Lighting in the Home and Business Premises

Lighting design in the home can be practical or decorative

• Several areas within your home or business (e.g. office, storage areas, wardrobes, dressing rooms, kitchen or laundry/utility areas) require bright lighting at all hours of the day to enable you to work efficiently; whereas other spaces may meet a dual purpose (e.g. kitchen/diner, living room, bathroom) where bright lighting or soft mood lighting is required at differing times of the day; this can be achieved by using a combination of lighting options such as LED and fibre optic lighting or through lighting control (see lighting control section).

• Lighting may be used to improve access; for example at night time low voltage soft or coloured lighting used in halls and stairs will enable safe access to bathrooms and bedrooms, without disturbing other members of the household.

• Lighting can also be used to highlight objects (e.g. pictures, mirrors or ornaments) or features (e.g. alcoves) creating space and ambience.
  
  
• The options for decorative wall and ceiling lighting are vast, enabling you to find lighting that will fit any theme or décor within your home or business.

There are a variety of lighting options

• Traditional wall or ceiling mounted light fittings to suit your purpose, décor and budget

• Light emitting diodes (LED) provide pure saturated light that is energy efficient and requires minimal maintenance. These can be installed subtly into your home or business by incorporating them into floors, staircases, ceilings, walls and furniture (such as wardrobes and kitchen units). In addition LED lights give you flexibility from bright lighting to soft, coloured mood lighting.

• Fibre optic lighting

Fibre optic lighting consists of fibres made from glass or optically clear plastic that run from one central source and carrying light through the fibre or to the end of the fibre, so they are voltage free. This means that the lights never get hot so they are particularly safe with children and pets and they limit damage to delicate furniture or objects (e.g. pictures).

Fibre optics can provide wonderful mood lighting as they offer a variety of constantly changing colours, creating the ideal ambience in any room, particularly where relaxation is desired; imagine relaxing back in your bath gazing at hundreds of blue and white twinkling lights or your children going to bed with multicoloured twinkling lights in the nursery. If twenty or more individual lights are required, consider the wiring and all of the connections required for traditional lighting; fibre optic lighting is the ideal solution.

• In bathrooms integrated lights and extractor vans can be installed avoiding the need for unsightly boxes.

Tim Chugg Electrical Ltd offer a complete design and installation service for all your lighting needs in your home or business:

• We listen and ascertain all your lighting requirements
• We assess the purpose of the building or space, the practical needs of the space, how the lighting will be used and any specific needs (e.g. ease of maintenance, accessibility and hazard risks) and determine the most effective lighting solutions
• We provide advice on energy saving systems
• We assess your requirements are compatible with your current circuits and will meet your additional needs
• We ensure that all your lighting meets the current regulations and the NICEIC requirements (see NICEIC website)
• We provide certification in line with NICEIC requirements
• We provide an ongoing maintenance service

For information or to book a quotation contact us on 01392 363588 or email Tim on tc-electrical@eclipse.co.uk

Lighting in the Garden

Outdoor spaces do not need to be used exclusively during daylight hours; with the clever use of lighting you can extend your home into the garden at all times of the day.

Lighting in the garden can be purposeful or decorative:

• Garden lighting can deter intruders or demarcate paths to ease access to your home

• A well planned garden should have a series of focal points and lighting can be used to enhance these features in your garden, giving depth and character and creating space and ambience. Lighting can be used in various ways (e.g. backlighting, uplighting or downlighting) to emphasize features and each of these features will achieve different results.

Lighting can be subtly included in the garden design by incorporating into the flooring (e.g. low voltage lighting can be built in to decking or patios) or disguising it in objects such as Japanese stone lanterns; enhancing the them and atmosphere of any garden.

There are a variety of lights available for use in the garden:

• Solar lighting which is reasonable priced and energy efficient because it converts the sun’s energy into lighting. This type of lighting requires no wiring, is easy to install and has no operating costs; however the lighting potential is limited and is unsuitable for larger areas or for areas of socialising.
• Mains operated which requires cabling and connection directly to the mains electricity. This gives you greater flexibility in terms of lighting options and is a great long term solution; however it is more expensive than solar lighting and it requires installation by a qualified electrician.
• Low voltage lighting is a safer and more cost effective alternative, in terms of running cost, to mains lighting. There is a wide range of low voltage lighting available providing a variety of brightness levels depending on your requirements and they can be controlled by a an automatic timer.

Tim Chugg Electrical Ltd offers the complete package, from assessing your requirements through to design, installation and commissioning in line with your budget. We can also advise on lighting pollution to ensure that your garden is lit subtlety to enhance intimacy and not offensive to your neighbours. For information or to book a quotation contact us on 01392 363588 or email Tim on tc-electrical@eclipse.co.uk