What types are there?
According to the type of lamps, track lamps are:
Halogen
Improved incandescent lamps with added buffer gas. Thanks to the modifications, they shine brighter and work longer. They are considered one of the most inexpensive.
Luminescent
Bright, economical. Typically used for accent lighting.
LED
Diodes are the most modern tracking solution. They shine brightly and evenly, last a long time, and are economical in electricity consumption.
By number of phases:
Single-phase
All lamps are controlled by one button, there is no possibility of setting scenarios.
Two-, three-phase
The lamps are divided into 2-3 groups, controlled from different switch buttons. Turned on separately.
Photos of track lamps
Read here! Armstrong lamp - advantages of use, features of installation and replacement of lamps (85 photos)
What to consider when choosing?
When choosing track lighting for your interior, pay attention to the following characteristics:
type of instalation
First of all, decide on what basis and how you are going to install the structure - the choice of the main element - the profile - depends on this. There are suspended, overhead and built-in.
Element material
Lightweight and durable aluminum is an excellent choice for both tires and lampshades.
Control options
In the previous section, we have already discussed busbar trunking options based on the number of phases: one phase is usually sufficient in unidirectional rooms, such as a hallway or a bathroom. Two or three are already needed in bedrooms, living rooms, kitchens, offices, and children's rooms.
Thanks to the settings, you can install a single system, for example, above the work area and the dining table, but turn the elements on and off separately from each other.
The photo shows a black bus lamp in the loft style
Type, lamp power
Using modern diode light bulbs, you simultaneously save on electricity and provide yourself with even, bright lighting without flickering or glare. Although LEDs are more expensive than halogen ones, they last longer: on average 7-9 years.
To correctly determine the required power, you should calculate the required figure based on the area of the room: for example, a living room requires bright light of ~3 W (LED!) per 1 square meter. Accordingly, a living room of 20 m2 will need lamps with a total power of 60 W. This can be 10 pieces of 6 W or 6 brighter ones of 10 W.
Additional features
In bathrooms and toilets, be sure to choose components with protection of at least IP44 - otherwise high humidity can lead to a short circuit in the wiring. The second example is line voltage: do you need 220, 380 or 12 volts?
Design
The decorative component includes stylization, color, and shape of the lampshades. For example, minimalistic and futuristic models are suitable for high-tech style. In a classic interior, flexible ceiling lamps will look better. For the loft style, there are generally track lamps in the form of pendants.
As for the shade, choose it to suit your interior. Standard color variations include white, black, chrome. Bronze, copper, platinum, and gilding are less common. Even rarer are color designer sets.
The last difference is the shape of the case. A cylinder or cone is considered universal. Fashionable original ones resemble small spotlights, suitable as an idea for modern interiors. There are also balls, squares, flat circles, and elongated oblong lamps.
Why do you need a track system and its advantages?
Spotlights are installed to highlight a specific detail. Such lighting devices are often installed in showrooms to advantageously present the product and highlight the price tag. If we talk about interiors, the decor is illuminated using a track system. But here it is important to know and respect boundaries. It is best to use such lighting in a workshop (to illuminate a laptop, a table for sewing, drawing).
It is worth mentioning the advantages of such a lighting system:
- directional light. That is, you choose which direction the light flow should go;
- high-tech style, it is able to complement any interior of the room, adding freshness and originality to it;
- Light sources are characterized by maneuverability. They can be used in relation to any object or surface;
- free fastener. It is possible to attach such a system to any surface, regardless of its configuration, at any height.
What's the best way to position it?
The placement of track lights in a room depends on 2 components: the shape of the room and its functionality. This leads to 3 main layouts:
Look at examples of the arrangement of lamps on a suspended ceiling.
Line
Used in three cases.
- First: when track lights are an integral part of the overall lighting concept. In this situation, they highlight one of the zones: for example, a desktop, a kitchen countertop, a closet.
- Second: the tire is located in a narrow, elongated space. For example, the corridor. Then directed bright light along the center is more than enough.
- The third is a wide room where light lines are installed parallel to each other. The number of lines is not limited. Usually 2-5.
Corner
When there are not enough lines, but you don’t want to occupy the entire ceiling area with a track. Often used in corner kitchens, above corner sofas, in L-shaped layouts.
Square, rectangle
A “closed” figure outlines the outline of the room: this is important when all the lighting is based on track lighting. The lamps are placed along the contour, pointing in different directions - somewhere to illuminate a picture on the wall, somewhere on a table.
Sometimes it is also used in conjunction with a chandelier in the center or for zoning a room in an open plan. For example, a square of tracks highlights the living room area.
The photo shows contour lighting in the living room
The last nuance concerns not the form, but the format: most often, track lamps are installed in an overhead manner. That is, the tire and lamps remain visible. But in some cases it is appropriate to resort to camouflage techniques by hiding the track in a niche or securing it between beams in a slatted ceiling, for example.
Track lights
Track devices have many different names: spots, spotlights, spotlights, lamps. Their main difference from decorative ones is free movement along the crossbar. This property makes it possible to create accent lighting in the place where the design idea requires it.
Their appearance depends on what kind of light is needed: general or spot. Most often, accent, directional spots with a small scattering angle are used, designed for special illumination of decorative items, places for reading or working with documents.
Lamps with a wide light dispersion angle are used to increase illumination of the entire room.
Both types can be used simultaneously, mounting them both on the same or on different buses, connecting them to separate switches. The shape of the track spotlights depends on the type of light source and the type of busbar.
Such configurations are not innovative. Many of them, made on a larger scale, are used at various production sites. After optimization carried out by lighting designers, they received new parameters, properties and successfully joined the ranks of household lighting devices.
Effective Kitchen Lighting Ideas
One of the kitchen lighting ideas in today's selection
In this article, we have specially prepared a selection of lighting ideas for your kitchen. The kitchen is a place where the worlds of action and fantasy meet, and lighting it beautifully means adding a stylish, pleasant atmosphere to it. Even if you're not planning a major kitchen renovation, changing the lighting—from a glowing runner to a stunning chandelier—will breathe new life into your kitchen interior. Plus, it's pretty fast and mostly inexpensive.
LED strip under wall cabinets
This LED strip sticks to the bottom of wall cabinets, making it an ideal way to illuminate countertops and ovens. It can be of any length, so it distributes light evenly. Their power can be either mounted into the wall or simply plugged into an outlet.
LED strip under cabinets
LED cord
Like LED strip lights, this type is best used for countertop lighting. They're also easy to install and can also be mounted directly under cabinets - there's little difference, your choice will depend on your tastes.
LED cord in kitchen design
Decorative chandelier
One of the quickest ways to add some style to your kitchen is to change up your standard ceiling light. A chandelier without a visible fixture with decorative details - in this case a drum with interesting geometric cutouts - is a great addition that costs only a few turns of a screwdriver.
Unusual chandelier for the kitchen
pendant lamp
If you have a breakfast bar or separate breakfast table in your kitchen, we recommend that you consider installing a pendant light above it. This will give the room style and comfort.
Designer pendant lamps
Puck lamps
Puck lights are easy to install and will look good anywhere. They are disks with built-in LED lamps. The discs are small, which allows them to be used anywhere. The lamps are connected to the mains, but you can do it easier - just insert batteries into them.
Puck lamps
Light bulbs in cabinets
Lighting inside a cabinet is a very practical thing, especially in deep or dark cabinets. But this is no less useful in small cabinets, especially if the doors are glass. The light will romantically highlight your dessert and wine glasses.
Lighting inside kitchen cabinets
Lighting above the cabinets
You can also install, for example, the same LED cords on top of the cabinets - this will add comfort and aesthetics.
LED Ceiling Lights
Track lights
If a single light doesn't suit your kitchen, you can try track lights. They can be distributed over the entire ceiling area, connected by a distribution box. This will allow you to direct the light where you need it.
Track light in the kitchen
Spectacular chandelier
Another very simple way to make your kitchen more impressive is to change your chandelier to a more spectacular one. Don’t be afraid to get creative – you’re in the kitchen, after all!
Designer chandelier in the form of glasses
kitchensinteriors.ru
How to choose a specific model?
The design of modern track lighting is as neutral as possible. Externally, such lamps resemble ordinary spotlight models. For example, LeDron TSU0509 Black is made in the current cylinder shape. Similar ones, only in white, are shown in the photo. And LeDron TLH13 White resembles a standard spot that can easily fit even into a classic interior. However, just move the body and the light module will turn in the desired direction, creating directional illumination.
Types of artificial lighting
There are several types of artificial lighting:
- the main thing is bright, allows you to illuminate every corner of the room;
- accent – used to highlight certain areas or interior items, it can be either bright or muted;
- decorative – used to decorate space and individual decorative elements.
Track systems allow you to organize high-quality lighting of the space without much hassle. As a rule, manufacturers offer each model of LED lamps in several variations. For example, with different power or angle of luminous flux, which allows you to use lighting devices of the same design for different purposes. In addition, all spots can be installed on one track.
