex shape, high energy consumption of the chandelier
Compared with these "problems" of lanterns, spotlights are low cost, easy to clean, energy saving and environmental protection, long life, and convenient maintenance. Therefore, as a lighting designer, the author thinks that we might as well change the lighting of the living room, dining room, aisle and hall into spotlights.

Even the bedroom, this kind of space that does not require high illumination, can also be reasonably matched with spotlights and lanterns, so as to achieve good lighting and decorative effects. The following figure is a case where downlights and spotlights are well used for lighting, without using a chandelier or ceiling lamp.

Case of tube and spotlight lighting
Indeed, in the minds of many people, spotlights also have many "shortcomings", such as dazzling, high glare, high temperature, only lighting, no decorative effect, etc.

We do not deny these problems, because there are indeed some interior decorations that use spotlights. Due to the lack of rationality of the design and the poor quality of the product itself, there are indeed the above-mentioned points that users criticize. However, if you can reasonably design the lighting of the space and choose the products of regular brands and manufacturers, you can completely avoid the above problems.

Embedded spotlight
We all know that the light of the spotlight has a strong directivity. When the light hits downward, there will be no lighting dead ends, and it can "stretch" the visual space. In addition, there are many choices for the beam angle of the spotlight (we will write an article to explain it later), including 15, 30, 45, 60, 120, 180, etc. The smaller the beam angle, the more concentrated the light is, and the more diffuse it is. We can choose the beam angle we need according to the specific space and specific purpose.

For example, if you want to light the artwork or decorations in your home alone, you can choose a spotlight with a slightly smaller beam angle to highlight the effect. If you just want to be used as general lighting, you can choose a large beam angle of the spotlight, astigmatism is better, the light is relatively soft, there will be no high glare, dazzling situation.

Concealment spotlights
So, how do we choose spotlights?

Nowadays, the more popular spotlights belong to LED spotlights, with high luminous efficiency (high conversion rate of electro-optic) and more energy saving. Of course, halogen spotlights also have its irreplaceable advantages, that is, high color rendering (can be simply understood as the ability to restore the true color of things), and the light is softer and more emotional.

Poor quality spotlights, due to the blue light filter is not very sufficient, or glare is too strong, will have a very negative impact on vision and psychology. Therefore, when purchasing spotlights on the spot, it is recommended that you turn on the lights in person to experience and observe whether there is glare and whether the heat is too large.

Adjustable spotlights
Need to know, regular manufacturers or brand production of spotlights will be clearly marked in the manual color temperature, luminous flux, color rendering index, beam angle lamp parameters, these are we must look at the lamp selection. If not, it is recommended not to buy.

How to install spotlights

Usually, we put the spotlight installation method is divided into open (directly installed on the ceiling, no chandelier) and dark (installed in the chandelier, spotlights embedded in the chandelier) two. Based on many years of experience in interior lighting design, we believe that the open-fitting method of spotlights is more suitable for foyer, corridor and table. And the living room this space, many families have chosen the ceiling, so more suitable for concealed way.

Guide rail spotlight
In the past experience, people think that the ceiling should waste more than ten centimeters of floor height, and even many people are not willing to do the ceiling. However, if the ceiling is equipped with dark spotlights, only a ceiling with a height of about 6cm is required to realize the layout of spotlights. Of course, it is worth noting that the dark spotlights in the living room should be evenly arranged to ensure uniform light distribution in each space of the room, which is also the point that spotlights are better than lanterns.

In addition, if you really don't want to be a ceiling for the room, you can also use track spotlights, which is also a way to install spotlights. The advantage of this installation is that the lamp head position can be moved arbitrarily on the slide rail, and it is more convenient to adjust the light direction and change the lamp. In the living room, dining room, bar, desk these spaces, the track spotlights are very suitable.